D. Leslie Smith Organ Builder from Fergus has completed our latest renovations on the Church Organ. Swell Aeoline, Pedal Trombone, Harp, Tremulant and the Facade Pipes were all worked on. With Hank steadying the ladder and Larry at the console the job was done in about 4 hours. The team had just returned from a project in Charlotte NC. The $6,238 required for the job was paid for from funds managed by the Trustee's.

The Wesley Pipe Organ - A Brief History

The pipe organ in Wesley dates from 1883. It was installed at a cost of $1200. It is speculated that the builder was Canadian and most likely from Ontario. The exact maker is unknown, as no paper .records have been found. There are still pipes from that organ in today's instrument. One of the pipes is signed, possibly by the voicer. The swell oboe pipes and the swell principal 4' pipes are in their original condition and are regularly used. This instrument would have been a 'tracker' organ. This means that the instrument, operating without electricity, was entirely mechanical. It would also have been 'pumped' by hand!

In 1927, two years after Ainslie Street Methodist became Wesley United Church, "the newly-named congregation installed a magnificent new pipe organ." The instrument cost $13 000 and was built by Woodstock Organ Co. The organ case and pipes that we see today date from that instillation in 1927. This instrument used electricity to run the blower.

Keats Organ Co. rebuilt the organ in 1978. The console (the keyboards and the box the organist sits at) that we see today dates from that rebuild.

Two recent changes to the organ include: in 1997 the reeds were rebuilt by Casavant of Saint Hyacinthe Quebec and in 2003 a string stop and the harp were revoiced and rebuilt by Leslie Smith of Fergus Ontario.

Information taken from: Wesley United Church 1854-1979