A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Harris, René
HARRIS, René, or Renatus, is the most celebrated member of this family of English organ builders. His grandfather had built an organ for Magdalen College, Oxford; but his father, Thomas, appears to have emigrated to France, for Dr. Burney says that Renatus came to England with his father a few months after Father Smith's arrival (1660). To Smith, Renatus Harris became a formidable rival, especially in the competition for building an organ in the Temple Church. [Schmidt, Bernard.] [App. p.668 corrects link to Smith, Father.]
Thomas Harris of New Sarum in 1666 contracted to build an organ for Worcester Cathedral. Renatus Harris in 1690 agreed to improve and enlarge his grandfather's organ in Magdalen College, Oxford. Dr. Rimbault gives a list of 39 organs built by this eminent artist. He had two sons—Renatus, jun., who built an organ for St. Dionis Backchurch, London, in 1724, and John, who built most of his organs in conjunction with his son-in-law, John Byfield.
The firm of Harris (John) & Byfield (John) carried on business in Red Lion St., Holborn. In 1729 they built an organ for Shrewsbury, and in 1740 one for Doncaster, which cost £525, besides several others.