Lady of Victories Camberwell

Basilica of Our Lady of Victories
Camberwell

T.W. Magahy & Son, of Cork, Ireland 1920
3 manuals, 38 speaking stops, el. pn.

The foundation stone of the Church of Our Lady of Victories was laid on 25 May 1913, replacing an earlier church-school building dedicated to St John Berchman opened in 1887. The cost of the building was worked out at 45,869 stones at a cost of 10 shillings each. The building was opened on 6 December 1918 before a crowd estimated at 80,000. It was designed by the prominent Catholic architect A.A. Fritsch, a local resident, and the initial design included a massive campanile, later pruned from the plan; Sacré-Coeur in Paris may have been an influence. The style was stated to be Lombardic romanesque and demonstrated a strong departure from Gothic, also shown in Melbourne from the1880s with Sacred Heart, St Kilda and in 1890s Sacred Heart, Carlton. The building is diagonally placed across its elevated site and the prominent dome, clad in copper and crowned by a gilt statue of Our Lady of Victories, is a local landmark. Internally, the space under the crossing is notable with the focus on the massive reredos and its entablature. The stained glass is entirely the work of John Hardman & Sons, Birmingham.

The organ was built by T.W. Magahy & Son, of Cork, Ireland in 1920 at a cost of £3,000. This firm was prominent in southern Ireland and rebuilt the Hill organ at St Finbarre's Cathedral and the Bryceson organ in SS Peter & Paul's Church, both in Cork. It was opened with a series of recitals given by Thomas Walter Magahy in 1921, who went to Australia to survise the erection. At the conclusion of the series there was a plebiscite programme, the results of the voting being as follows: Overture, Tannhauser (Wagner), Storm Fantasia (Lemmens), Pomp & Circumstance (Elgar), Funeral March, The Lost Chord (Sullivan), Vorspiel to ACT III and the Bridal Music, Lohengrin (Wagner), Andantino (Lemare), Death of Ase and Morning (Grieg).

The organ was placed on a rear gallery and divided on either side of the massive window depicting the Battle of Lepanto. The drawstop console was placed centrally and connected to the windchests by tubular-pneumatic action. The Great and Choir were behind the left case, and the Swell and Pedal to the right. The oak casework includes the bass pipes of the Great Double Open Diapason 16 surmounted by two trumpet-blowing angels. The instrument was of particular note for the brilliance of its Great flue chorus, the rich array of string and flute registers, and its heavy pressure reeds, the Tuba being on 12 inch pressure.

The 1980 rebuild by George Fincham & Sons Pty Ltd saw the original slider chests discarded and replaced by new slider chests for the three manual divisions and the Pedal. Electro-pneumatic action was installed and the console refitted with new keys and drawstops. A number of additional ranks were provided, particularly upperwork, and independent chorus reeds placed on the Great and Pedal. More recently, Australian Pipe Organs Pty Ltd have revoiced the original heavy pressure reeds to recapture the original tonal quality, replaced the 1980 Great Trumpet with a new rank more suited to the romantic style of the original organ and revoiced the 1980 Pedal reeds to give a more foundational quality.

Compass: 61/30
16 thumb & toe pistons
tubular-pneumatic action
balanced swell pedals to Swell and Choir

Photos: JRM