Biography

Mammoth Gavioli Fair Organ
Effective period / Period of releases: 1964 - 1971
Largest of 8 mechanical organs supplied by Paris company Gavioli to Britain in 1908-1909. All eight were specified as 112-Key instruments, this one supplied in 1909 to front Sidney White's Electric Coliseum Bioscope And Variety Show, South Wales.Reduced to a 98-Key in the Welsh Dragon Scenic Railway. The organ travelled in fairs until 1930, when it found a permanent home in the Cosy Corner Amusement Park, Barry Island.
The ride was closed in 1939 due to war and never re-opened and was dismantled in 1954.
Since then, it was restored by George Parmley of Chester Le Street, County Durham and was fully functional from 1956 to 1964 (the date from which most of this information was obtained from LP notes).