OUR BACKGROUND

Founded in 1902 by William Charles Cooper; Cooper, Gill & Tomkins Pipe Organ Builders has been responsible for maintaining, assembling, making and repairing pipe organs throughout South Africa, changing its name from time to time, but continuous in its supply of fine instruments and service.

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William Charles Cooper arrived in the Cape of Good Hope for the first time in 1898 as a Binns representative for the installation of the organ in Worcester Dutch Reformed Church and supply of organs to Wynberg Methodist Church and Central Methodist Church up until 1902 when he returned to set up his own business which involved the importing of Binns organs and installing them throughout the country.

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As early as 1904, the demand for Cooper's services had increased to the point where he needed help. He was joined by another man from the Binns company, Harold Gill. Trading as Cooper & Gill, they soon opened a workshop at the top of Wale Street, Cape Town then moved to various other addresses in the city. In 1905, Alfred Maberley Fellows Tomkins built the large Norman & Beard organ into the Cape Town City Hall, after this numerous Norman & Beard organs flowed into South Africa. Being one of Norman & Beard's best organ builders, Tomkins formalised a partnership with Cooper & Gill in January 1912 when an agency for Norman & Beard organs was acquired. At the creation of the new Cooper, Gill & Tomkins name, a new branch was established in Johannesburg which was administered by Tomkins while Cooper and Gill stayed behind in Cape Town. 

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In 1927, the partnership was transformed into a company that would henceforth be known as Cooper, Gill & Tomkins (Pty) Ltd, with its headquarters in Cape Town. Cooper decided to return to Liverpool where he was appointed general manager of Rushworth & Dreaper. This largely explains the close collaboration that existed between Cooper, Gill & Tomkins and Rushworth & Dreaper for many years. Cooper died in 1953.

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Although all three partners were good craftsmen, Tomkins did most of the manual work. Tomkins died on July 18, 1941 at the age of 62 in a train accident outside Salt River Station near Cape Town. He was on his way to Cape Town from Johannesburg for the Annual General Meeting of Cooper, Gill & Tomkins. The third partner, Gill, died on 10 February 1964.

 

It goes without saying that a large firm such as Cooper, Gill & Tomkins would constantly employ new organ builders from overseas and would also train local apprentices and send them overseas for advanced training. Some of these people later gained as much fame and prestige as the three founding members.