Henry Bevington, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Henry Bevington

English organist and organ builder

Date of Birth: 26-Jul-1777

Place of Birth: London

Date of Death: 08-Nov-1850

Profession: musical instrument maker

Nationality: United Kingdom

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Henry Bevington (26 July 1777 – 8 November 1850) was a prolific English organ builder active in London during the Victorian era.
Many of his organs were erected in Australia and South Africa.(van der Linde 1993) Bevington was born in London to Samuel and Elizabeth (Portsmouth) Bevington, who were Quakers.
He was an apprentice of Ohrmann & Nutt, and also of John Snetzler.
He began his trade as journeyman with Robert Gray.(Thistlethwaite 1999, p.
58) He set up his own workshop in Greek Street, Soho, London in 1794,(Boeringer & Freeman 1989, p.
89) (this early date of 1794 is disputed), his earliest recorded organ is dated 1820.
Bevington was also an accomplished organist and was the organist at King's College, London.(Boeringer & Freeman 1989, p.
89) He died in 1850, aged 73, and was buried at St Peter's Church, Walworth.Bevington's organ building business was continued by his sons; Henry and Martin, in Rose Street, Soho, in the same premises as were occupied by Ohrmann.
The organ of St.
Martin's in the Fields and of the Foundling Hospital in London, and that of St.
Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, were built by the Bevington firm.(de Pontigny 1900)(Thistlethwaite 2000) On 21 May 1854, a fire damaged his works on Rose Street, including the original carved case being constructed for St.
Martin's in the Fields, and valuable tools.
Fortunately, the majority of their inventory was at the Greek Street location.