The 1851 Willis organ could play multiple manuals simultaneously and incorporated ‘pistons’ that could activate preconfigured stop combinations from a single point. However, these features made the keyboard action excessively heavy.
#DrMatthewCamidge, a celebrated organist of the period, proclaimed that the force required press a key was ‘enough to paralyse’ most men.
Heads of traitors mounted on spikes were exhibited on top of #TempleBar & could be examined by telescope, for a halfpenny a go. Jacobites #FrancisTowneley & #GeorgeFletcher were the last. Put up in 1746 their heads remained for +25yrs until a storm blew them down. Stocks were also set up by the gate & were occupied by, amongst others, #TitusOates in 1685 & #DanielDefoe in 1703.