Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 04 October 1929

New Organ at Wesleyan Reform Church

At the opening last Thursday of the new organ installed in the Wesleyan Reform Church, the proceeds exceeded the most sanguine expectations, and the magnificent sum of £183 was counted at the end of the day.

This figure speaks volumes for this small community, who easily topped £100 at a bazaar a few months ago for the , object. The new instrument delights the worshippers, who have dipped deeply into their own pockets and striven hard to acquire the necessary funds. This, the greatest of their schemes, overshadows others completed in readiness for the opening of the organ, but which, in the aggregate, represent no small effort.

There is the new pulpit, a communion table, additional lighting, re-decorating—all part of the huge plan to beautify their church and their services. Their seal has not diminished with the realisation of their ambitions, and not until the outstanding balance has been cleared—if then—will they relax their efforts.

Crowded congregations at morning and evening services last week-end were highly pleased with the improvements and very interested in the church’s youthful organist, Mr. George Foster, who ably demonstrated his abilities. There were anthems by the choir, and in the evening Mr. E. Clarke, tenor, Sheffield and Mr. L. Broadbent, baritone, combined beautifully in the duets; “Psalm of life” and “Watchman, what of the night!”

Mr. Alan Hoskin, Mus.Bac.. F.R.C.0., of Parkgate, the Swinton Cinema organist, gave a recital to a large audience on Sunday afternoon, Mr. E. Clarke being soloist and Mr. F. Lee (Farkgate) chairman.

Mr. Hoskin’s programme, as follows, was expertly rendered and the rich qualities of the organ charmed his hearers; Gothic Suite (Boelmann), Evening Song( (Bairstow), April Song (Wolstenholme). Solemn Melody (Walford-Davies), Song of the Breeze (Meale), Introduction, Variations and Finale on ‘Aberystwyth’ (McLean), Pilgrim’s Chorus, Tannhauser (Wagner). O Star of Eve, ‘Tannhauser’ (Wagner), To a Wild Rose (Macdowell), Sea Song (Macdowell), Stradella Overture (Flotow).

Solos by Mr. Clarke, ‘Where’er you walk (Handel), ‘Arise, 0 Sun’ (Mande C. Day); recit, ‘Deeper and deeper still’ and aria, ‘Waft her angels’ (Handel).

The day’s collections totalled £10 3s.