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of 1851, Willis erected the largest of the organs exhibited with an unprecedented 70 speaking stops. He introduced several novel features, which had a significant effect on organ design. Piston buttons were inserted between the manuals to allow automatic selection of blocks of "stops", and Barker
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Four generations of the Willis family continued the family tradition of organ building until 1997, when Henry Willis IV retired and the first non-family
Managing Director was appointed. On 28 November 1998 the total shareholding of the Willis family was acquired. The company, founded in 1845,
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His instruments can be found across the world, particularly in the former
British Empire, and his superb reed voicing and excellent mechanical craftmanship can still be experienced on many instruments today. The last organ built by Willis was at St Nicholas' Chapel,
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drew large crowds, and also spread the fame of Willis as a builder still further. In a long career stretching to the end of the 19th century, Willis subsequently built the organs at the
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organ in 1847. Willis had become an independent organ builder and commented, "It was my stepping stone to fame... I received £400 for the job, and was presumptuous enough to marry."
90:, assisting an instrument maker, Wardle Evans, who specialised in free reed instruments. Willis later attributed his personal skill in reed voicing to this experience. Willis met
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He was born to Henry Willis (1792–1872) and
Elizabeth. He married Esther Maria Chatterton (1817–1893), the daughter of Randall Chatterton, a silversmith, on 7 April 1847 in
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where in 1854 it now had 49 speaking stops over four manuals and pedals, and the first concave and radiating pedalboard. The pedalboard was the joint idea of Willis and
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connecting rods for an instrument of such size and complexity. After the exhibition ended, the instrument was erected in reduced form at
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Esther died in 1893 and on 7 August 1894 he married her younger sister, Rosetta
Chatterton (1830–1912), at St Thomas' Church,
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83:) for seven years. During this time, he invented the manual and pedal couplers which he used throughout his later career.
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The
Exhibition organ had led to the contract for St George's Hall, Liverpool, where the virtuosic playing of
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from 1852 to 1859, where he had built the organ, and then the Chapel-of-Ease, Islington (now
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Willis had a series of organist posts. In 1835 he became organist of Christ Church,
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Willis died in London on the 11th
February 1901, and is buried on the west side of
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with whom Willis collaborated on his next large organ of 100 speaking stops at
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lever servo action was used on the manuals to overcome the constraints of
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in 1899, which he voiced himself, although approaching his 80th year.
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The last major instrument which he personally supervised was at
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Dictionary of Organs and
Organists, Second Edition 1921 p.197
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The Organ, its evolution, principles of construction and use
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Lost in the destruction of the original
Cathedral in WW II.
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Following his apprenticeship he worked for three years in
39:(27 April 1821 – 11 February 1901), also known as
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at
Cheltenham, and this led to the re-building of the
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425:Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 Supplement
413:Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 Supplement
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118:The Willis St George's Hall organ, Liverpool
300:Deceased Wife's Sister's Marriage Act 1907
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29:For other people named Henry Willis, see
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262:) for nearly thirty years until 1895.
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274:and they had the following children
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110:Willis organ at the great Exhibition
333:which is now under the care of the
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368:, Charles Francis Press, New York
16:English organ builder (1821–1901)
237:St Bees Priory organ; built 1899
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439:William Leslie Sumner (1973)
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31:Henry Willis (disambiguation)
488:Burials at Highgate Cemetery
493:British pipe organ builders
364:George Laing Miller (1913)
335:Churches Conservation Trust
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272:St Andrew's Church, Holborn
141:St George's Hall, Liverpool
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278:Vincent Willis (1848–1928)
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314:Grave of Henry Willis in
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260:St Mary Magdalene Church
256:Christ Church, Hampstead
102:Growth of his reputation
71:, later sub-organist of
343:Henry Willis & Sons
290:Mary Willis (1859–1952)
287:Kate Willis (1853–1927)
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53:Henry Willis & Sons
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55:remains in business.
23:"Father" Henry Willis
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217:Winchester
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143:in 1855.
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122:For the
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