The Church has appointed three organists to this instrument although several others have deputised in occasion to cover for illness, holidays, military service etc.
1904 – 1914 No recorded organist
1914 – 1975 Mr Fredrick R Jukes LRAM, ARCO
1975 – 2018 Mr Martyn S Lane JP, Finst, AM ,FFB
2018 – present Mrs Ruth Gillett ATM(SMTC)
The first recorded name is that of Fredrick (Fred) R. Jukes who was appointed in July 1914 having passed his LRAM. Examination earlier the same year; some two years later he was admitted as an Associate of the Royal College of Organists.
Mr. Jukes served for an undisclosed period in the First World War in the Royal Army Medical Corps in France where he entertained the troops in the area on a captured German Grand Piano. After the war he studied for a time at Culdine before returning to the Midlands becoming theatre organist at the Regal Cinema, Leamington, where he accompanied amongst others, Jack Buchanan and Anna Neagle.
His appointment as organist continued until 1975. During the time he served in the WW1. At various times in the early 1920s any infrequent absences were covered by a Mr. Stapleton.
Mr. Martyn Lane, J.P. Finst AM FFB; the previous organist was appointed in 1975 and gave uninterrupted and devoted service until his untimely death at the end of January 2018. He is most remembered for his 4 hour marathon playing in aid of the Mayoral Charity a recording of which can still be found on Youtube https://youtu.be/e0hGbw8cAwM
Mrs Ruth Gillett was appointed organist in 2018 and reluctantly took over after Martyn, having been both deputy Organist for several years and Choir Mistress.