CHURCH organist George Marsden was just 14 when he played his first service in 1949.
Now aged 75, the Armitage Bridge man is marking 60 years of being an organist.
He will mark the occasion with a special service where he will be joined by Honley Male Voice Choir.
The highly popular organist and deputy accompanist will take part in a special Songs of Praise this Sunday at the Salendine Nook Baptist Church – one of the three churches where he plays the organ.
Mr Marsden, of Armitage Bridge, had piano lessons at the age of six. In 1949, at the age of 14, he played his first service and was appointed organist at the thriving Salendine Nook Baptist Church in 1960.
The following year he won the Mrs Sunderland Organ class contest. In 1974 he joined Honley and in 1984 was elected President of Huddersfield and District Organists Association.
He is also accompanist for Huddersfield’s Over Sixties choir.
Since 1981 he has been playing the organ at Sunday morning services at St Paul’s Church, Armitage Bridge, and St John’s Church, Newsome, and every Sunday afternoon at Salendine Nook Baptist Church, where he will perform on Sunday at 3pm.
Before the service the choir will be making a live 20-minute broadcast on Two Valleys Radio – a Slaithwaite community based station.
