Two original Hope-Jones Consoles has been located for the Museum. The right hand Console was the first commercial one (OPUS1) that Robert Hope-Jones built in 1894 when he formed his own organ building company. The left hand console dates from 1900.

A rare picture of the Present Day Robert Hope-Jones sat at his Great Grand Uncles first Organ Console, could be the first time in over 100 years that a Robert Hope-Jones has sat at this console.

An original Hope-Jones Electric relay action dating from the 1890's - it was thought that all these actions had been scrapped many years ago.

Hope-Jones pipework. The front rank of pipes is a Tibia Plena, one of two Tibia ranks in the collection that were the Worlds First Hope-Jones Tibia pipes, the other Tibia being a Tibia Dura.

As mentioned above we also have the Worlds first Tibia Dura rank of pipes. Made in the early 1890's. Dura being the Latin for Harsh to the ear.

Among the Hope-Jones artifacts already collected by and donated to the Trust over the years is a reduced model of the organ from St Lukes Tranmere, this was the first pipe organ that Hope-Jones played and also experimented with some of his early pipe organ ideas.

In the collection of items for the museum are pipes and other items from St John's Birkenhead - the first organ built by Hope-Jones.

Visitors to the museum will be able to see the pipework of the Wurlitzer visible through windows in the chamber walls. The sound will be ducted upwards into the first floor auditorium.

If anyone has any early Wurlitzer items, early cinema items pre 1929 or any Hope-Jones artifacts and wishes to donate them to our new Heritage venture please email

Don Hyde, Chairman of the Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust

in the first instance with details. Items the Trust is looking for, will be small items to be housed in the museum either free standing, wall mountable or suitable to be put in showcases.

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