,It was as a resident, local piano teacher and Chair of the St John’s Society (2019-2024) that I first got together with Bert Page, who had been the resident organist at St John’s Church for over 20 years. It was whilst I was wondering how best to approach the church that I got a call, out of the blue during the summer of 2021, from Bert, asking whether I (and the St John’s Society) might be able to help support him attract funding for renovating the church organ. I was delighted and marveled at the opportune timing; we seemed to be of the same mind.
What followed over the next few weeks and months were meetings and discussions between the two of us, with Bert liaising with the Organ Restoration Committee at the church, which led to us submitting two NCIL applications to Lewisham Council in November 2021 as part of its We Are Lewisham Borough of Culture programme for the following year. We hoped to find success with at least one of our submissions.
Bert’s application focused on commemorating the 45th anniversary of the Battle of Lewisham, and proved fruitful. With funding of £2,300, we were able to put on a concert – Songs for the Battle of Lewisham – at the church in March 2023. This turned out to be a very successful event, with performances given by local musicians of all ages, both amateur and professional. It was free to attend but resulted in substantial donations to the Organ Fund.
Over the next few years, Bert and I organized more awareness raising concerts for the organ, with Bert running workshops for local schools and Goldsmiths College. As we attracted more funding and interest, it became increasingly clear that the organ at St John’s Church was indeed nationally a very significant one. Built by James Jepson Binns (1855-1928), who was one of the top organ builders of his time, it had already been granted Grade II* listed status in 2015, thanks to the efforts of Sola Ogun and the Organ Restoration Committee. Binns supplied organs not only across the UK (Oxford and Cambridge included) but as far as South Africa and the Levant. We understand that it was Lady Coutts, of the banking family, who was instrumental in providing most of the funding for the building of St John’s Church, insisting on an organ of quality being installed. Close to £500,000 was now needed to fully restore the instrument, with around 20% having to be sourced independently in order to attract the larger sponsors. Initial funds were raised by the congregation at St John’s, facilitating successful intermediate applications to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF). This made it possible to hire consultants to write and submit large-scale funding applications, though a significant sum was still needed by the summer of 2025 in order to fulfil the NLHF’s criteria. The tireless efforts of Bert, myself, and the Committee were successful in raising the shortfall, and by the end of the year we were to receive funding for full restoration by the NLHF, with additional support from groups including the Vinehill Trust, the Garfield Weston Foundation and the Benefact Trust. This proved to be the only successful bid of its kind in the UK.
Mander Organ Builders were contracted to undertake the painstaking restoration work, with Stephen Bayley and his team beginning by dismantling the instrument following this year’s Easter celebrations. The process is set to take several months and is being carried out both at the church and Mander’s workshop in Canterbury.
Upon completion, the organ will be made available to Trinity Laban Conservatoire and Goldsmiths College, whose students previously benefitted from it for practice and recitals. Once restored to its former glory, this magnificent instrument will be a significant force in bringing yet more music of quality to this small pocket of London. Bert and I are very excited at the prospect of what can be achieved in St John’s SE8.
Litsa Breingan & Bert Page (May 2026)
Chris Haining (photos)
