CHALLEN PIANOS – HARRINGAY - LONDON  - WORLD'S LARGEST PIANO

 

My earlier memories of Challen Pianos were of a kid when attending the Friday night Speedway events at Harringay stadium back in the 1950’s. Along with my brother and sister, our journey would take us the length of Hermitage Road before climbing the very steep steps up to one of the stadium entrances. Alongside these steps was the Challen factory that always looked so large and imposing.

 

THIS OLD MAP FROM THE 1950'S SHOWS THE CHALLEN FACTORY 'OMEGA WORKS' IN THE SHADOW OF HARRINGAY STADIUM

It was many years later that I heard they had at one time built the largest piano in the world. It was great to know that a proud factory in Tottenham had held this distinction.



It was in 1934 that the management of Challen Pianos, who were then a leading British piano manufacturer, decided they wanted to build the world’s largest piano to mark the upcoming 1935 Silver Jubilee for King George V and Queen Mary.

 

The eventual piano was nearly 12 foot in length and weighed nearly 1 ¼  tons. Years later, when the Guinness Book of Records was established post-war, it was officially acclaimed as the largest piano in the world. It had been built at their Hermitage Road factory ‘Omega Works’ .


THE ORIGINAL LARGEST PIANO BUILT IN 1934

 

Challen pianos were supplied to the BBC and could be heard on many popular radio programmes of the day. Of course this was before the age of the television, so for most of the population BBC radio was the source of most of their home entertainment.



THE WORLD'S LARGEST PIANO ON DISPLAY AT THE BBC

 

THE WILDERNESS YEARS

It transpires that somehow the Piano was then lost for nearly 40 years until purchased by a Paris piano dealer in 1984. The piano was subsequently sold to a private buyer in France.

It was pleasing to learn that in 2020, following many years of neglect, the piano was purchased by a company in Norfolk who immediately made plans to restore the piano back to its former glory. This had taken over 2 years of effort, and the project team took care to ensure that traditional parts and methods were used in the restoration process.

THE RESTORATION PROJECT

We are indebted to the Bruce Castle Museum in Tottenham who shared with me a number of photographs that they had received showing the restoration works and a picture of the fully rebuilt instrument.


STRIPPING DOWN THE PIANO


THE UNDERSIDE OF THE PIANO

RESTORING THE FRAME

RESTORING THE SOUNDFRAME


RESTORATION IN PROGRESS

RESTORATION IN PROGRESS


WINCHING FRAME BACK INTO POSITION

RESTORING THE KEYBOARD

 

COMPLETION OF PROJECT

It is so pleasing to see this little bit of our Tottenham industrial heritage restored and to fully appreciate the dedication and skills used by craftsmen in the original manufacturing process. Furthermore, to realise how these same levels of dedication and skills had been exhibited during the restoration works.


Hopefully, for many years into the future, this ‘Grand Piano’, in every sense of the word, will continue to bring music to the ears of everyone who has the opportunity to listen. 

Article prepared by Alan Swain - December 2024
Original photographs courtesy of Bruce Castle Museum- Tottenham