HE was famed for his bravery in tragic circumstances.

Bandleader Wallace Hartley died when the luxury liner Titanic sank after striking an iceberg in the Atlantic in April, 1912.

But this son of Dewsbury and former player with the Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra is still remembered with affection.

And this week, a little bit of history involving Hartley will bring those memories flooding back.

An historic church organ played by Hartley has been lovingly restored in Dewsbury Minster.

And it will feature on Friday evening in a special recital at the Minster to celebrate the restoration.

Renowned musician Dr Simon Lindley, organist of Leeds Parish Church and Leeds Town Hall, will give the concert at 7.30pm on the 3 Manual Booth/Conacher pipe organ.

The instrument was originally installed in 1866 in the former St Mark’s Church in Dewsbury.

It remained there until 1999 when it was in danger of being ripped out and scrapped.

The original organ had undergone a major refurbishment in 1929 by the Huddersfield organ builder Peter Conacher and Co.

In 1999, the church was to close and the organ was rescued from St Marks by officials of Dewsbury Minster.

They removed the organ for safe keeping but was not until last year that there were sufficient funds to allow its full restoration to go ahead.

Organ builders JM Spink, of Leeds, were commissioned to restore the organ and reinstall it in the Minster.

Now it has pride of place in the church, which is this week hosting a major exhibition and festival.

Included in the exhibition is a display of photographs from retired architect Albert Booth, called The Power And The Glory, looking at many of the region’s magnificent churches.

But the focus will be on the organ and the thought that it may have been played by the man who went down on the Titanic, leading his band playing Nearer My God To Thee.

Hartley, who was born in Colne, Lancashire, moved to Dewsbury with his family in 1895 and joined the Huddersfield Philharmonic.

But he was soon on the move, setting up home in Bridlington and finally getting a job as a musician on the great cruise liners.