Re my own organ, I never had it operating in Kindersley with the old console. It was in playing order when I took it down in ’55 and I took a tape recording of all the stops and divisions before this was done. Up until December of this year, however, I never had room to set up such a monster. This summer we started on the music room, and before the cold weather set in we had the interior finished, except the floor hardwood, which will have to wait until most of the organ is in. All the framework, bellows, main chests and swell boxes are in place, plus the chest and pipes of the 16’ Open Wood, which go in the back. Many sore muscles and grunts were the order of the day, I am afraid. I had electrified the choir chest, the smallest, and had it connected to the three manual console in the shop, just so that I would have something to play once in a while.

Dear Stuart:

I’ve been thinking of you a lot these days, for one thing, I have been going through my files and it is surprising how often I see the familiar handwriting, or typewriter letters (your typewriter has a distinctive print) from my fellow orgelnut in Calgary. One reason I was going thru my files, was to find the original blueprint drawings of old Grace Church Organ – I knew I had them somewhere, but I had to turn the house upside down in my search, finally finding them stuck in with some of my old Hotel miscellaneos, up in the attic. (I know I spelt misc. wrong, but damned if I’m going to correct it, the dictionary is upstairs.)

As you have no doubt guessed, I keep all my correspondence; noticed a pile of letters from another orgelnut, Fred Hall, who at that time, 1940, was away in far distant Victoria. Now we are only a mile and a half apart, and I rarely see him. That’s because he sold his home-built organ when he moved into a better house, and installed an electric instead. For this heresy he was sort of excommunicated, although we are still good friends, there is not the same common interest any more.

Dear Stuart:

Greetings from Organ Hall! Also for the enclosed brochure, many thanx. I think I heard that organ long ago, when I was a "callow" youth. My Uncle Eddie, who lived at Cereal, gave me the name of an Anglican (High) organist who resided at the York Hotel, a bachelor, naturally. He turned out to be a fat, rumpled guy, quite old, I thought, at least 50. His name was Price, or something like that. There was something repellent about him which at that time I was unable to pin down; but he did take me to the organ and I remember his deep bow to the altar, exposing a great trousered creased bottom. The organ was heavy, too. That would be about 1942 during Stampede Week.

I was also sad to learn of the change in the situation at the Cathedral, where you were so content when I last visited.

Dave Berry, my "Official Organist" and I were going to the Calgary Orgy, then he backed out, saying he was afraid they would be playing a lot of Messiean and Durufle. It is always better to go to one of these affairs with a friend. Then when you told me of your changed situation I was too depressed to go.

From the St. Barnabas (Calgary) bulletin, reprinted in the RCCO (Calgary) newsletter:

D. Stuart Kennedy (August 11, 1922 - March 12, 2007)