Bernard Smith

Bernard Smith (Bernhard Schmidt), organist and organ maker, known as "Father Smith" was buried in St Margaret's church Westminster, on the south side of the chancel, on 20th March 1708. But he has no marker or monument. In the burial register he is described as "organ maker in ordinary". He was Organist at St Margaret's from 1676 and was organ maker to the King, with an apartment at Whitehall. Later he was keeper of the King's organ, jointly with John Blow.

He was probably born in Germany and lived in Holland where he was organist of the Oostkerk and worked on organs in several Dutch churches. In England he made instruments for many London churches and some in Oxford and Cambridge. He was employed to tune the Westminster Abbey organ from 1665-1674 and again from 1679-1708. In 1694 he undertook major work on the Abbey organ. Two stops made at this time are still incorporated in the present instrument (the 8 ft. stopped diapason and the 4 ft. nason on the choir). His first wife Anne died in 1698 and his second was Elizabeth Houghton. A daughter married Christopher Schrider, his foreman. His nephews were Gerard and Bernard.

Further reading

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004