Samuel Groves


Samuel Groves was a British organ builder based in London.

Family

He was born in Cerne Abbas, Dorset
He married Elizabeth
He married Emma Barrows Lockington in 1854.

Career

He was apprenticed to Gray and Davison for 10 years, and then set up his own business around 1849 with John Mitchell. They had works at 8 Great Marlborough Street, London, and 7 St Ann’s Street, Manchester.
His partnership with John Mitchell ended in 1851. Shortly afterwards his factory on Little Marlborough Street was destroyed by fire. The last business premises was 38 Euston Road, London.
He applied for several patents, including improvements in pneumatic apparatus for pumping or forcing air. and improvements in organs.
He died on 20 October 1858 at the Raven Hotel, St Helen’s in the county of Lancaster. On his death, the organ being installed at Vicar Lane Chapel in Coventry was completed by two of his apprentices, Charles Lloyd and Lorenzo Valentine, who later established an organ building partnership of their own.

Organs built