Thomas Hugh Harrison (1839-1912) founded the famous firm of organ-builders in Rochdale in 1861, but moved to Durham in 1870. His brother James joined him in 1872, and the firm became Harrison and Harrison. Both brothers had been apprentices of Henry Willis in London. Thomas retired in 1895 and his son Arthur assumed control, joined by his brother Henry Shaw (Harry) in 1897. In 1904, the brothers built a very large instrument designed by George Dixon for St Nicholas, Whitehaven. This attracted much attention and led to the firm's rebuilding the Willis organ in Durham Cathedral in 1905, and reconstructing and enlarging the Willis organ at Carlisle Cathedral in 1907.
Like Willis, the Harrisons built or rebuilt a large number of cathedral organs, including those at Ely (1908), Wells (1910), Newcastle (1911), York, Oxford, Worcester, Manchester and Exeter (1933). Arthur Harrison died while he was finishing the instrument in Westminster Abbey. He regarded his best work as St Mary Redcliffe in Bristol.
The firm's most ambitious project was the reconstruction and enlargement of the Willis instrument in the Albert Hall in London (1924 and 1934), while the most important contribution to the art of organ building was the revival of chorus and mixture work. The most notable feature of all Harrison and Harrison instruments, according to the New Grove, is the beauty and regularity of their finish, a factor attributable to Arthur Harrison.
After the death of Arthur Harrison, Harry Harrison maintained the firm's reputation and his son Cuthbert (b. 1905) took full control in 1945. Cuthbert had been one of the leaders of the organ reform movement in England, his most notable contribution being the Royal Festival Hall organ (1954) designed by Ralph Downes. Other important organs built after World War II include those at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon and the cathedrals of Wells, Ely, Coventry and St Albans.