Usines Th. Mortier

Mortier 105? A. Martin - Boechout

Thanks to the local history society Heemkundige Kring Boechout/Vremde-Het Speelhof (with thanks to Hugo Van der Aa and Rudy Nijs) we received some additional information on the 101-key Mortier organ 'Magic'.

As mentioned on p.250 of the book "The Mortier Story' this organ was built for A. Martin in Boechout (B). Already in December 1910 A. Martin is listed as the owner of a café, 'Bors' in the Dr. Theo Tutsstraat 30 in Boechout. We also read that, at the same time, he was a butcher. In 1920 he is not only listed as an innkeeper but also as an organ renter.

On the photo below, the corner house was café 'Bors'. The dance hall was located behind the café, with an entrance and later a high gate on the side. The butcher's shop was located in the small street on the right (not visible on the photo).

Café Bors of A. Martin in Boechout

As it appears from the advertisement below, taken from the newspaper 'Gazet van Antwerpen', A. Martin offered a Mortier organ for sale on 30 January 1933. It is unclear, though, if this was the newly delivered organ or an older instrument.

Advertisement of A. Martin in Gazet van Antwerpen of 30 January 1933