St Luke's Hungarian Reformed Church, North Fitzroy: church viewed from the north-east
[photograph by Ken Falconer (31 July 2015)]
St Luke's Hungarian Reformed Church, North Fitzroy: church viewed from the north-east
[photograph by Ken Falconer (31 July 2015)]
Historical and Technical Documentation by John Maidment
© OHTA (last updated May 2015)
The foundation stone of this building, formerly St Luke's Anglican Church, was laid on 4 February 18791 and the first section of the building opened in July of that year. The architects were the prominent Melbourne firm of Crouch & Wilson, a partnership between Thomas James Crouch and Ralph Wilson. The firm designed many churches including the former Methodist Church, Brunswick Street, Fitzroy (demolished), the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Hawthorn, the Paterson Street Methodist Church, Launceston, Tasmania and Durham Street Methodist Church, Christchurch, New Zealand (flattened in the 2011 earthquake).2 The building is constructed of bluestone with white pressed brick quoining and cement dressings. The metal-clad spire is 131ft high and the main roof ridge 47ft above the floor. The brightly-lit interior has a roof supported on cast iron columns. Sadly, the church was never completed to the original design and the chancel and apse are 'temporary' constructions.3
The building was taken over by its present congregation in 1970.
St Luke's Hungarian Reformed Church, North Fitzroy: organ viewed from the nave
[photograph by Ken Falconer (31 July 2015)]
The organ was built by William Anderson for the residence of W.R. Bennetts, North Fitzroy before 1885.4 It appears to incorporate a number of secondhand components, such as the short-compass Swell windchest. Temporarily installed at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Kensington, it was opened at North Fitzroy around 1888. In February 1889, it was reported that:
A new organ had been obtained at a cost of £175 and expenses in connection with its removal and erection, alteration to choir and organ platform, altering and refixing gas and water-pipes, timber for the respective platforms, refund to church account, interest on overdraft and printing, brought the total up to £261 10 9d ; £105 13s 7d of that sum having been secured in donations and by sale of the cabinet organ to the school, which left a balance due on the organ account to the London Chartered Bank of £155.17s.2d.5
The debt on the organ of St Luke's Church being £155, it has been decided to make some strenuous effort towards reducing it. To this end an organ recital will be held in the Church next Wednesday evening,13th of March, the organists on the occasion being Mr. Goodall, late organist of St.Paul's, Geelong, and Mr. Newcombe of North Fitzroy. The feature of the evening will be the singing of Signora Rebbotaro, this well and favorably known lady having kindly promised to assist, the other vocalists being Mr. Carl Woess, who will sing, " But thou did'st not leave," Miss Humphreys, Messrs. Nunweek, Heathershaw, Wright, Power and Wilmot. It is hoped that seatholders and friends will make a liberal response to this appeal on behalf of the organ fund.6
The pipe organ at St. Luke's, N. Fitzroy, is undergoing extensive alterations. It is to be renovated and restored. When the work is completed, it is anticipated that the instrument will be one of the best of its kind in and around Melbourne.7
Following damage by white ants in 1908 and 1910, the organ was rebuilt by George Fincham & Son at a cost of £108, the completed organ being reopened on 3 June 1910.8 At this time, the façade pipes, basses of the Great Stopd Diapason, Flute and Swell Open Diapason were placed on tubular-pneumatic action.
St Luke's Hungarian Reformed Church, North Fitzroy: console
[photograph by Ken Falconer (9 June 2015)]
The organ has a number of typical features of Anderson instruments, particularly the overall tonal design and use of sloping stop jambs. The side case, facing down the nave, appears to come from a substantial barrel organ and may date from the mid-19th century.
St Luke's Hungarian Reformed Church, North Fitzroy: side case, facing down nave
[photograph by Ken Falconer (31 July 2015)]
It was overhauled by Stewart Organs in 2015. This has included pipe repairs, cleaning of the Great and Swell Oboe. The wind pressure was raised to 3 inches and the whole revoiced and re-regulated. The keys have been recovered in white plastic by a member of the congregation.9
| GREAT Open Diapason Stopd Diapason Bass Clarabell Dulciana Principal Flute Fifteenth Swell to Great SWELL Open Diapason Stopd Diapason Principal Hautboy PEDAL Bourdon Great to Pedals Swell to Pedals |
8 8 8 8 4 4 2 8 8 4 8 16 |
façade pipes on tubular-pneumatic action CC-BB on tubular-pneumatic action TC TC 1-12 on tubular-pneumatic action added on clamp unenclosed open wood bass on tubular-pneumatic action oak treble pipes stopped flute bass [label currently missing] ½ length bass |
Compass: 58/30
Mechanical and tubular-pneumatic action
2 composition pedals to Great
Lever swell pedal10
1 Date from foundation stone
2 Details of the firm's work is given in Victorian Churches, edited by Miles Lewis (East Melbourne: National Trust of Australia (Victoria), 1991)
3 The Australasian, 8 February 1879, p.1S and observation by John Maidment
4 E.N. Matthews, Colonial Organs and Organbuilders (Carlton: Melbourne University Press, 1969), p.133
5 Fitzroy City Press, 1 February 1889, p.3
6 Ibid., 8 March 1889, p.2
7 Ibid., 18 June 1909, p.2
8 Matthews, op.cit., p.134
9 Pers.comm. Ken Falconer, 29 October 2015
10 Spec. noted John Maidment February 1966 and updates from images and further information supplied by Ken Falconer, 3 November 2015
St Luke's Hungarian Reformed Church, North Fitzroy: front view of console and facade
[photograph by Ken Falconer (31 July 2015)]
St Luke's Hungarian Reformed Church, North Fitzroy: left-hand stop jamb
[photograph by Ken Falconer (31 July 2015)]
St Luke's Hungarian Reformed Church, North Fitzroy: right-hand stop jamb
[photograph by Ken Falconer (31 July 2015)]
St Luke's Hungarian Reformed Church, North Fitzroy: Great pipework
[photograph by Ken Falconer (31 July 2015)]
St Luke's Hungarian Reformed Church, North Fitzroy: Swell pipework
[photograph by Ken Falconer (31 July 2015)]
St Luke's Hungarian Reformed Church, North Fitzroy: rear of Great windchest
[photograph by Ken Falconer (31 July 2015)]
St Luke's Hungarian Reformed Church, North Fitzroy: view of chancel from nave
[photograph by Ken Falconer (31 July 2015)]