The Halmshaw Organ of the mid 19th century has left no traces which is doubly sad, as the first named organist at St Nicolas was from the same family of organ builders. “Our” Halmshaw was Henry – born in 1834 in Dewsbury, Yorkshire to parents Joseph and Hannah (nee Clutterbuck). Of his five brothers (John, Charles, William, James and Edward), only Charles, John and William survived to adulthood, and Hannah died, presumably in or due to complications of childbirth, very close to Edward’s birth when Henry was only 6 years old. By 1850, at the age of 16, Henry’s occupation is given as that of organ builder, and in the 1851 census, he is living in Camp Hill, Bordesley, then a small village near Birmingham. By 1857, his occupation is given as Organist of St Nicolas Church, King’s Norton, and the 1861 census has him at an address in Camp Hill, in the Parish of Aston, and listed as an organ builder. This is clearly a family firm, as his father’s census entries for 1851 and 1861 also have organ builder, at addresses in Bordesley, Sparkbrook and 194 Camp Hill. Henry married Julia Maria Foster in 1862 in central Birmingham (St Martin’s) and his occupation is entered on his marriage certificate as an organ builder. The Camp Hill address seems to be the business address, as his father’s death is listed as being in King’s Norton (1866), and also that of his younger brother William in 1874. Various directories for the period have Halmshaw’s living in addresses in the Moseley area, which was in the Parish of King’s Norton. When his older brother John died in 1877, Henry assumed control of the organ building business. Julia died in 1903 and Henry died on May 9th 1913 aged 79, in King’s Norton (which was now in the country of Warwickshire rather than Worcestershire). He and Julia are buried in St Nicolas Churchyard – in an area which has subsequently been re-ordered, and any headstone has been lost. They had no children and his only “effects” were left to the manager of Joseph William Halmshaw manufacturers – all £12 10s of it. Charles did not die until 1920, but seems not to have been part of the family firm or an executor of Henry’s will.

A website called Pipeline Press has an interesting snippet about Halmshaw Organs ……. (www.pipeline press.com/canterbury-cousins.html). “The web-site of Christchurch’s Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Canterbury, New Zealand, claims that its organ is the finest unspoilt example of 19th century English organ building in the country . It is probably the best remaining example of the work of Halmshaw of Birmingham. The business was founded by Joseph Halmshaw about 1855, during an era of great demand in the trade, partly brought about by the instruments on show at the Crystal Palace exhibition of 1851. For 60 of its 70 years the firm was under the direction of members of the founder’s family: it closes about the time the first world war began.” This would accord with Henry having no children, Charles apparently not involved at all, and Henry’s effect being left to the managers of the firm, rather than to any family members.