Henry Bryceson

of Little Thames Street, London

of Great Windmill Street

of Tottenham Court New Road, London, organ builders

1775/6 Henry Bryceson was born in Perth

It is presumed the Bryceson family moved to London where Henry was apprenticed

1796 Henry started a business building organs in London

1822 Moved the business to Tottenham Court Road

1850s-80s Demand for church organs increased substantially

1859 Moved to Brook St; the business became Bryceson and Son, and then Bryceson and Sons.

1859 A short lived partnership, Bryceson and Fincham, was formed with John Fincham, a maker of pipes.

1864/5 Henry Bryceson junior took charge of the firm, together with his brother, John. The name was changed to Bryceson Brothers

By 1868 the Brycesons had installed the first British electrically-actuated organ at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket.

1868/9 Patents on the electric action by the brothers and Thomas Morten.

1870 Henry Bryceson Senior died in Huntingdon

1873 The brothers took on Alfred Morten, son of Thomas Morten, as a partner

1875 Built a major instrument for N. J. Holmes which was subsequently relocated to the Albert Exhibition Palace, Battersea

1878 Walter B. Ellis replaced Alfred Morten.

By 1881 had introduced steam power for wood working; employed 67 men and 7 boys.

1882 Ellis left the partnership

1880s The firm was in financial difficulties, as were others in the industry

1884 Attempted to diversify as timber merchants and makers of cabinets and other wood-working products. Premises in Charlton Place, Islington.

1886 Offered portable buildings made of iron or wood to the patent of Edward E. Allen

1888 Acquired by a group of trade investors

1893 the business was wound-up and sold to the organ builder Alfred Kirkland of Wakefield; the Bryceson brothers continued working for the company.

1911 Kirkland continued the use of the Bryceson name, at least until 1911 and possibly afterwards. The firm had built several hundred pipe organs.

Sources of Information