Stephen Bicknell was engaged by the old-established and famous firm of Henry Willis & Sons Ltd to prepare their proposal. Though the Willis company could not fulfill some of the criteria required by the competition (having built similar organs in the nineteenth century but none in the last twenty-five years), the proposal excited considerable interest and was placed fifth out of six entrants.

The proposal included specification, case design, general layout drawings and pipe scales.

The case design, shown here, attempts a radical re-working of English tradition in concert organ design. The largest bass pipes of pedal and unenclosed manual stops are arranged in spiral towers. These towers from a concave facade matching the rounded shape of the stage. Behind and in the centre, two flattened arches reveal smaller pipes of the two unenclosed divisions.

The tonal design of this instrument was equally innovative, combining 'Willis' tradition with the most up-to-date thinking. Three manual departments were of conventional type and were to be played by all-mechanical key action: Great Organ, enclosed Swell Organ and enclosed Solo and Choir Organ. The fourth manual department, to be playable through the Vincent Willis floating pneumatic lever, was to be a bombarde or 'resonance' division entitled 'Grand Organ'.

Pedal organ:
32. 32. 16. 16. 16. 16. 8. 8. 8. 4. III. V. 32. 16. 16. 8. 4.

Grand organ:
16. 16. 8. 8. 5 1/3. 4. 3 1/5. 2. VII. 16. 8. 4.

Great organ:
16. 8. 8. 8. 4. 4. 2 2/3. 2. 1 3/5. V. IV. 16. 8. 4. V.

Swell organ (enclosed):
16. 8. 8. 8. 8. 4. 4. 2. III. V. 16. 8. 8. 8. 4.

Solo and Choir organ (enclosed except Tuba):
16. 8. 8. 8. 8. 4. 4. 2 2/3. 2. 1 3/5. 1 1/3. III. 16. 8. 8. 8. Tuba.

Mechanical and 'Willis' floating lever key action
Electric stop action

Heny Willis & Sons Ltd
6a Triumph Park
Speke Hall Road
Liverpool
L24 9GQ
Telephone: 0151 486 1845
Fax: 0151 486 1926