Geograph - photograph every grid square

This 87 key fairground organ was built in 1898 by the Gavioli Organ Company in Paris and sold to showman Patrick Collins of Walsall. Around the time of the First World War it was sold on to the Hibbert Brothers from Stockport. In 1923 Hibbert Brothers ceased travelling and it was stored under one of the Stockport Viaduct arches until 1946. It was then acquired by Herbert Slack of Chapel-en-le-Frith. He restored the organ and it remained in his workshop until his death in 1981.

It was inherited by Tom Allcroft who commissioned Nottingham organ builder Anthony Cragg to do some maintenance work. In 1983 it was acquired by Derbyshire County Council with the aid of a grant from the Victoria & Albert Museum. After being stored for a time at Elvaston Castle in 1985 it was installed in the Pavilion at Buxton. A few years later it was removed and stored at a disused school in Darley Dale. In 1993 it was loaned to Crich Tramway Museum but for ten years was rarely played.

In 2012 having paid back the grant from the V&A Ian Howard of Howard Bros became its custodian and it was transported in sections to their premises at Kirk Ireton. After further restoration work the Gavioli was mounted in an E.R.F. lorry so it can be exhibited around the country.

These notes are summarised from an informative history compiled by Phil Upchurch which was mounted alongside the display on the promenade at Llandudno.