Thomas Thamer Case

The important historic organ case at St Mark's Bilton is noted nationally as a very good example of 17th Century casework. It is shown in a number of books on organ casework including Clutton and Nyland, Rev. A. Freeman, English Organ Cases (1921), p36–7,also in Groves Dictionary. In these works it is stated as being by Robert Dallam and dated 1635.

However, detailed research by Canon Dr Nicholas Thistlethwaite probably confirms a later date of about 1660 i.e. from the 'Restoration' organ in St John’s College Cambridge and probably made by Thomas Thamer. Records about the Organ in St John's College at that time show 'Mr Thaymer' was paid for tuning in 1663.  In 1669, a painter was paid for gilding and painting the Great Organ, and Thamer received £4 for three weeks' work'. Thomas Thamer was a well known Organ Builder based in Cambridge from the 1650's, he had contracts for building Organs at Winchester Cathedral 1665 - 1670 and Peterborough Cathedral 1661 - 1663.

Although there is (as yet) no definitive written evidence can be found that Thamar made it, the similarity to the organ case in St Michael's Framlingham Suffolk which he did make, is striking. To see pictures and details of the Framlingham organ, please click links below:

Framlingham Church Web site HERE , National Pipe Organ Register (NPOR) entry HERE 

The original case did NOT have the three decorative pieces on the top in the centre and the two ends, (see pictures below), these were added in when the case was reinstalled in St Mark’s in 1872 with the new Nicholson Organ.

In a 1910 book "Dictionary of Organs and Organists" edited by Frederick W Thornsby, there is an article by Andrew Freeman which includes the following information from Page 29: 

......"The old Dallam case was purchased by the late Rev. H. O. Assheton, Rector of St. Mark's, Old Bilton, near Rugby, where it was fitted with a new organ by Messrs. Nicholson and Company, of Worcester. ...the case projects from the north wall of the chancel above the keyboards, the organ being placed in the vestry behind. Mr. Button, who supervised the fitting of the case to its new position was responsible for the " hang-over " of the front and for the three " spirettes " which adorn the cornices of the towers. Otherwise it was not interfered with except to restore it to its original shape which had been slightly altered in 1838. The Tudor Rose and Portcullis embodied in the pipe shades are emblamatic of the Lady Margaret, foundress of St. John's College. The case is of oak, picked out with gilt, and the front pipes (which have rounded and gilded mouths), are of plain metal, and the general effect is one of simple dignity.

More Information - 2021.Canon Hilary Davidson in his book on FH Sutton (1998) p23 documents that it was Sutton who found the case at Rattee's with other old woodwork from St John's and wrote to Assheton about it.  Rattee was a woodcarver in Cambridge, later joined by Kett to found a famous firm responsible for much woodwork in churches and elsewhere.

David Walters writes in his Brownsover Survey:

"The upper part of the case is probably by Thomas Thamar, c1662, and is the Chair case ex St. John's College Chapel, Cambridge;" The Organ in the Brownsover case is a 1876 Bryceson Brothers single manual instrument as confirmed by bellows weights and chest face board inner markings. This would  probably confirm Thamer provenance being within 5 years of the Bilton organ installation".

It would be interesting to find out where these cases were stored if they were moved from Cambridge in 1869/70 after the opening of the new Gilbert Scott Chapel in 1869, could it have been in Bilton Rectory or somewhere within Brownsover Hall?

At the bottom of page 29 in the Thornesby book referred to above, Andrew Freeman writes note 17 "The Choir case,(from St John's Cambridge) similarly fitted with a new organ, found a home in Brownsover Church, a mile or two the other side of Rugby, where its other- wise charming appearance is somewhat spoilt by some modern carving which was added to its lower portion."

At Bilton the Chancel decoration round the case and the design of the script panel above the console "Abba Father..." were done by the Architects George Frederick Bodley and Thomas Garner. Note the full effect of this in the Freeman  black and white photo and the 140 year old colour in the photo right at the top of the page. Bodley and Garner also designed the famous buildings for Magdalen College Oxford. [Link for Bodley  H E R E - Link for Garner H E R E]

Earlier

There was an organ in St Mark's Church Bilton before 1872, this was probably an instrument by Bishop and there are some records of it in the BIOS archive. A Photo does exist in the Church records of the inside of the church taken from the back in about 1865. This shows the side of an old organ in a similar position to the existing one in the Chancel.

A poor definition front view of this old Organ is shown below.