Conisbrough 4 Ton Organ – Attracted 200 Fans

May 1957

South Yorkshire Times, May 4, 1957

Conisbrough 4 Ton Organ
Attracted 200 fans

Over 200 organ fans, some of them as far away as Manchester, Durham and Bolton, came to  Conisbrough Hill Top hotel on Sunday afternoon to hear and “organ recital” by landlord Mr Harry Hollingsworth giant four ton orchestraphone.

The orchestraphone, believed to be over a hundred years old and to have cost over £200 was bought Mr Hollingsworth from a permanent fairground in Dublin last year.

It took Mr Hollingsworth and a friend from Sheffield 12 months to get it working. On Sunday it was ready for its first “public recital.”

Mr Hollingsworth invited Showman and other interested through “Worlds Fair,” and was pleased to see a large audience at the two hour recital on Sunday.

The orchestra phone plays perforated card board records and not only old tunes were played the latest “hit” numbers entertained the audience.

Mr Hollingsworth, will give the “recital” free to interested people, makes the orchestra phone is Main B now. Although he said that it “played very well indeed” is not yet satisfied with it and intends carrying on working on it until it is as perfect as he can get it.

The orchestraphone, housed in a garage is 15 feet long, 8 feet high and 5’6” wide.