Pipe Organ Database

a project of the organ historical society

Unknown Builder (1665ca.)

Exhibited in the 1987 OHS convention(s)

Location:

St. John's Episcopal Church
101 Chapel Street
Portsmouth, NH 03801 US
Organ ID: 392

Update This Entry

Status and Condition:

  • This instrument's location type is: Episcopal and Anglican Churches
  • The organ has been restored to a previous state.
  • The organ's condition is good, used occasionally.
We received the most recent update for this instrument's status from Paul R. Marchesano on October 13, 2021.

Technical Details:

  • Chests: Slider
  • 5 ranks. 1 manuals. 6 stops.
All:
  • Chest Type(s): Slider chests
  • Position: Portable instrument, fully movable.
We received the most recent update for this division from Database Manager on May 13, 2018.
Main:
  • Manuals: 1
  • Stops: 6
  • Key Action: Mechanical connection from key to chest (tracker, sticker or mix).
  • Stop Action: Mechanical connection between stop control and chest.
We received the most recent update for this console from Database Manager on May 13, 2018.
Database Manager on May 07, 2018:
We received the most recent update for this note from Database Manager on May 13, 2018.
Database Manager on February 16, 2011:

Updated through online information from Joseph Phillips. -- This organ, reported to be the oldest playable organ in the US was recently featured in a UNH Faculty concert held on February 6, 2011. It was also used during mass for the first few weeks of this year while our Letourneau Organ was out of commission. The sound from this "portable" instrument is still lovely and strong even though it has been some years since its last restoration.

We received the most recent update for this note from Database Manager on April 09, 2020.
Database Manager on October 30, 2004:

Builder's Nameplate: Unknown English

We received the most recent update for this note from Database Manager on April 09, 2020.
Database Manager on October 30, 2004:

Status Note: There 1987.

We received the most recent update for this note from Database Manager on April 09, 2020.
Database Manager on October 30, 2004:

Thomas Brattle organ (by 1708). To Kings Chapel, Boston 1728. To St. Paul Episcopal, Newburyport, MA in 1756. Moved to St. John's Chapel on State Street in 1836 & rebuilt by R. P.Morss (or Calvin Edwards?). Moved to old St. John's (here) in 1920's. Rebuilt by Douglas Brown, of C. B. Fisk in 1965, 1-5.

We received the most recent update for this note from Database Manager on April 09, 2020.
Source not recorded: Open In New Tab Typed stoplist from the OHS PC Database.
We received the most recent update for this stoplist from Database Manager on April 09, 2020.

Instrument Images:

Organ facade: Photograph by Tim Drewes. Taken on 1983-10-14

This instrument has been viewed 1,226 times.