Lucy Perkins, the Organist by George Freeston

During the early years of the 20th century, the Parish Church at Blisworth enjoyed the organ playing by an ageing lady named Lucy Perkins. Her husband was George Perkins the village butcher in Stoke Road.

Choirboys at Blisworth were much impressed by her organ playing. Seated on a bench seat she seemed to slide to and fro to aid her use of the organ pedals and she sang lustily to the tunes that she was playing be it a hymn or a psalm. She also fitted the characteristics of her playing to the words in an attempt to dramatise their meaning. Bass notes were amplified for "ye mountains" and treble were given the equivalent treatment for "ye hills" in the Psalm 114 passage - "Ye mountains skipped like rams, and ye little hills like lambs" - and when the psalmist said "Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord" the whole organ body trembled.

Lucy, on occasions, was called upon to help at local churches if bereft of an organist.  One such call came from Canons Ashby. Transport was provided by pony and trap driven by her husband. On arrival she took her place at the organ in good time before the service commenced. A little nervous she asked the verger on a 'point of procedure', who stated that with the arrival of the squire, Sir Henry, she was to play her Voluntary. To a further question she was given the description of Sir Henry as "short and grey-whiskered".  In silence she watched and waited until in came a gentleman fitting the description of the Squire - so, with all confidence and "all stops out" the voluntary was commenced - but - up trotted the verger loudly saying,

"Stop, that's not him - that's the rat-catcher!"

Note:   George Freeston said that many of the music scores were the handiwork of the cobbler, Mr Green, who was also an organist and creative calligrapher.  An article on his work and family at Blisworth is available on the website.