Henry Willis

Henry Willis (27 April 1821 – 11 February 1901), also known as "Father" Willis, was an English organ player and builder, who is regarded as the foremost organ builder of the Victorian era. His company Henry Willis & Sons remains in business.

Willis was born in London, the son of a North London builder, and with George Cooper, later sub-organist of St Paul's Cathedral, he learned to play the organ with some help from Thomas Attwood, St Paul's organist. In 1835, Willis was articled to organ builder John Gray (later Gray and Davison) for seven years. During this time, he invented the manual and pedal couplers which he used throughout his later career. He also became organist of Christ Church Hoxton, the first of a series of organist posts; Christ Church, Hampstead from 1852 to 1859, where he had built the organ; and then the Chapel-of-Ease, Islington (now St Mary Magdalene Church) for nearly thirty years. He was renowned for always arranging his business trips so he could return by Sunday to play for the service.

Following his apprenticeship he worked for three years in Cheltenham, assisting an instrument maker, W.E. Evans, who specialised in free reed instruments. Willis later attributed his personal skill in reed voicing to this experience. Willis met Samuel Sebastian Wesley at Cheltenham, and this led to the re-building of the Gloucester Cathedral organ in 1847. Willis had become an independent organ builder and commented, "It was my stepping stone to fame... I received £400 for the job, and was presumptuous enough to marry."

He was born to Henry Willis (1792–1872) and Elizabeth. He married Esther Maria Chatterton on 7 April 1847 in St Andrew's Church, Holborn and they had the following children

Esther died in 1893 and on 7 August 1894 he married Rosetta Chatterton (1831–1912) at St Thomas' Church, Camden Town.

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