A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Snetzler, John
SNETZLER, John, was born at Passau in Germany about 1710. This truly eminent organ-builder, after acquiring some fame in his own country, was induced to settle in England, where he built the noble instrument at Lynn Regis (1754); a very fine one at St. Martin's, Leicester (1774); that of the German Lutheran Chapel in the Savoy, which was the first in this country provided with a pedal clavier; and many others. Two stories are current of his imperfect way of speaking English and his quaint expressions. At the competition for the place of organist to his new organ at Halifax (1766) he was so annoyed by the rapid playing of Dr. Wainwright, that he paced the church, exclaiming, 'He do run over de keys like one cat, and do not give my pipes time to shpeak.' And at Lynn he told the churchwardens, upon their asking him what their old organ would be worth if repaired, 'If they would lay out £100 upon it, perhaps it would be worth fifty.'
Snetzler lived to an advanced age, and died at the end of the last or the commencement of the present century. Having saved sufficient money, he returned to his native country; but after being so long accustomed to London porter and English fare, he found in his old age that he could not do without them, so he returned to London, where he died. His successor was Ohrmann. [See Hill & Sons.]