St Luke's Anglican Church
Latrobe

Samuel Joscelyne, Launceston ca.1860 (attr.)
1 manual, 7 speaking stops, mechanical action
Restored 1986 Australian Pipe Organs, Melbourne

 

From the 1992 OHTA Conference Book:

The present brick Gothic church was opened in 1909 [1].

The organ is believed to be the work of Samuel Joscelyne (1802 - 1877) who was a cabinet maker in Launceston following his arrival in Australia in 1852.  In Launceston he established a furniture warehouse which stocked imported and locally-manufactured furniture. He also built at least four pipe organs, all of which had casework of superlative quality and attractive design [2].  The organ at St Luke's was installed about 1922 when the earlier Walker organ in the church was moved to St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Launceston [3].

The casework at St Luke's is of interest for its blending of Classical and Gothic motifs, a mixture of styles which might have been entirely appropriate for a Georgian 'Gothicke' house such as can be found in Tasmania.

Extensive restoration work was carried out in 1986 by Austarlian Pipe Organs, of Melbourne. The casework and dummy façade pipes were refinished, the action and wind system restored, and the pipework regulated. A new Fifteenth 2ft was installed in place of a former Keraulophon and new drawstops and oak jambs replaced the damaged originals.

The specification is:

Manual Open Diapason St Diapason Bass St Diapason Treble Dulciana Principal Flute Fifteenth Pedal Bourdon

8 8 8 8 4 4 2 16

Ten. C CC-BB Ten. C Ten. G (gvd Ten. C-Ten. F#) 12 pipes (later addition)

Compass: 54/20
Mechanical action [4]


[1] Henslowe, op. cit. p 39

[2]  John Maidment 'Samuel Joscelyne (1802-1877)', OHTA News, vol. 7, no. 4 (October 1983), pp. 24-26

[3] Clark & Johnson, op. cit., p 81

[4] OHTA News, vol. 11, No. 1  (January 1987), pp 15-16