Charles Spackman Barker (10 Oct 1806 – 26 Nov 1879 in

Maidstone Maidstone is the largest Town status in the United Kingdom, town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the c ...

, England) was a British inventor and

organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

builder. Barker was born in January 1806 in Walcot, Somerset, England. His father died when he was five and he was adopted by his godfather. After he left school, he was apprenticed to an apothecary and chemist in

Bath, Somerset Bath () is a city in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary area in the county of Somerset, England, known for and named after its Roman-built baths. At the 2021 Census, the population was 101,557. Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, ...

. He disliked this work and left to learn organ building. During this time, the organist at

York Minster The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, North Yorkshire, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The minster is the seat of the Archbis ...

complained to Barker that the

tracker action Tracker action is a term used in reference to pipe organs and steam calliopes to indicate a mechanical linkage between keys or pedals pressed by the organist and the valve that allows air to flow into pipe(s) of the corresponding note. This is ...

was so heavy that at times he had to stop playing. Barker started doing experiments with compressed air. At first he tried using pistons but found that the friction was too great. He then developed a bellows system which was satisfactory, resulting in a primitive type of pneumatic lever. He approached Messrs. Hill, the builders of the organ at York Minster but they were unreceptive. He therefore decided to go to France. He went to France in 1837 where he met

Aristide Cavaillé-Coll Aristide Cavaillé-Coll (; 4 February 1811 – 13 October 1899) was a French organ builder. He has the reputation of being the most distinguished organ builder of the 19th century. He pioneered innovations in the art and science of organ buildi ...

who was working on the organ at the

Basilica of St Denis The Basilica of Saint-Denis (french: Basilique royale de Saint-Denis, links=no, now formally known as the ) is a large former medieval abbey church and present cathedral in the commune of Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. The building ...

, near Paris. In order to protect his invention, he took out a French patent in 1839. Soon after, the pneumatic lever was applied to the organ at St. Denis with great success. He also met Albert Peschard, organist of the Church of St. Etienne, Caen, who commenced to experiment in electro-pneumatics in 1860, and early in 1861 communicated his discoveries to Barker. From that date until Barker left France, he collaborated with him. He exhibited work at the

Great Exhibition The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, also known as the Great Exhibition or the Crystal Palace Exhibition (in reference to the temporary The Crystal Palace, structure in which it was held), was an International Exhib ...

in 1851, and went on to pioneer the use of electricity in organs.

Henry Bryceson Henry Bryceson (1775–1870) was an organ builder and pioneer of electric action in England during the 1860s. Henry was born in Perth, Scotland, whose St Leonard's-in-the-Fields Church still operates one of his organs. Henry Bryceson founded a ...

made organs to his patent under licence in England. He received the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...

in 1855 but was expelled from France in 1870 owing to the expulsion of aliens consequent to the Franco-Prussian War. He died in

, Kent, on 26 November 1879.

References

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Barker, Charles S. British pipe organ builders 1806 births 1879 deaths British expatriates in France