We were half-watching an Escape to the Country episode on Youtube yesterday, set in some obscure village in, maybe, Somerset, when I glimpsed a familiar name on the screen. The prospective home buyers were visiting a restored cinema and were being shown the elaborate theatre organ which had been restored to its former glory. I wasn't particularly interested until I deciphered the name carved on the hinged flap where the organist would stand his music; the name was Christie.
Hurrying to the computer, I searched for 'Christie Organ', not knowing what I would find. What I discovered was that in about 1923 a company called Hill, Norman and Beard was involved in manufacturing large theatre organs and they were in great demand to meet the growing popularity of 'moving pictures'. Silent movies were always accompanied by an organist.
The company was bought out by a prosperous entrepreneur called John Christie (Yep! Another one!) and the company went from strength to strength. Mr Christie opened an Australian branch in 1927 and organs were installed in all the major theatres including the Lyceum Theatre in Sydney. A particularly good example of a Christie organ is in the College of Advanced Education in Brisbane.
Of course, the empire fell apart with the advent of 'talkies'.
No comments:
Post a Comment