At the age of fourteen, he became organist of the baptist chapel in Pembroke Road, which had an organ with a C2–C3 pedal keyboard, then very rare in England.

[4] Although complete pedal-keyboards had now become general, no performer in England equalled Best, and he was very frequently invited to inaugurate newly built organs all over the country.

Continual work as a performer, composer, editor, and teacher, brought on an illness which necessitated a lengthened rest in 1881–2; he visited Italy, and during his convalescence gave a grand recital in Rome, at the request of Liszt.

As the greatest living British organist he was invited to Australia to inaugurate the Sydney Town Hall Grand Organ.

He accepted the invitation, and before leaving England exhibited the powers of this unrivalled instrument at the builder's factory in London, in the presence of a number of Australians.

Best suffered from gout, and expected the journey would improve his health; but it had a contrary effect, and after his return his public appearances were less frequent.

After much suffering from dropsy, he died at his residence, Seymour Road, Broad Green, Liverpool, on 10 May 1897, and was buried on 13 May in Childwall parish graveyard.

[4] He published some pianoforte and vocal pieces, which had little success ; his organ compositions are much more important, and are constantly played at recitals in churches and concert-rooms.

A Handel-Album, which extended to twenty volumes, was originally intended to consist of selections from the lesser-known instrumental works arranged for the organ; it was afterwards taken from more varied sources—the operas especially.

He would indulge his fancies to the full in brilliant extemporisations when a church organist, but his recitals in St. George's Hall were invariably restrained and classical.