Andrew Henderson on February 28th, 2023:
According to the *Brantford Expositor* (December 24, 1875): "The organ, as we have already said, was built by the Messrs. Marshall Bros., of Milwaukee, Wis., who have every reason to be proud of their work. We would be doing an injustice to the builders should we not give a minute description of the many excellencies of this organ, several of which are their own invention. During the time that the instrument was being put up we watched the progress carefully, and through the courtesy of the workmen were enabled to inspect it most minutely. The design is exceedingly tasteful, both as regards the case and the rich and beautiful ornamentation. It is without doubt the handsomest front in the Dominion. The front up to the impost is of solid ash and black walnut finished in oil; above that it is composed entirely of metal pipes symmetrically arranged into three towers with intermediate "flats." The towers are supported by massive octagon brackets and are composed of huge pipes, the two end towers having seven each, from 19 to 25 feet high and 8 to 10 inches in diameter, taken from the lower notes of the double Diapason in the Great Organ. The centre tower is shorter and is composed of pipes taken from the lower notes of the Great Organ Dulciana, five in number. The flats contain the lower notes of the Great Organ Diapasons, 22 in number ... All the metal flue pipes from 3 feet in length upwards are of the best spotted metal; not less than two-thirds tin. Every stop in the organ runs the entire compass of the manual; the open stops running through open and not with stopped basses as is usually the case. The manuals have pallets of the builders' own invention, which do away with that jerkiness so common to large organs and making the touch as light and even as that of a piano-forte. There are no couplers on the keys and no stickers pass through the keys, thus allowing the key boards to be removed at will without interfering with the action. The compositions are all double acting, on a principle peculiar to these makers. The workmanship of the whole organ is exquisite and reflects great credit on the builders."
Andrew Henderson on December 1st, 2022:
According to the Grace Church website, a 2-manual Marshall organ from the USA was installed in 1867 and rebuilt by Casavant Freres in 1907.