Hi Everyone,

As most of you saw in the last week I was able to get a 15 year old pipe organ from our 3rd balcony organ loft working and started again. There is a history as to why it hasn't been used in the last 15 years but that's for a later date of discussion.

I will get more pics of it next week to post on here with close details of the instrument but I will post on here some of the history of this instrument. The organ plaque on the console says it was done by Arthur Morressette. But.... after finding the parish history book from 1970 (the 100th anniversary of the church building), the organ goes back way more then the 1930's!

Here is what I know about the history Sacred Heart organ as of right now:

The French came to this area because of the Slater Textile Mills. St. Louis was the first Catholic Church in Webster, dedicated in 1853. By 1869, there were 300 French families in Webster totaling 1700 souls. This is when the meeting was held to form a new Parish. In January 1870, Rev. Jules Cosson became the founding Pastor of the new Parish (S.H.). In 1867, a new (necessarily larger) Methodist Church was built in downtown Webster. In 1870, the French purchased (from Mr. Slater!) the former Methodist Church, which they doubled in size and refurbished. That building served S.H. until 1896 – when they dedicated the present building, on Labor Day, September 7, 1896.

The present S. H. church building was begun with the laying of the first Canadian-granite stone on April 3, 1895. The Architect and Contractor was Mr. G. F. Heroux of Yamachiche, Quebec. He owned the granite quarry in P.Q. The church was heated by steam from two boilers installed by F. X. Brunnell of Worcester. The brick Rectory, east of the church, was built at the same time. The total cost of the church, rectory, steam heat, “trimmings” and extras was about $84,000 (in 1895-96!!). $64,000 of that total was paid by Loans to the Church.

A basic description of the organ is included: “A new organ has been placed in position at a cost of about $2,500. It has proven to be a splendid instrument under skillful fingering of Prof. Boulay, organist and director. It was built by E. B. Brodeur, of St. Hyacinthe, Canada. Prof. Boulay furnished valuable assistance in its design, upon which patents have been applied for.”

Later in the same book, there is an additional description of what (supposedly) happened in 1930, with the organ. It reads as follows:
“In 1929, Msgr. Desrochers purchased the present organ from a company in Canada. A Mr. Arthur Morrissette came to Webster to assemble and install it at a cost of over $10,000.00. It was to be played for the Ordination, in June 1930, of two Parishioners, Father Oliva Gevry and Father Edward Authier.” The case and façade were made for this place, match each other, and are old. Sure, Morressette put a new blower on it in 1930 – too bad we don’t know what the reservoir was, before the ca. 1980 rebuild!

We now know that this Church holds some precious remnants of rare, Canadian organbuilding! What a find!!

Hope you enjoy reading the history of this instrument!!