Dear Phillipa,  Recently Todd Augsburger posted a request from you
for information about Joseph Walker and his firm in London.  Nobody
seems to have responded to the list but it may be that they have
replied directly to you.  If you have this information please forgive
the duplication.

I looked up the firm of Walkers in a couple of books I have at home.
This is copied more or less verbatim:

 - - -

  Walker, Jos. W. &  Sons London. Founded 1825.

  Joseph William Walker was a 'parlour apprentice' to George Pike,
England, from c.1818.  He set up his business on his own account in
1825 and in 1827 was working from premises at 5 Bentinck St. Soho,
London.  Later premises were Museum Street, 1828: 166 High Holborn
London, 1831: 27 Francis Street, Bedford Square, London, W.C.
1838-1883...

  J.W. Walker died in 1870, aged 68, leaving four sons and a daughter,
Sarah, who marked the barrels prior to pinning.  All sons were ap-
prenticed to their father but three died young, and James John Walker
continued until his death soon after the incorporation of the firm on
14th June 1920, leaving E.F., J.H.F., F.P. and R.H. Walker, directors.
Braintree Road, Ruislip, Middlesex  (in Boston (N) and Langwill (L.G.):
Church and chamber barrel organs. 1967.

  Firm still in business today (1978).  During the middle of the
last century Walker's produced a great many church and chamber barrel
organs, many of which were combined barrel and finger instruments.
(in Ord-Hume (AWJG): Barrel organ. 1978)

 - - -

I have a small domestic barrel organ which explains my interest in
these things.  Generally these things survived quite well although the
leather on the bellows is prone to deterioration, of course.  George
Pike was a famous maker of barrel organs in England so your man,
Joseph Walker was continuing a tradition stretching back into the
18th century.

You asked about other Walker organs in Canada.  I'm located in Scotland
so I'm afraid I can't help you there, but somebody may have picked up
your request who can help you out.

The question of value is equally difficult.  Even if you told me the
size and the condition, I wouldn't know what the market value is in
Canada.  Certainly if it has 3 barrels it will be more valuable than a
machine with one barrel (the spares were frequently damaged and
disposed of).

In the UK a fine domestic organ can fetch several thousand pounds, but
larger items are likely to fetch less money as the number of potential
buyers is limited.  It really depends on the size and aesthetics of the
item.

I know it is up to the church, but you should make a feature of it
rather than think of selling it.  Sadly, some machines don't realise
anything like their real value when sold.  You might make money out of
postcards and tapes and a collection for its upkeep.

I believe there are still some (a few!) churches in England which have
(operating) barrel organs.  They were used where it was difficult to
find someone who could play the organ.  My limited knowledge of music
in churches is that originally (most?) churches had no organ and made
do with instruments such as violins (fiddles) or the sound of the human
voice.

Do you have any idea of when the machine was imported into Canada
and when it was installed in the church?  Perhaps you still have the
accounts.  These are things which are interesting to know.  And of
course, what are the tunes on the barrels?  You can often date the
machine fairly closely from the tunes.

I hope this helps.  Good luck with your interesting (and unusual)
machine!

Peter Wellburn

 [ That's a fine article, Peter; thanks for writing!  -- Robbie