This is an archive of news articles from December 2005. Current news articles can be found here and an archive index can be found here. Information in this archive may no longer be valid.

• BIOS Journal 29 published
  BIOS have recently published their 29th annual journal of writing on the pipe organ, this year edited by Relf Clark. There is a focus on early-mid 20th century organbuilding, with a variety of articles centred around Harrison and Harrison, and Arthur Harrison's work in particular. Among many other articles and reviews, Timothy Lawford writes on Walter Parratt, David Wickens writes on pipe marking, and Nicholas Thistlethwaite looks at Dr Mann's tenure at King's. More details here.
  
  
• News from Kenneth Tickell Tickell's website has recently been updated and includes news on the following projects. A specification and new case sketch for Worcester Cathedral is given, along with the news that the Transept case is not just to house the Pedal 32' ranks, but is to have an independent small organ of two manuals, playable from either the Nave or Choir console. That organ, like the nave organ, is to be built by Nicholsons. The website also includes information on forthcoming projects including a new three manual organ of 33 stops for Cheltenham Ladies' College, currently under construction, and a new two manual organ for St Mary the Less, Cambridge, to fit within the existing case but new in all other respects. For more information on all these projects, visit the Tickell news page.
  
  
• St Helena organ in need of assistance
  Stan Curtis writes to tell us of the small cathedral organ on the remote island of St Helena, of Napoleon fame. The organ, apparently a small positive model brought new from Cape Town in 1914 for 250, is now beset with minor problems and in need of retuning and bellows attention. The island has a Hammond organ as backup, but there is a desire to hear the pipe organ at its best again. The church lacks the funds for a commercial restoration, but if a tuner or (retired?) builder fancies a holiday in the South Atlantic then a trip could be arranged with travel and accommodation paid for in return for the maintenance work. Anyone interested should contact Stan in the first instance (email divacorp@nildram.co.uk, telephone 01487 814492).

  
  The organ in St Helena's Cathedral, © I Ellick