Conacher and Co was a firm of British

organ builders This is a list of notable pipe organ Organ building, builders. Australia * William Anderson (1832–1921) * Australian Pipe Organs Pty Ltd * Robert Cecil Clifton (1854–1931) * William Davidson * J. E. Dodd, J. E. Dodd & Sons Gunstar Organ W ...

based in

Huddersfield Huddersfield is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confl ...

West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a Metropolitan counties of England, metropolitan and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire to the north and east, South Yorkshire and De ...

, England.

History

The firm originated with Peter Conacher (1823–1894), who was born in Scotland and who studied as an apprentice organ builder in

Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...

, Germany. After returning to England, he worked for Hill & Sons based in

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (), abbreviated ''Lincs'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England. It is bordered by the East Riding of Yorkshire across the Humber estuary to th ...

, and then for Walker & Sons in London. Conacher started his own company in 1854, initially with Richard Brown, then from 1859 with Joseph Hebblethwaite. They built a factory in George Street, Huddersfield. On the death of Hebblethwaite, Peter was joined by his brother James (1820–1886). They built an organ for the Yorkshire Exhibition of 1866; the instrument was awarded a grand medal and was installed in

St Peter's Church, Huddersfield St Peter's Church, also known as Huddersfield Parish Church, is a Church of England parish church in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. There has been a church on the site since the 11th century, but the current building dates from 1836. It is ...

. In 1873 the company moved to the Springwood Organ Works, Water Street, Huddersfield. Peter's son, Joseph Hebblethwaite Conacher (1856–1913), joined the family firm in 1879 and succeeded his father in the business in 1898. In 1986 the firm was acquired by Henry Willis 4, great-grandson of the notable English organ builder "Father"

Henry Willis Henry Willis (27 April 1821 – 11 February 1901), also known as "Father" Willis, was an English organ player and builder, who is regarded as the foremost organ builder of the Victorian era. His company Henry Willis & Sons remains in bus ...

, who put his son, John Sinclair Willis, in charge of the Conacher Works at Huddersfield.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Conacher Organ building companies of the United Kingdom Companies established in 1854 Musical instrument manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom Companies based in Huddersfield 1854 establishments in the United Kingdom