Bevington and Sons, Victorian Organ Builders

This book takes a look at the life and times of four generations of the Bevington family who presided over Bevington & Sons, the renowned organ builders of Soho, London, who built more than 2,000 pipe organs between 1794 and 1950 and sold them all over the world. The people they met, their families and a few of the historical events they witnessed all combine to produce a fascinating glimpse of Victorian life against the background of the organ building business. A glance at the index will show unexpected links with Florence Nightingale, Pitman's shorthand, a famous London neurological hospital, the architect Pugin, Bedlam, Charles Dickens and many others whose lives were entwined with the Soho family of organ builders. Professional organ builders and organists should note that this is not another technical work; there are no organ Stop lists and our discussions on pipework, actions and innovations are restricted to a general overview only. That said, there are still many historical details included here which make this book an absorbing companion to the more scholarly titles.