HOPE-JONES COMPANY AND LINK TO HENRY ROYCE

In 1892 Robert Hope-Jones set up his first organ building company at 55-57 Argyle street, Birkenhead.

He was financed by Thomas Threlfall a wealthy Liverpool Brewer.

Shown to the right is part of the original Company Registration Certificate naming the company "Hope-Jones Electric Organ Company Limited"

It would appear that Robert Hope-Jones and Henry Royce may have met when both were working in Liverpool. Royce as an electrical engineer installing the first street lights and Robert Hope-Jones installing the first telephones.

When the company Royce was working for went into liquidation it was suggested by friends and collegues that Henry Royce moved to Hulme Manchester and form his own electrical company sharing a factory with organ builder George Benson. It was George Benson who made the first organs under licence of Hope-Jones Patents.

To the right is one of the first chest magnets wound by Henry Royce for Hope-Jones re-build of the organ at Saint Johns Birkenhead.

After some 42 organs were built by various organ builders in UK under licence to Hope-Jones Patents, job No. 70 was his first complete commercial build. This organ was built for Saint Pauls Church in Burton on Trent, shown left. The organ was financed by Mr Bass of the Bass Brewery in Burton on Trent.

The original Hope-Jones casework is still in place in the church. This is shown to the right.

The original Hope-Jones Console from this "Opus 70" organ is now on display in the Hope-Jones Museum.

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