Uncle Cushi's Organ

[anthony.brown]

My great uncle Cushi was born in 1895, a dangerous year for the birth of a boy, as he would reach his adult years in the midst of the Great War.
The youngest of nine children, he was brought up in the village pub at Mangrove Green, in a Methodist family (attending Chapel at Cockernhoe where he would often worship, sometimes going to all three services on the Sunday).
He particularly enjoyed helping raise funds for both the Methodists and the local CofE by appearing in sketches and doing recitations at village school and church events. A favourite recitation was about football, from 'Jacks Yarns', and he received praise from the local paper for his portrayal of 'Kimbo' (a native boy) in a sketch.
Come 1914 and he would volunteer for the army, marrying in September before departing to France and Belgium. He had what was known as 'a good war', gaining regular promotions. From Private to Corporal, to Sergeant, to Sergeant Major; ending the war with a temporary commission to 2nd Lieutenant. His only problem during his service (apart from the obvious) was when the heel of one of his boots was shot away, while he himself was 'not touched'.
To be continued

[Stuart]

looking forward to the next episode Anthony

[anthony.brown]

After the war Cushi moved to Round Green, raising a family and starting his long career as an insurance agent with the Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society. His eldest daughter Marjorie tragically died at the age of 6; her grave in St Thomas's Churchyard, Stopsley, heart-breakingly marked with the inscription "A Flower Picked in the Bud". His other child, Margaret, became a popular Methodist preacher and remained in the family home all her life (they later moved to another Luton address in Alexandra Avenue). Though living in Luton, Cushi continued to attend the Cockernhoe Methodist Chapel, where he played the organ from about 1919 to about 1962, when he retired.
More about the organ to come later.

[Stuart]

[anthony.brown]

A brief history of Cockernhoe Methodist Chapel's musical history (gleaned from the local press):
The chapel was built in 1837, but I'll concentrate on the 20th century.
1900-1914 A harmonium was used for public services, played by Arthur Goodge (the husband of Cushi's sister Rose).
1914 The new organ was installed.
January 1917 Arthur Goodge died at the early age of 46. William Gillam took over as organist and choirmaster.
1917 Cushi Brown appointed assistant organist, playing on alternate Sundays.
c1919 Cushi becomes the chief organist, and continues until his retirement in 1962.
c1962 David Goodge (Rose Goodge's grandson) takes over the organ until the chapel closes in about 1986.

The organ was broken up after the chapel closed, and the pieces thrown into a skip. The organ pipes were saved, and stored at High Town Methodist Church, Luton, until a fire destroyed both church and organ pipes in 2002.