John Avery (c. 1738–1808) was one of the main organ builders in England during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Life

Avery was mainly based in London. He had a reputation as a colourful character, occasionally falling foul of the law, being declared bankrupt in 1775 and again in 1801, and having a reputation as a 'shocking drunken character'. Despite this he was responsible for some important organs, including those in

King's College, Cambridge King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Formally The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, the college lies beside the River Cam and faces out onto King's Parade in the centre of the cit ...

and

Winchester Cathedral The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity,Historic England. "Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity (1095509)". ''National Heritage List for England''. Retrieved 8 September 2014. Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Swithun, commonly known as Winches ...

. He appeared at the Old Bailey as a witness in two trials in 1797: *on 12 July 1797 in the trial of Henry Gray, who was accused of stealing a handkerchief from Avery's pocket. *on 20 September 1797 in the trial of Joseph Robson, who was accused of stealing Avery's tools. One of his apprentices, Alexander Buckingham, went on to work with Thomas Elliot before becoming an independent organ builder. He died in Giltspur Street Compter.

Organs

Little work by Avery survives, but there is an organ at Ponsonby Baptist Church, New Zealand, and one in the

Finchcocks Finchcocks is an early Georgian manor house in Goudhurst, Kent. For 45 years it housed a large, visitor-friendly museum of historical keyboard instruments, displaying a collection of harpsichords, clavichords, fortepianos, square pianos, organs ...

collection at

Goudhurst Goudhurst is a village and civil parish in the borough of Tunbridge Wells in Kent, England. It lies in the Weald, around south of Maidstone, on the crossroads of the A262 and B2079. The parish consists of three wards: Goudhurst, Kilndown and ...

, Kent. New organs built by Avery include: *Ditton Parish Church, Kent 1774 * St Stephen's Church, Coleman Street, London 1775 * St Michael's Mount, Cornwall 1786 (originally constructed for

John Lemon John Lemon (6 November 1754 – 5 April 1814) was a British Whig Member of Parliament. He was born in Truro, the second son of William Lemon by his marriage to Anne, the daughter of John Willyams of Carnanton House, and was the grandson of Wi ...

, MP for Truro) *Sevenoaks Parish Church 1788 * Quebec Chapel, Westminster 1788 *Coggeshall Parish Church, Essex 1790 *St Mary’s Church , Black Torrington 1791 *

All Saints Church, Kingston upon Thames All Saints Church is the historic parish church of Kingston upon Thames on the edge of London, and is set between the ancient Market Place and the main shopping centre. It forms part of the Diocese of Southwark and with the church of St John, ...

1793 *

Croydon Parish Church Croydon Minster is the parish and civic church of the London Borough of Croydon. There are currently more than 35 churches in the borough, with Croydon Minster being the most prominent. It is Grade I listed. Six Archbishops of Canterbury are bur ...

1794 *Lambeth Asylum 1797 *Stroud Parish Church 1798 *

1799 * Christ Church, Bath 1800 *

1803 * St Margaret's Church, Westminster 1804 *

Carlisle Cathedral Carlisle Cathedral is a grade-I listed Anglican cathedral in the city of Carlisle, Cumbria, England. It was founded as an Augustinian priory and became a cathedral in 1133. It is also the seat of the Bishop of Carlisle.Tim Tatton-Brown and John ...

1806

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Avery, John British pipe organ builders Organ builders of the United Kingdom Manufacturing industries in London Year of birth uncertain 1750s births 1807 deaths