The Empire, Leicester Square
Opened in 1884, the original Empire, Leicester Square was a variety theatre designed by British architect Thomas Verity which operated until 1927, when a new theatre opened in its place in November 1928. The new Empire Theatre was built to be London’s premier cinema for MGM films, having been designed by US-based (but Scottish-born) architect Thomas Lamb, with assistance from the UK’s Frank Matcham & Company. Luxurious in every sense of the word, the Empire was very much a movie palace, the like of which had never been seen in the capital before, boasting 3,300 seats and the largest Wurlitzer organ installed in Europe at the time.
The Empire Wurlitzer was opened by Roderick Hallowell ‘Sandy’ MacPherson, who was brought over from the USA to be the Empire’s first Solo Organist – a position he retained for ten years. Sandy MacPherson performed a selection of music from ‘Show Boat’ on the theatre's opening night. Such was the luxury at the Empire that it had not one, but two resident organists. Reginald Foort was the other organist performing at the opening of the ‘new Empire’ assisting the Empire Orchestra as the theatre’s Orchestral Organist for the first few months. Other resident organists at the Empire over the years included Eric Spruce, Henry Croudson, Frank Newman, Jack Courtnay & Nelson Elms.
America’s most famous theatre organist at the time, Jesse Crawford was another organist who had an association with the Empire Wurlitzer. Crawford toured the UK in 1933, performing at only a handful of cinemas which included a four-week residency at the Empire, Leicester Square. It was during this time that Jesse Crawford made several recordings for HMV. Interestingly, a Pathé newsreel was recorded at the Empire featuring an interview with Jesse Crawford – this interview still survives and can be viewed here.
In 1961, it was announced the Empire was to be remodelled and only the façade and shell of the original building would remain. This resulted in the Empire Wurlitzer having to be removed from its original home. A young organist called Len Rawle heard this news and made sure that the Theatre Organ Club arranged a closing concert (with George Blackmore and Jackie Brown) to feature the Empire Wurlitzer for one final time. Before the show, Len was able to try the Empire Wurlitzer himself for around 15 minutes – the only time he played this instrument in the theatre. Len fell in love with the Empire Wurlitzer’s special sound and said it felt “like a Rolls-Royce” compared to other instruments he’d played and felt that it must be preserved.
Len met with the manager of the Empire and made an offer for the organ. Although higher offers had been made for the instrument (by a number of organ-builders and a scrap metal merchant), the cinema manager was impressed by Len’s desire to save the Wurlitzer and to keep it complete, preserving it for the next generation. The cinema manager told Len that the organ was his on the condition that it must be removed within three weeks. If any part of the Wurlitzer was left after this time, Len would face a £10,000 fine. (Equivalent to over £175,000 in today's money).
Len, together with his father Les, had already gained experience with Wurlitzer organs as they had previously acquired the Wurlitzer from the Granada, Wandsworth Road and installed it in their home at Northolt. The Empire Wurlitzer was over twice the size of the Wandsworth Road instrument and so they spent the first week assembling a team to help them, which left just two weeks to remove the organ from the Empire. Work took place throughout the night to remove the Empire Wurlitzer, a task which was completed just two hours before the strict deadline (not to mention the £10,000 fine). The disassembled organ went into storage in the Rawle family home in Northolt. Parts were stored all around the house including behind wardrobes, in the attic and in the garage. Len's mum - Edith suggested that the families beds were raised up on bricks so that two layers of pipe trays could be stored underneath!
Len Rawle Residence, Chorleywood
Since acquiring the Empire Wurlitzer, Len had been searching for a new home for the organ and numerous venues were considered including a town hall and a school, but unfortunately nothing came of any of these possibilities. Len eventually purchased a plot of land in Chorleywood where he intended to build a house for him, his wife to be – Judith, and the Empire Wurlitzer. The house was built by Len himself having been on a bricklaying course, and Judith helped by carrying the bricks. Once the fabric of the house was built, Len started installing the Empire Wurlitzer in its second home.
The organ did not require restoration prior to its installation at Len’s home in Chorleywood as it was still in very good condition, being only 33 years old when it was removed from the theatre. Following many months of work to install the organ, the first sounds were heard at Chorleywood by 1965 and an opening concert was arranged with Gerald Shaw – the organist at the Odeon, Leicester Square, who together with Len played the Wurlitzer at the opening concert at the Rawle home.
The Empire Wurlitzer remained installed at Len & Judith's home in Chorleywood for over 50 years, which is far longer than that it was installed in its original home - the Empire, Leicester Square. Throughout those 50 years, the organ was enjoyed regularly by Len and numerous private visitors including one of the USA’s most famous theatre organists – George Wright, who described the Empire Wurlitzer as “pure perfection”. Although the Wurlitzer has been greatly enjoyed by Len and the family over the years, Len said that if there was a downside of his home installation, it was that they couldn’t build a larger home that would have allowed for small concerts to take place and let more people hear this wonderful instrument.
A New Home
Just as Len was concerned for the organ’s future when it had to be removed from the Empire, he had always been conscious of options for the future of the Empire Wurlitzer particularly after so many years at Chorleywood. Len's ideal vision was that the Empire Wurlitzer ought to be installed in a larger building where this special organ could be enjoyed and appreciated by many people. In late 2014, Len was approached by an enthusiast (who will be named at a later date) to see if he would be interested in selling the organ in order to secure the future of the Empire Wurlitzer in a purpose-built concert hall in Suffolk where the instrument could be enjoyed for the first time in a public space since its removal from the Empire in 1961.
Several months of carefully considered negotiations took place in December 2014 and January 2015 regarding the sale of the organ in order to secure the long term future of the Empire Wurlitzer. Following negotiations, Len officially sold the organ on 13th March 2015, although the organ remained in use in Chorleywood until removal began over a year or so later on 13th April 2016. The Wurlitzer was removed on behalf of the new owner by A.C. Pilmer Ltd, with Andrew Pilmer, Russell Wattam & Kevin Grunill carrying out the work involved. Andrew & Kevin had acted (on behalf of the new owner) in the negotiations with Len leading up to the sale of the instrument. By August 2016, the entire instrument had been removed from Chorleywood and had been put into safe storage ready for the next chapter of its life to begin.
The organ will receive a full refurbishment before it is installed in its new purpose-built venue in Suffolk. Restoration and installation of the famous Empire Wurlitzer is being carried out by Pennine Organ Services of Barnsley, the work involved being undertaken by Kevin Grunill and Declan Poole. Restoration of the organ commenced at the end of 2022 and will continue over the next number of years, after which the organ will be heard in public again for the first time in over 60 years. Updates of progress will be posted on the news page of this website and on the Empire Wurlitzer Facebook page.
