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The organ was originally built in 1871 for St. Stephen’s Church in Hampstead, London, by the renowned organ builder Henry Willis. In 1902, the organ was changed: the Choir division became enclosed, and Gemshorn 4’ and Piccolo 2’ were replaced with a Gamba 8’ and a Voix Celeste 8’. A Bourdon 16’ in the Pedal was added on a tubular-pneumatic cone-valve chest, as well as a coupler Choir + Swell. When St. Stephen’s became redundant in the 1980s, the organ was dismantled and sold. The instrument was later bought by Tostareds Kyrkorgelfabrik. In 1993, the company partly restored and temporarily installed the organ as an interim instrument in the Organ Hall of the Academy of Music and Drama at the University of Gothenburg. At this time, the Choir’s Gemshorn 4’ and Piccolo 2’ were reconstructed and the Gamba 8’ and a Voix Celeste 8’ stops from 1902 were moved to the Swell.

Originally, the organ was built into a vault with only a small façade visible above the console. From the beginning, the organ had two side façades with Violone 16’ to the left and the Grand Open Diapason 16’ to the right. The right-hand façade, above the console, was retained, while the pipes on the left were used for the new façade, designed by Tore Johansson from Tostared’s.

After installation of the French symphonic organ in the Organ Hall in 1998, the Willis organ was purchased by a foundation, that installed the instrument to the Örgryte Church Parish, where it is part of the beautiful neo-gothic room from that same year. In connection to the placement in Örgryte New Church, Tostared completed the restoration of the instrument.

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