Edward James Bossward Explained

Edward James Bossward (1825 – 18 September 1883) was an English organ builder based in Birmingham.

Life

He was born in Hayes in 1825 and baptised on 22 May 1825, the son of Thomas Bossward and Jane Collinridge. He married Eliza Gisborne in 1848 in King’s Norton, and they had ten children.

He trained as an organ builder with J.C. Bishop and then worked for William Hill. He came to Birmingham with Hill to work on the organ in Birmingham Town Hall, and to care for it after completion.

In 1847 he set up business on his own, first at 30 Oliver Road, and later at 80 Alston Street, Ladywood. In 1869 he was declared bankrupt. One of his pupils Walter James Bird continued the business after he died in 1883.

Works

He installed or worked on organs at the following churches:

• St Alphege's Church, Solihull 1850 Alterations and extension^[1]
• St Mary's Church, Moseley 1853. New Organ.
• All Saints Church, Allesley. 1863^[2]
  • St Jude's Church, Birmingham 1867 New Organ now in St Michael and All Angels Church, Exeter Trinity Wesleyan Chapel, Wolverhampton 1867 New Organ^[3]
• St Alphege's Church, Solihull 1868 Alterations and extension^[4]
• St Philip’s Church, Birmingham 1869 Cleaning, repairs and improvements.^[5]
• Lichfield Cathedral 1881 Overhaul^[6]

Notes and References

1. News: . Solihull . Coventry Standard . Coventry . 11 January 1850 . 28 August 2015 .
2. News: . Allesley Church . Aris’s Birmingham Gazette . Birmingham . 7 November 1863 . 28 August 2015 .
3. News: . Wolverhampton. New Organ at Trinity Chapel. . Staffordshire Advertiser . Stafford . 9 November 1867 . 28 August 2015 .
4. News: . Solihull . Coventry Standard . Coventry . 29 May 1868 . 28 August 2015 .
5. News: . St Philip's Church . Aris’s Birmingham Gazette . Birmingham . 20 February 1869 . 28 August 2015 .
6. News: . Lichfield Cathedral Organ . Lichfield Mercury . Lichfield . 25 November 1881 . 28 August 2015 .