Honorary Lifetime Membership presented to Liz White

On Sunday 21st September, members of the Fitzhardinge Society attended a very special open event at Bristol Cathedral to witness the rededication of the Cathedral organ. The remarkable restoration project was funded by £2.2M raised by Bristol Cathedral Trust, of which the Harry Crook Foundation generously gave £1,670,000 to pay homage to the late Harry Crook, former Lord Mayor of Bristol (1956-7), who loved Bristol Cathedral, its music and choral tradition. Harry founded the Kleeneze Brush Company based in Hanham and created a significant charitable trust.

We were thrilled that Liz White, Trustee of the Foundation and Harry’s great niece, was there to hear the organ being ceremonially ‘re-awakened’ during a beautiful Choral Evensong, inspired by the powerful service held at Notre Dame de Paris last December.

The singing of the organ was a breathtaking moment as the Dean read six invocations which assistant organist, Paul Walton, responded to with brilliant improvisations on the Walker organ.

At the final invocation, ‘Awake O Sacred Instrument’, Paul Walton opened the organ stops, swell and pedals to full extent. The sound was incredible and unforgettable to all in the Cathedral at Evensong.

The music was led by the combined Cathedral Choir and Cathedral Consort, offering a rich and moving soundscape in celebration of the organ’s return. The service was led by the Acting Bishop of Bristol who formally blessed the organ, honouring its place at the heart of worship and music for generations to come.

The first reading was given by Stephen Parsons MBE DL, Chair of Bristol Cathedral Trust, and the second reading by Andrew Scott, Managing Director of Harrison & Harrison, the organ specialist firm that delivered the restoration.

After the service, Stephen presented Liz with Honorary Lifetime Membership of the Fitzhardinge Society in recognition of her extraordinary service and support to the Cathedral and the Fitz over many years.

Liz was delighted to receive the award, which was the icing on the cake of a spectacular evening, marking the return of the renowned organ. She said “I really do feel very honoured, thank you to the Bristol Cathedral Trust trustees. To hear the new organ in all its glory, so beautifully played, really touched the soul and was a superb culmination of all the hard work.”

Photo caption (below) L-R: Stephen Parsons MBE DL, Chair of Bristol Cathedral Trust; Andrew Scott, MD of Harrison & Harrison; and Liz White, Trustee of the Harry Crook Foundation.