"But a Very Good Blower."

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In Thame there is a wee shop with the name

"John the Stitcher".

It is about 8 feet wide and piled high

with leather, in rolls, in sheets

and in thousands of bits all over the

walls and floor.

In fact it is quite difficult to get in,

and very dim inside when you do.

I needed a small bit of leather to make the bellows

for the drum unit I am constructing.

So, in I go -

"Good morning John.

Could you sell me a small piece of leather

for some bellows I am making?"

"No!"

I was just about to turn and leave when he had second thoughts and said that he only had, red leather for bellows.

I said, I didn't mind what colour and showed him my sample piece.

"No don't sell that! That's sheep's skin."

So that was that!

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This is also a 'John', but not living in Thame.

He is John Jones, who makes and restores bellows

in a workshop behind his house in Wiltshire.

Now he, looks a kind and helpful chap.

However, I decided to have a go at using

'Blackout Cloth'.

It's not as long lasting as leather, but quite a few

people use it for bellows in small organs.

I thought you may like to see how it's done?

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Cardboard stiffeners are stuck to

the inside before folding.

Sorry, I got this picture in the wrong position......

.
.

....but it shows WW2 blackout curtains

being drawn in a cinema.

And whilst I was Google-ing for 'blackout',

I found this!

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Painting a cow so that it could be seen

in the dark during the blackouts.

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Anyway, back to my bellows.

Here is the finished thing all folded and

tuck'd and stuck'd.

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The little valve is tucked up in his little

airtight box (with a perspex lid)

and he will be lifted up by a 'Puff '.

No, not a 'poof', but a 'puff'.

(Can you say things like that, these days?)

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The 'puff' is a wee leather bag,

about the size of a postage stamp, which inflates

and raises the valve sitting above it.

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Cheating - I lifted it by hand.

I tried to blow down the pipe and take a picture

at the same time but found I didn't have enough hands!

So, enough 'hot-air' from me.

I must get back into the workshop

and assemble it all with the tambourine.

Before I go, I'll leave you with a dittie.

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"Here lies the body of Meredith Morgan,

Who blew the bellows of our old church organ.

No reflection on him for rude speech could be cast,

Yet he gave our organist many a blast.

No puff was he, but a very good blower,

He could fill double ‘G’, but now lies a note lower."

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Amen.

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