A church organist has been playing at the same church on the same instrument every week for more than 70 years.

Keith Watts, 88, is thought to be the longest continually-playing church organist in the country, after starting to play at Thomas a Becket Church in  aged 15.

He has only missed his two years doing national service and his wedding day.

Even recent surgery on both shoulders only put him out of action for a couple of weeks, and during the pandemic he brought a portable organ and played outside for the congregation.

Keith, who has now notched up 73 years playing the 1924 reed organ, has also played at weddings and funerals throughout his career.

It is thought he has played almost 15,000 hymns at services in the church – famous for its bells being the subject of a poem by Dorset dialect poet William Barnes.

Keith, who lost his churchwarden wife Pam earlier this year after 65 years of marriage, said he has no intention of stopping.

He said: “When I was nine I started to cycle to Henstridge to learn how to play and when I got good enough at 15 I began playing at Lydlinch.

“I lived in Lydlinch for 26 years then moved just down the road but never stopped playing.

“Ever since I was small I always loved music and used to play the accordion in a dance band and I also played the saxophone.

“But there aren’t any dance bands any more.

“I play the piano every day and I’ve also rung church bells and I’ve rung them here although they are not working at the moment because they need attention.

“The church has to raise more than £120,000 and we are nearly at the target – and after that the organ is going to be improved.

“There used to be other organists who played locally but there are very few now and no youngsters are coming through. They just don’t want to do it.”

Keith describes his occupation as a carpenter and joiner, although friends say he is a master craftsman who has made numerous things for the church including tables, collection boxes and picture frames as well as undertaking many repairs.

Any fees he receives he donates straight back.

Keith added: “I have been lucky; I have fallen off a number of roofs over the years and I even fractured my back once.

“Apart from my national service and my wedding day I’ve played here pretty much every service.

“When I started there was a choir on in the gallery where the organ is and we had four services a month.
“And at Harvest Festival and Christmas there was standing room only.

“We’re down to three services a month now but get 20 or 25 people attending and there are still weddings and funerals.

“When the organ was installed in 1924 it replaced a harmonium and at first there was no electricity and people had to pump to make it work.

“It is a good organ for what it is especially as it is now more than 100 years old.

“I find that the louder you play the better the folk sing, but I do like a bit of light and shade. I’ll keep playing until I can’t do it any more or someone tells me to stop.”

Previous church organist record holder

A previous holder of this record, Joycelyn Hocking from St Neot in Cornwall, who had played for more than 80 years, has now retired.

Ding dong! Bells fund is achieved

Lydlinch is planning a big party after its tiny population of 200 managed to raise £123,300 to restore their church bells.

The appeal had to find an extra £20,300 for VAT after the Government ended the Listed Places of Worship Scheme.

But now the tower alterations to insert the bell hatches are almost complete, with the bells booked for their restoration and removal by Nicholson’s of Bridport on January 18 and the deposit paid.

The bells – famously written about by William Barnes – will be returned around late April with the re-dedication of the bells by the bishop in June with a party afterwards.

Villager Sally-Anne Barrett said: “It has been a wonderful community effort and quite awe-inspiring that in less than two years the funds will have been raised and the bells fully restored.

“We continue with the bell ringing lessons given by the Mere Branch of the Salisbury Diocese Guild of Bell Ringers to ensure our bells are always rung and once the bells are restored and re-hung new beginners and of course experienced ringers will be very welcome.

“We are so grateful to all those who have contributed towards this project. The West Dorset Magazine for all the wonderful articles, the grants received from the Dorset Historic Churches Trust, the Lewellyn Edwards Bell Restoration Fund, Garfield Weston, Erskine Muton Trust, Sharpe Trust, Dorset County Ringers.”