Samuel Groves Explained

Samuel Groves (c. 1817 – 20 October 1858) was a British organ builder based in London.^[1]

Family

He was born in Cerne Abbas, Dorset

He married Elizabeth (c. 1807 – 21 March 1853^[2])

He married Emma Barrows Lockington in 1854.

Career

He was apprenticed to Gray and Davison for 10 years, and then set up his own business around 1849 with John Mitchell. They had works at 8 Great Marlborough Street, London, and 7 St Ann’s Street, Manchester.

His partnership with John Mitchell ended in 1851. Shortly afterwards his factory on Little Marlborough Street was destroyed by fire.^[3] The last business premises was 38 Euston Road, London. He applied for several patents, including improvements in pneumatic apparatus for pumping or forcing air. and improvements in organs.

He died on 20 October 1858 at the Raven Hotel, St Helen’s in the county of Lancaster. On his death, the organ being installed at Vicar Lane Chapel in Coventry was completed by two of his apprentices, Charles Lloyd and Lorenzo Valentine, who later established an organ building partnership of their own.

Organs built

• St Paul’s Church, Cambridge
• Penrhyn Parish Church, 1846
• Parliament Street Methodist Church, Nottingham 1851
• Town Hall, St Helen’s, Lancashire
• Providence Congregational Church, High Street, Rochdale
• St Mary Woolnoth 1851 Repairs and alterations
• Southwell Minster 1854 Overhaul
• St Stephen's (Huntingdonians) Chapel, Rochdale and Middleton 1854^[4]
• Nottingham Mechanics' Institution 1854 repairs and enlargement^[5]
• Baptist Church, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
• St Chad’s Church, Rochdale 1855
• Congregational Chapel, Mossley, Greater Manchester 1855^[6]
• Bethel Chapel, Bury, Greater Manchester 1855^[7]
• Dartford Church 1856^[8]
• Great Meeting Chapel, Leicester 1856^[9]
• Thornton Church, Yorkshire 1856^[10]
• St. Mary's Church, Radcliffe on Trent, Nottinghamshire 1856^[11]
• Mr George Simpson's Musical Academy, High Street, Hanley, Staffordshire 1856^[12]
• St Mary's Church, Attenborough 1857^[13]
• St. Mark's Church, Nottingham 1857^[14]
• St George's Church, Leicester 1857 rebuild^[15]
• Chirbury Church, Shropshire 1857^[16]
• Vicar Lane Congregational Chapel, Coventry 1858 Finished by his apprentices Charles Lloyd and Lorenzo Valentine

Notes and References

1. Organa Britannica. James Boeringer and Andrew Freeman. Bucknell University Press. 1989. Volume 1. p.80
2. News: . Melton Mowbray and its neighbourhood. Petty Sessions May 3 . Dorset County Chronicle . 24 March 1853 . 7 June 2015 .
3. News: . Extensive Fire . London Standard . London . 24 June 1851 . 7 June 2015 .
4. News: . Opening of a new organ . Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser . Manchester . 25 November 1854 . 9 June 2015 .
5. News: . Re-opening of the Nottingham Mechanics Hall Organ . Nottinghamshire Guardian . Nottingham . 28 September 1854 . 9 June 2015 .
6. News: . New Congregational Chapel, Mossley . The Ashton Weekly Reporter, and Stalybridge and Dukinfield Chronicle . 14 July 1855 . 9 June 2015 .
7. News: . Bury New Organ . Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser . Manchester . 6 October 1855 . 9 June 2015 .
8. News: . The organ in Dartford Church . South Eastern Gazette . 13 May 1856 . 9 June 2015 .
9. News: . Great Meeting . Leicestershire Mercury . Leicester . 23 August 1856 . 9 June 2015 .
10. News: . Organ opening at Thornton . Bradford Observer . Bradford . 20 November 1856 . 9 June 2015 .
11. News: . Radcliffe-on-Trent. Opening of the New Organ . Nottinghamshire Guardian . Nottingham . 18 September 1856 . 9 June 2015 .
12. News: . Musical Academy, High Street, Hanley . Staffordshire Advertiser . 3 January 1857 . 9 June 2015 .
13. News: . The New Organ at Attenborough . Nottinghamshire Guardian . England . 21 May 1857 . 20 December 2020 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
14. News: . New Organ for St Mark's Church . Nottinghamshire Guardian . Nottingham . 1 October 1857 . 9 June 2015 .
15. News: . Reopening of St George's Organ, Leicester . Leicestershire Mercury . Leicester . 24 January 1857 . 9 June 2015 .
16. News: . Chirbury, Salop . North Wales Chronicle . 19 December 1857 . 9 June 2015 .