St Michael’s Catholic Church

High Street, Ashburton

First organ, built circa 1910-1920 J.E. Dodd;
installed ‘Rockingham’, Kew, residence of J.H. Syme.
Installed circa 1951 Xavier College Chapel, Kew.
1 manual, 8 speaking stops, 1 coupler, electro-pneumatic action
(possibly originally fitted with player mechanism).
Rebuilt & installed Ashburton 1963 S.I. Sakacs;
removed 1974 Geo Fincham & Sons and parts discarded

Present organ, built 1975 Geo Fincham & Sons.
2 manuals, 9 speaking stops, 3 couplers, mechanical action




St Michael’s Catholic Church, Ashburton – exterior from the north-west
[photograph by John Maidment (3 November 2024)]


Historical and Technical Documentation by John Maidment
© OHTA (last updated November 2024)


The present St Michael’s Church was opened on 15 May 1955.1 It was designed by Conarg, Contemporary Architects Group, of Glen Iris in a modern Romanesque idiom and constructed in cream brick with innovative detailing. The firm was founded in 1953 by Grigore Hirsch (1906-1987) who was born in Bucharest and emigrated to India and later Australia.2 The nave windows are spectacular and with great colour.



St Michael’s Catholic Church, Ashburton – the Dodd organ at the time of its removal to Xavier College
[photograph from The Xaverian 1950]

The first organ was built by J.E. Dodd, a single-manual instrument with divided stops, intended for domestic use, probably dating from 1910-1920. It was initially placed at ‘Rockingham’, Kew, the residence of J.H. Syme and was later moved circa 1951 to the rear gallery of Xavier College Chapel, Kew, where its symphonic design would have been unsuited to congregational use. It was then sold to the Ashburton church where it was modified in 1963 and placed on the rear gallery by S.I. Sakacs with the pipework on open display. It was removed from the church in 1974 and broken up.

MANUAL
Bourdon
Melodia
Hohl Flute
Viole
Dulcet
Oboe
Vox Humana
Manual to Pedal Coupler

PEDAL
Bourdon


16
8
8
8
4
16
8



16

(all enclosed)





TC




added later

Compass: 61/30
Detached stopkey console
Electro-pneumatic action3



St Michael’s Catholic Church, Ashburton – the Fincham organ
[photograph by John Maidment (3 November 2024)]

The present organ was built by Geo. Fincham & Sons Pty Ltd and opened in 1975. It was constructed with mechanical key and stop actions in a neo-classical style. The casework constructed in Mountain Ash incorporates burnished copper façade pipes with tin mouths. It was the first all-mechanical neo-classical organ to be installed in a church outside the inner suburban area of Melbourne.

GREAT
Rohr Flöte
Prinzipal
Block Flöte
Mixtur III-IV
Positiv to Great*


8
4
2
1-1/3


 
POSITIV
Spitz Flöte
Rohr Flöte
Prinzipal
Sesquialtera


8
4
2
II





TG

PEDAL
Subbass
Great to Pedal*
Positiv to Pedal*

16


 

*Operated by toe levers

Compass: 56/30
Mechanical key and stop action4



St Michael’s Catholic Church, Ashburton – organ showing open console
[photograph by John Maidment (November 1975)]




St Michael’s Catholic Church, Ashburton – sanctuary
[photograph by John Maidment (3 November 2024)]




St Michael’s Catholic Church, Ashburton – nave
[photograph by John Maidment (3 November 2024)]


1 Carved stone at entrance

2 https://www.builtheritage.com.au/dua_conarg.html gives details of the Conarg firm

3 Specification of the Dodd organ noted by John Maidment circa 1962 when on a school excursion and other later notes

4 Specification noted by John Maidment 1975