About Us

Mander Organ Builders traces its heritage back over 150 years to two respected firms in British organ building: F.H. Browne & Sons and Mander Organs. The present-day company was formed on 1st October 2020, when F.H. Browne acquired the intellectual property of Mander Organs. Now based in Stourmouth, East Kent, the company includes several former Mander staff among its skilled team. Our continued investment in British organ building reflects a commitment to uphold the high standards of craftsmanship and service that defined both predecessor firms. This tradition of excellence has earned critical acclaim both in the UK and internationally. Mander Organ Builders specialises in the restoration, rebuilding, and custom design of organs. Our expertise spans all aspects of traditional and modern organ building—from casework design and manufacture to key and stop control systems. With over 600 instruments in our care, our client base extends throughout the UK and as far afield as the Falkland Islands, Japan, and the USA.

Noel Mander

Noel Mander started working on his own account in organ building in 1936. His lineage can be traced back to the 18th century organ builder, George Pike England. Following a break during the war years, the firm moved into its current premises in the east end of London in 1947. Here was a Victorian school, which had been closed down before the war and belonged to the London Diocese.

After the war, when rationing and shortage of materials ruled the day, he worked closely with London Diocese to rescue organs from damaged churches and to provide rebuilt churches with instruments at reasonable cost in spite of the stringent times.

During the 1940s, the firm expanded rapidly and by the 1960s had been involved in a number of prestigious projects. Noel Mander's particular interest in antique chamber organs gained him an unequalled reputation for their restoration to standards that, at the time, were well in advance of normal practices. The revival of interest in classical organs with mechanical action did not go unnoticed and the firm built a number of such instruments early on in this classical revival.

In 1978, Her Majesty the Queen awarded Noel Mander membership of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his services to organ building for over 50 years. Undoubtedly, the crowning glory of his long and distinguished career was the rebuilding of the Willis organ in St. Paul's Cathedral, which was completed in time for the HM the Queen's Silver jubilee in 1977. He retired in 1983, leaving examples of his work in the Middle East, America and Africa, as well as closer to home. He left an experienced team of organ builders, well able to further the high standards for which the firm had become known.

John Mander

On the retirement of Noel Mander (who died in 2005), the reins were handed over to his son, John Mander. Whereas the majority of the work the firm had undertaken under Noel Mander's guidance had been the restoration and rebuilding of existing instruments, the emphasis now changed to building new organs. New instruments were built for churches and other institutions in many parts of the world. These can now be found in North America, Japan, Australia, Scandinavia, the Middle East and Africa, as well as closer to home. Some of these organs, such as that at St. Ignatius Loyola in New York, have become landmark installations, attracting organists from all over the world. All, whether large or small, are still built to the same exacting standards with a warmth and versatility almost unique to Mander Organs.

In 2002, Mander Organs was awarded the "Queen's Award for Enterprise", the only firm of organ builders ever to receive this honour. Unlike any other honour awarded by Her Majesty the Queen, this one is conferred on the whole organisation and not just an individual in an organisation, in recognition of the collective achievement of an enterprise. HRH The Duke of Kent presented the award to the assembled workforce on the 7th of May 2003. John Mander retired in 2018.

Browne Family

F.H. Browne was founded in 1871 by Frederick Henry Browne, an apprentice of Canterbury organ builder William Hobday. Initially based in Deal, the firm relocated to Canterbury in 1906 under the direction of Browne’s eldest son, William. Leadership passed through several hands, including Alfred Willey and Harry Fagg, until Roger Greensted (a former apprentice) became Managing Director in 1982, alongside Reginald Cobb and Gordon Chapman. The firm moved to Ash in 1983.

In its 150 years history, the company has built and restored a large variety of organs across the United Kingdom and as far afield as Australia, Canada and Africa.

In 2013, Stephen Bayley—who had apprenticed with F.H. Browne and later worked with Mander Organs—took over as Managing Director. He was joined in 2015 by Michael Keays, a local organist, who retired in 2024. The company is now run by Stephen Bayley and Yvette Bayley. In 2019, the firm moved to purpose-built premises in Stourmouth. In 2023 Samuel Keeler-Walker, who started as an apprentice at F.H. Browne, joined Manders as the Head Tuner and Operations Manager.

Founded on the principles of restoration originally established by Noel Mander, Mander Organ Builders has furthered its experience in restoration work, carrying out restoration to museum standards entailing extensive research and carrying out the work without compromise. Mander Organ Builders is experienced in all types of organ building and restoration work, sympathetically restoring old mechanical, pneumatic or electric action organs.
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