Church organist to retire after playing at 4,000 ceremonies

A CHURCH organist from Hambleden is to retire after 67 years.

Christine Wells, 87, of Pheasants Hill, near Hambleden, has played the organ at St Mary the Virgin since 1957.

She applied for the job after answering a newspaper advertisement. Mrs Wells said: “I saw the advertisement while studying at Reading central library. My parents drove me to the church to play the organ for Wilfred Watts, who was rector at the time. I then received a letter saying I had got the job, offering a salary of £100 a year.”

Mrs Wells, who is now director of music for the Hambleden Valley group of churches, was 16 when she studied at the Royal Academy of Music and played the cello and the organ.

She said: “I have always played instruments. I learnt the organ at the age of 13 after my mother told me I ought to learn as they couldn’t get anyone at the local church to play for the funeral services. Then, from the age of 17, I was the organist at St Mary Magdalen in Tilehurst.” Mrs Wells has played at more than 4,000 weddings and funerals and agreed to play the Match of the Day theme tune during the signing of the register by newlyweds.

She has led two choirs and witnessed nine rectors come and go.

Mrs Wells said: “I have enjoyed enormously working with Hambleden and Frieth choirs. I’m going to be made an organist Emeritus and hope to play now and again as before.” Rev Sue Morton, associate priest of the Hambleden Valley group of churches, said: “Music has been the focus of Christine’s life and her deep desire has always been to share music with others, whatever the occasion.

“Conscientious and committed, each Christmas Christine would tirelessly lead the choir in singing at carol services, carol concerts, church services, village square services, midnight masses and more.

“The carol singing — often performed night after night — was always for charity and over the years Christine has raised thousands of pounds for Sightsavers, the Thames Valley Air Ambulance, Sue Ryder and many others.

“When it came to music to be played at weddings or funerals, Christine would be unfazed by requests for something by the Beatles or Procol Harum or
Blaydon Races.

“She would simply find a piano version of the music, adapt it for the organ and sit and practise it until it was perfect. And each and every order of service for each and every one of those several thousand weddings was kept and filed away.

“The moment that will forever stay with me was during the coronavirus lockdown at a time when the church had been permitted to hold services and to sing outside. As all the churches were closed, Christine had not been able to play the organ for some time.

“It was December, so we had arranged a keyboard in the open-sided church porch at Medmenham for Christine to play and the rest of us stood socially distanced with the congregation as we sang.

“During the service I looked across at Christine as she played the familiar carols that flowed so naturally from her fingertips that she needed no prompts from the sheet music. It was the look on her face that struck me — it was a look of pure joy as Christine returned to her beloved music once more.

“Thank you, Christine, for all that you have given to so many people for so many years. May God bless you.”