At 21 he was told he was too old to be an organ builder; 45 years later he is a world authority.Timaru man John Hargraves was today named as a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to organ restoration.
He was studying music in Auckland when he decided to become an organ builder. New Zealand's main organ building company was based in Auckland, and he approached it to see if he could work there.
"I was told at 21 I was too old.
"I looked around and found out there was a vacancy at a company in Feilding so I went there and did my apprenticeship for four years."
The Feilding operation closed down shortly after he finished his apprenticeship so in 1968 he moved to Timaru to work at the South Island Organ Company.
"After I had been there a year I was made a director on the board and I'm still on it now as the chairman. It has been built up from a local concern to an international one with a lot of work coming from Australia.
"I was absolutely blown away with the honour; I can't imagine who put my name down. I will still be working with organs for a long time to come yet."
His citation from the honours list said he was considered a world authority on the restoration of historic pipe organs from the 19th and 20th centuries.He has helped rebuild more than 150 organs, including organs in 12 cathedrals. Notable restorations include the organ in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Christchurch, and the 1906 Norman and Beard organ in the Wellington Town Hall.
