Innovative Builders
~ Philip Wells reviews Booths of Wakefield; Organ Builders to the World, 1796-1893 ~
Philip purchased his copy of the book (ISBN 978-1-4467-1286-3) online for £24.76 plus p&p, through the www.AbeBooks.co.uk website which he finds useful as a source for second-hand books. From Amazon it is £14:45 P&P paid (in UK)
Philip purchased his copy of the book (ISBN 978-1-4467-1286-3) online for £24.76 plus p&p, through the www.AbeBooks.co.uk website which he finds useful as a source for second-hand books. From Amazon it is £14:45 P&P paid (in UK)
Booths of Wakefield; Organ Builders to the World, 1796-1893, written by Paul Lindsay Dawson and published by the "Association Britannique de la Garde Imperiale," of Wakefield, has drawn on the author's research over many years in field trips, the archives of the West Yorkshire Archive Service and the online records of the NPOR to produce a book of 344 pages divided into 12 chapters, mostly structured chronologically, rather than focusing on individual specific subjects eg biography, business history, or inventions.
Chapters cover the firm's history: 1796-1832 Joseph Booth; 1832-1874 Francis Booth; 1874-1877 Henry Booth & Co. of Wakefield; 1878-1880 Henry Booth & Co. of Otley; 1880-1885 Messrs Booth & Hepworth of Otley; 1885-1892 Henry Booth & Co of Otley. Another covers the work of the Marshall Brothers 1888-1951 who apparently saw themselves as successors to Henry Booth if not Booth & Hepworth. There is unfortunately, no list of illustrations and the index consists of main headings, which are all towns, not people, and the subheadings (with the page numbers), are all buildings of one sort or another.
Chapters cover the firm's history: 1796-1832 Joseph Booth; 1832-1874 Francis Booth; 1874-1877 Henry Booth & Co. of Wakefield; 1878-1880 Henry Booth & Co. of Otley; 1880-1885 Messrs Booth & Hepworth of Otley; 1885-1892 Henry Booth & Co of Otley. Another covers the work of the Marshall Brothers 1888-1951 who apparently saw themselves as successors to Henry Booth if not Booth & Hepworth. There is unfortunately, no list of illustrations and the index consists of main headings, which are all towns, not people, and the subheadings (with the page numbers), are all buildings of one sort or another.
Many organ specifications are given and there is also an appendix of Booth organs. Booth's work developing the pneumatic action is noted, together with his involvement with Edmund Schulze in England; for example, in 1876 Henry Booth was acting for Schulze as he had taken over the building of the organ for Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey that Schulze was unable to complete because of failing health. The book also mentions the influences of other organ builders and organists on their work. The author is at pains to stress that the firm were no less innovative than the leading organ builders of London.
Where the book falls down is in its presentation; it needs a good editor/technical proof reader to address spelling, capitalisation, apostrophes, commas; all things that we take for granted but which grate so when they disrupt an otherwise good read.
(Ed comment: Philip notes that he found himself reading it with a pencil in hand for corrections; how sad is that! )
Philip Wells - Jan 2012
Where the book falls down is in its presentation; it needs a good editor/technical proof reader to address spelling, capitalisation, apostrophes, commas; all things that we take for granted but which grate so when they disrupt an otherwise good read.
(Ed comment: Philip notes that he found himself reading it with a pencil in hand for corrections; how sad is that! )
Philip Wells - Jan 2012
