St Ignatius Catholic Church, Toowong
[Photograph by David Vann (May 2012)]
St Ignatius Catholic Church, Toowong
[Photograph by David Vann (May 2012)]
Historical and Technical Documentation by Geoffrey Cox
© OHTA 2012 (last updated May 2012)
St Ignatius Loyola Parish in Toowong was founded in 1916 as the parish of 'St Michael & All Souls.' The foundation stone of the present church was laid on 16 June 1929 and the building was opened on 18 May 1930.1
The 1959 Laukhuff/Whitehouse organ
[Photographs by David Vann (May 2012)]
The organ in this church was installed in 1959 by Whitehouse Bros of Brisbane as a memorial to Fr Leo Murphy S.J., who was appointed as an Assistant Priest to the Toowong parish in December 1942 and worked there until his death in March 1957. It was blessed by the Most Rev. P.M. O'Donnell, Coadjutor Archbishop of Brisbane, on 'Laetare Sunday,' 8 March 1959, and the sermon for the occasion was preached by the Very Rev. Fr Vincent Rowan P.P., Director of Sacred Music at Pius XII Seminary, Banyo.2
This was one of two extension instruments installed in Brisbane in 1959 by Whitehouse Bros, which were in reality built in their entirety by Aug. Laukhuff of Weikersheim, W. Germany.3 The other, at St James' Anglican Church, Kelvin Grove, was slightly larger. The organ case is free-standing and constructed of oak, with walnut overlay inside the console.4
Console of the 1959 Laukhuff/Whitehouse organ
[Photograph by David Vann (May 2012)]
| GREAT Bourdon Open Diapason Octave Flute Quint Principal Piccolo SWELL Stopped Diapason Prestant Gedeckt Octave Quint PEDAL Bourdon Diapason Flute Flute Principal NO COUPLERS |
16 8 4 4 2-2/3 2 2 8 4 4 2 1-1/3 16 8 8 4 2 |
A B B A A B A A B A B A A B A A B |
Tremulant
Detached stop-key console
Compass: 61/30
Direct electric action.5
Console details of the 1959 Laukhuff/Whitehouse organ
[Photographs by David Vann (May 2012)]
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1 Historical details cited by G. Cox in St Ignatius Church porch, 2005.
2 Order of Service for the blessing of the organ, Sunday 8 March 1959.
3 Personal communication to G. Cox from Kevin M. Whitehouse, 1974.
4 Details from Order of Service leaflet, op. cit.
5 Specification noted by G. Cox, May 1974.