Luton church invites people to play on historic 118-year-old organ

The Royal College of Organists (RCO) has named 2025 as ‘Play the Organ Year’ - a campaign to get more people to play the instruments, or to simply enjoy organ music.

St.Augustine's Church, in Icknield Way, Limbury, is getting behind the initiative and will host a special organ open day on Saturday, July 12.

Between 11am and 2pm, you can sit at the organ and tickle the ivories (there are many keys - as it has three keyboards).

Roy Meek, who has been playing this organ since 1958, explained: “The RCO decided that as many organs in the country as possible could open up their organ for a day, let people have never touched them before and those who are interested to come and have a look at them, listen to them, and then have a go at playing them.”

For 67 years, 89-year-old Roy has been the lead organist, tending to the instrument over the decades.

It started its life in the Luton Hoo chapel, which was the home of Sir Julius Wernher, in 1906. It stayed there until the house was used as a hospital in the First World War.

Years later, it was given to the church in Limbury in 1958 and has been carefully maintained by Roy ever since.

He said: “My main point of doing the whole thing is to see if a few more people, maybe school children who are learning the recorder or playing in an orchestra, may like to have a go at playing.

“It's a very big organ. It's got three keyboards and pedals, and I've looked after it for many years. It's still in quite good condition.

“But I'm told by the latest organ builders who looked at it that there's a lot of work that needs doing inside it to keep it going for the next 100 years. But this isn't a cash-making day.

“This is just encouraging people to come, have a listen to it and enjoy it.”