Harrison & Harrison
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Harrison & Harrison Ltd are a British company that make and restore pipe organs, based in Durham and established in 1861. They are well known for their work on instruments such as King's College Cambridge, Westminster Abbey and the Royal Festival Hall.
[edit] History of the firm
Thomas Harrison established an organ building company in 1861 in Rochdale, then moved to Durham in 1872. The company was moderately successful but did not achieve real success until 1896 when Thomas's sons Arthur and Harry took over. Harry designed the organs and Arthur proved to be a particularly gifted voicer, resulting in commissions for rebuilds of several great organs including Durham Cathedral, the Royal Albert Hall and new commissions including Westminster Abbey.
Arthur Harrison died in 1936 and Harry retired in 1946. The company passed to Harry's son Cuthbert. Since 1975, the firm has been led by Mark Venning.
In the postwar period Harrisons contributed significantly to the renaissance of classical organ building; their instruments for the Royal Festival Hall (designed in close collaboration with Ralph Downes) and St Albans Abbey (for Peter Hurford) are of particular importance.
A history of the firm entitled 'The Harrison Story' was published in 1974 by Laurence Elvin
[edit] Some Harrison & Harrison Organs
- Royal Festival Hall
- Westminster Abbey
- King's College, Cambridge
- St David's Cathedral, Wales
- Coventry Cathedral
- Durham Cathedral
- Newcastle City Hall
- St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol
- Ely Cathedral
