Mechanical Organ Owners Society
Meet your Committee

We pride ourself as 'The UK's Friendliest Organ Society'
Get to know all about your elected officers here!

ROGER BURVILLE
Joint President

Roger's interest started in the late 1950s with Forrest's Gavioli. He became good friends with the family, who introduced him to David Barlow who was about to acquire 'De Kluisberg', a 101 Key Mortier. Roger, together with Dave and Edith Hopper and myself formed the organ crew.

Today, Roger is still part of the rally scene, with help of his son David who is a full time organ builder and restorer of mechanical music instruments. (D.R Burville Organ Builders, Kent)

Roger seen here clearing up at the Kunkelsstichting in Haarlem, after another MOOS Tour party left it in a little bit of a state!

ALAN SMITH
Chairman

​Alan is our chairman, a keen enthusiast, but you might know his face from other places...

For many years he was a regular 'auctioneer' on BBC1's Bargain Hunt working alongside David Dickenson, and had his own series of antiques programs such as "That's Your Lot" on BBC Anglia Television.

These days in retirement, he lectures on antiques and travels with his 65-key Dutch Street Organ "De Vondeling" and 72-key Dutch Street Organ "De Jonker".

JONNY LING
Vice Chairman

Jonny's support of the MOOS goes back years, hosting events at his Mechanical Music collection, and helping us organise other events in the Norfolk area.

Jonny is an accomplished organ builder and restorer. He is also proprietor of 'The Grange Collection' of Mechanical Musical Instruments and Trustee of The Cotton Mechanical Music Museum.

MARK JEFFORD
Membership Secretary


Mark's involvement with the MOOS began in March 1996 when he noticed an advert in World’s Fair for a coach trip to Holland and Belgium visiting Mechanical Music Collections. This was Mark's introduction to the MOOS, and on enjoying the trip, he joined the society.

In 2000 he offered to help distribute the magazine ‘Vox Humana’ and because of his willingness, he was quickly voted onto the committee as Membership Secretary at the AGM! Since then, he's very quickly been able to put faces to names during the various MOOS events and trips the society does. Mark also produces the MOOS Newsletter, with up to 6 editions of events and information posted to our membership through the year.

GUS ORCHARD
Treasurer

Gus is an accountant by trade, and was 'forced' to join the MOOS by his cousin Kevin Byrne several years ago, when Kevin was on the committee as Editor of the society magazine. Gus's accountancy skills therefore have benefitted the society ever since.  

Why does Gus like Mechanical Organs? Well it may not be an obvious link, but he plays a church organ every Sunday, and admits he loves the sound and mechanism of all types of organs.

We don't have a photo of him as he's quite shy, but we feel the organ figure on the late Margaret Cook's Ruth, is quite a good representation of him...!

PETER CRAIG
Tours & Industry Liason


From the age of five, it was Peter's dream to own a mechanical organ.

Some years later after becoming an organ owner and joining the MOOS, he was press-ganged into serving a period as Chairman!

He currently organises the itinerary for the MOOS tours every November, a role which he's enthused with as combines his interests of travel and mechanical organs.

Within the world of mechanical music, his specialist interest is Belgian dance organs, their design, history and music. As time permits, he assembles a library of repaired and re-cut music for the organs in my own collection. 

Matt Gamble
Magazine Editor

Matt came to mechanical music quite late in life.  It was a trip to the Cushing Collection with his 18 month old son that got him hooked.  

You can find Matt at the keyframes of organs owned by Jacques Azulay, Ted Bowman, Peter Craig and in the City of Geraardsbergen.

His step-father assisted in the restoration of a Hooghuys dance organ around fifty years ago.  Partly because of this connection, and partly because of what he perceives to be the innate qualities of the instruments, he has a particular affection for Hooghuys organs.

JAMES DUNDON
Webmaster

James used to attend steam rallies with his parents, and from pushchair age, all he wanted to do was sit in front of a Fair Organ!

He rebuilt a 31 Keyless Fairground Organ, and toured with it over 10 years. Now he's the proud owner of 52 Key Dutch Street Organ 'Het Blauwtje' which he imported from Holland in 2012, and touring it keeps him busy. He once did 46 events in a year with the organ! (Never again, he says!)

The organ is what he describes as 'an out of control hobby'! His day job is a radio presenter in Cornwall entertaining thousands.

Become a member of the MOOS

from as little as £12 a year, you can become a member of the Mechanical Organ Owners Society. Email moosmembership@outlook.com