10 Facts About Father Willis

In 1835, Father Willis was articled to organ builder John Gray for seven years.

Father Willis later attributed his personal skill in reed voicing to this experience.

Father Willis met Samuel Sebastian Wesley at Cheltenham, and this led to the re-building of the Gloucester Cathedral organ in 1847.

Great Exhibition of 1851, Father Willis erected the largest of the organs exhibited with an unprecedented 70 speaking stops.

Father Willis introduced several novel features, which had a significant effect on organ design.

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Father Willis was born to Henry Willis and Elizabeth.

Father Willis married Esther Maria Chatterton, the daughter of Randall Chatterton, a silversmith, on 7 April 1847 in St Andrew's Church, Holborn and they had the following children.

Father Willis died in London on the 11th February 1901, and is buried on the west side of Highgate Cemetery.

The last organ built by Father Willis was at St Nicholas' Chapel, King's Lynn which is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.

Four generations of the Father Willis family continued the family tradition of organ building until 1997, when Henry Father Willis IV retired and the first non-family Managing Director was appointed.