William W. Laws View Extant Instruments View Instruments

Distinction:

Beverly, Massachusetts ca. 1921-ca. 1950
Classification: Builder

Update This Entry
October 30, 2004:

From the OHS PC Database, derived from A Guide to North America Organ Builders by David H. Fox (Organ Historical Society, 1991). Updated with information from the Rev. Carl Bassett, received in an e-mail Dec 23, 2015. -

William W. Laws (father of William F. Laws) was with the Austin firm of Hartford, Connecticut; and later with Hook & Hastings of Kendal Green, Massachusetts. He established his own firm in Beverly, Massachusetts, by 1921; he was succeeded by his son, William F. Laws, around 1950.

Staff: Carl Bassett,1 Arthur Birkmaier; Walter Birkmaier; Frederick S. Brockbank; Roston Kershaw.

Sources:

  • Robert Reich.
  • Rev. Carl Bassett, email to Builders Listing editor, December 2015.
    1) "My father began working for Laws Organ Company in Beverly, Massachusetts, I believe, in 1921, as a general purpose helper at the age of 13, to support his mother and siblings after his father deserted them. His skills were developed over the years, and in the early 1930's, he went to work for Ernest M. Skinner in Boston."
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We received the most recent update for this note from Database Manager on September 11, 2019.

Database Specs:

  • 56 Organs
  • 7 Divisions
  • 7 Consoles