Transcript 

of

John Baron, D.D, F.S.A. [Obituary]

Trans. Devon Assoc., 1886, Vol XVIII, pp. 55-56.

by

Rev. W. Harpley

Prepared by Michael Steer

The Rev Baron’s obituary was presented at the Association’s July 1886 St Marychurch meeting. He is best remembered as the successful advocate of organs for smaller churches who published a book that included designs for small organ cases (with only two or three ranks of pipes). These became known as Scudamore Organs and were much in demand.  As well as his keen interest in church music and litergy, and his several publications on matters spiritual, Rev Dr Baron was also author of an article entitled, On a Hoard of Gold Nobles found at Bremeridge Farm, Westbury, Wilts. It appeared in the 1882 issue of Archaeologia, a London based journal focussing mainly on miscellaneous tracts relating to Antiquity. The present article, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

John Baron, D.D., F.S.A., was the eldest son of Dr. Baron, for many years rector of Brill, near Oxford. He was educated at the Islington Proprietory School, and subsequently entered at Queen's College, Oxford, where he gained an open scholarship - a rare event in those days; he took his B.A. degree in 1838, proceeding to M.A. in 1841, and D.D. in 1878; and in the following year, 1879, was elected F.S.A.; he was ordained deacon 1840, and priest 1841, by the Archbishop of York. In 1841 he was made Michell Fellow of Queen's College, and held his fellowship until he was appointed, in 1850, Rector of the College living of Upton Scudamore, in Wiltshire, which he held for a period of thirty-five years until his death. He was curate of St. Mary's, Sheffield, 1840-42; curate of Sparsholt and Kingston Lisle, Berks, 1842; and vicar of Waterperry, Oxon, 1843-48.

Dr. Baron was ever a prominent figure amongst the clergy. His exhaustive reading and his great ability could not fail to make him especially valuable in clerical meetings; whilst his uniform courtesy and gentleness of manner won for him the support and affection of all his brethren. He was the author of various works, among which may be mentioned his famous work on Scudamore Organs; or, Practical Hints respecting Organs for Village Churches, published in 1858, and which reached a second edition in 1862. The Anglo-Saxon Witnesses on Four Alleged Requisites for Holy Communion; viz. Fasting, Water, Altar lights, and Incense, published in 1869; and, shortly before his death, a work on the Greek Origin of the Apostles' Creed, which had formed the subject of a paper read some time previously at a clerical meeting, but which he afterwards enlarged and issued in book form. He also edited Johnson's English Canons, translated from the Anglo-Saxon.

A writer in the Guardian of August 12th, 1885, signing himself H.H.D., referring to Scudamore organs, designed by Dr. Baron, writes thus:

"It was there (Upton Scudamore) that his thoughtful mind bent its study to the supply of a want which had been caused by the improvements made in our churches and their services. It had become evidently desirable to remove the music and choir from the west end to the eastern part of the church, and to give for the music something better than an harmonium or an assemblage of heterogeneous instruments; and so the idea of a chancel organ, with a simple case, and projecting but a slight distance from the wall, was conceived, an organ which should be, as he himself was, modest and unpretending, yet of real and not inconsiderable value. But how was the idea to be carried into effect? Mr. Baron had no connection with the musical world, no knowledge of the theory of music, or of the construction of instruments, and less than an average perception of musical sounds. He could, however, buy books and read, and with the childlike enthusiasm which distinguished him through life he could make up his mind that our village churches should have the kind of organ they required. Hard by his house lived a blacksmith, an intelligent handy man, and the village musician. Availing himself of the aid of this man, Mr. Baron worked out by himself all, even the minutest, details. ‘Scudamore organs’ have long been in use on both sides of the Atlantic, and in our southern colonies, and are now manufactured by our best organ-builders; but originally, and for some years, they were the product exclusively of the clergyman of a country parish (expending no little money on his gift to the church), and Nelson Hall, the village blacksmith."

Dr. Baron was a man utterly unconscious of self, and possessed that rare combination of intellect and simplicity which made intercourse with him so delightful to his friends, and acquired for him the love and esteem, not only of those in his own neighbourhood, but of all who were acquainted with him.

He became a member of the Association in 1879; he died, after a protracted and painful illness, on August 3rd, 1885.