{{Short description|Organ builders}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}} {{Use British English|date=July 2016}} '''William Hill & Son & Norman & Beard Limited''' (commonly known as '''Hill, Norman and Beard''') were a major pipe organ manufacturer originally based in Norfolk.
==History==
They were founded in 1916 by the merger of Norman and Beard and William Hill & Son of London, Dr Arthur George Hill having no male heirs to sustain his business, moving its production to the capital in 1916.<ref name = drinkell>{{cite web| author = Drinkell, David | title= Organs In Norfolk Churches | url=http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/norfolkorgans.htm }} Retrieved 6 October 2011</ref> The merged company was bought by John Christie in 1923, and remained in the Christie family until the business was wound up in 1998.<ref name = TheOrgan >{{cite book | author = Douglas Earl Bush & Richard Kassel (editors)| title = The Organ: An Encyclopedia | page = 253 | publisher = Psychology Press | date = 2006}}</ref>
Amongst others, the company built the four manual organ in Norwich Cathedral (1899, rebuilds and upgrades in 1940–42, 1950 and 1969),<ref name = norwich>{{cite web | title=The organ | url=http://www.cathedral.org.uk/music/the-organ--introduction-.aspx | publisher=Norwich Cathedral | access-date=6 October 2011 | archive-date=16 October 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016183458/http://www.cathedral.org.uk/music/the-organ--introduction-.aspx | url-status=dead }} Retrieved 6 October 2011</ref> the 5038 pipe instrument in Lichfield Cathedral (1899, rebuilds 1908 and 1974).<ref>{{cite web| title=Lichfield Cathedral Organ | url=http://www.cathedralchoir.org.uk/organ.php | publisher= Lichfield Cathedral }} Retrieved 6 October 2011</ref> and the chapel organ of Ellesmere College, Shropshire.
Under Christie's leadership, a subsidiary was founded in Australia in 1927, which continued in business until 1974. During that time the Australian company built 86 new organs and 98 rebuilds, as well as carrying out many other repairs and maintenance work.<ref>{{cite web| title=Hill, Norman & Beard Australian orders | url=http://www.ohta.org.au/doc/obooks/hnb_au.html | publisher= Organ Historical Trust of Australia }} Retrieved 6 October 2011</ref>
==Christie theatre organs== thumb|The console of the Christie Organ at the Pavillon Baltard
During the era of silent films, the company produced theatre pipe organs between 1926 and 1938.<ref name="Cinema Organ Society">{{cite web|title=Cinema Organ Society|url=http://www.toff.org.uk/builders/christie.html|access-date=24 October 2013}}</ref> These instruments were produced under the brand name ''Christie'', from the name of John Christie, the owner of the business.<ref>{{cite web| author = Stories of London | url=http://stories-of-london.org/the-christie-theatre-organ-2-7/ | title = The Christie Theatre Organ | date=18 January 2018 }} Retrieved 27 October 2015</ref> The components were produced in one the company's various factories (Brighton, Norwich, London etc.) and assembled, together with other specialist items such as percussions and consoles, at their King's Cross factory.<ref name="Cinema Organ Society"/>
During the late 1920s, up to 40 Christie organs were produced each year.<ref name = TheOrgan /> The location of 21 of the UK-installed models is currently known, as of July 2014.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.cinema-organs.org.uk/uk%20Organ%20venues/ukorgans.html | title = UK organs | publisher= The Cinema Organ Society}} Retrieved 27 October 2015</ref> 30 Christie Organs (and an additional 3 Christie-based composite organs) are known to have been installed in Australia, including at the Enfield Savoy Theatre.<ref>{{cite web | author = Ian M | url=http://theatreorgans.com/southerncross/Summary%20Installations%20List.htm | title = List of All Known Australian Theatre Organs - Past and Present | publisher= theatreorgans.com}} Retrieved 27 October 2015</ref>
===Famous instruments=== Among the organs produced was the largest cinema organ built outside the United States, for the Regal Cinema, Marble Arch.<ref>{{cite web | author = organrecitals.com | url=http://www.organrecitals.com/p/gallery2.php?pic=rma | title = Picture Gallery - Regal, Marble Arch }} Retrieved 27 October 2015</ref><ref>{{cite web | author = cinematreasures.org | url=http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/12786 | title = Odeon Marble Arch }} Retrieved 27 October 2015</ref> This four-manual thirty-unit organ<ref name = TheOrgan /> was fitted with 2,514 pipes,<ref>{{cite web | author = organrecitals.com | url=http://www.organrecitals.com/s/rma.php | title= Regal, Marble Arch }} Retrieved 27 October 2015</ref> a 32-note carillon (the only real organ-operated carillon in the United Kingdom<ref>{{cite web | author = organrecitals.com | url=http://www.organrecitals.com/p/gallery2.php?pic=rma2 | title = Picture Gallery - Regal, Marble Arch (2) }} Retrieved 27 October 2015</ref>) and a wide variety of special sound effects to accompany the films,<ref>{{cite web | author = organrecitals.com | url=http://www.organrecitals.com/p/gallery2.php?pic=rma16 | title = Picture Gallery - Regal, Marble Arch (16) }} Retrieved 27 October 2015</ref> although being only the tenth Christie that they had built.<ref>{{cite web | author = organrecitals.com | url=http://www.organrecitals.com/p/gallery2.php?pic=rma8 | title = Picture Gallery - Regal, Marble Arch (8) }} Retrieved 27 October 2015</ref>
A Christie organ was also built for the Gaumont Palace, Paris - Europe's biggest cinema, with 6,000 seats - in 1930.<ref>{{cite web | author = cinematreasures.org | url=http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/6787 | title = Gaumont Palace in Paris }} Retrieved 27 October 2015</ref> After the building closed, the organ was removed and eventually installed at the Pavillon Baltard in Nogent sur Marne. The Organ was classified as a 'historic monument' on 28 March 1977, preventing it from leaving France.<ref>{{Base Palissy|PM94000132}}</ref> In need of restoration, it is being supported by the ''Association pour la Valorisation et le Rayonnement de l'Orgue de Cinéma'' (Organization for the Appreciation and the Promotion of the Cinema Organ.)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.avroc.org/enbuts.html | title=Aims of the Organization for the Appreciation and the Promotion of the Cinema Organ | publisher=Association pour la Valorisation et le Rayonnement de l'Orgue Christie | access-date=27 October 2015 | archive-date=23 August 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150823092430/http://avroc.org/enbuts.html | url-status=dead }} Retrieved 27 October 2015</ref>
==References==
{{reflist | 2}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hill, William, and Son and Norman and Beard Ltd.}} Category:Pipe organ building companies Category:Organ building companies of the United Kingdom Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1916 Category:Musical instrument manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom