Message from the Webmaster

In 1998, I responded to a request in an organ chat room from Steve Layden asking for any information on Aeolian-Skinner organs to be used on a website that he had created. I responded and sent him all my Aeolian-Skinner stoplists and hundreds of photos. Within a year or so, work stopped on the website and I was unable to communicate with him by email, snail-mail or phone.

After nearly three years of inactivity on the website and my inability to do any work on it from my end, Jordan Simmons emailed me via the website. I lamented to him that the website was dead and I couldn't work on it. Before I could blink thrice, Jordan had uploaded it to the present URL so work could begin again.

Thanks to Jordan's incredible expertise with the computer, the website has been fine-tuned and over 800 more specifications have been added. Since a number of Aeolian-Skinner organs involved work on or replacement of E. M. Skinner organs, it was only logical to add a section for Skinner specifications. We eventually also added listings of work done by Ernest M. Skinner & Son, as well as work by Carl Bassett under the Skinner name.

Our goal is to eventually have specifications posted for all Skinner and Aeolian-Skinner organs. Just so things don't get out of control and accuracy suffers, our intent is to publish the specs that existed as the organs left the factory.

The Aeolian-Skinner Archives is intended to be a companion to the E. M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List by Allen Kinzey and Sand Lawn, a publication of and available thru the Organ Historical Society. The Archives provides the specifications and the Kinzey and Lawn Opus List gives a wealth of historical details about the individual instruments, such as installation information, work done over the years and the organs' eventual status.

I cannot thank Steve Layden enough for coming up with this wonderful idea and creating the website. He has done a huge service for the organ world. It is his love of Aeolian-Skinner organs that made this possible. I am also grateful to Jordan Simmons for his wonderful ability with the computer, as well as his upbeat 'can-do' attitude and his attention to detail.

Jordan and I both deeply appreciate the contributions Allen Kinzey has made in supplying shop notes and sending corrections to stoplists already posted. Allen is the person responsible for making sure the specifications are accurate.

Jonathan Bowen has also been a huge contributor to the website. He has spent a considerable amount of time gathering stoplists, photos and other information from organists, organ builders and the OHS Archives. He has become a good friend to us both.

If you have any comments, suggestions or information, please email me by clicking here. We would like to hear from you.