St Andrew's Presbyterian Church
State Circle, Forrest
1933-34 Hill, Norman & Beard, reb. & enl. 1965 Hill, Norman & Beard
2m., 35 sp.st., 9c., el.pn. & el.mag.
Information from Kelvin Hastie, “Presbyterian Church of St Andrew, State Circle, Forrest”, Capital Organs: Organ Historical Trust of Australia, 24th Annual Conference, 29 September – 4 October 2001, Canberra and South East New South Wales. Conference Booklet (Sydney: Organ Historical Trust of Australia, 2001), pp. 15-16.
St Andrew's, in Neo-gothic style, was opened on 22 September 1934, on a site of approximately 5 acres. (The foundation stone was laid by the Governor-General, Rt. Hon Lord Stonehaven, 27 November, 1929). Due to the Depression, the church was incomplete when opened. The Peace Memorial Nave was added to complete the church on 22 September 1979, giving a blend of Neo-gothic and contemporary styles. The outside pulpit on the eastern side of the church is a unique feature and was intended for use for large outdoor meetings and services.
The organ was built by Hill, Norman & Beard (Aust.) Pty. Ltd. and installed in 1933 (o/n N24). It was rebuilt and enlarged by the same firm in 1965 (o/n ACT 620), using a console supplied by J. W. Walker & Sons in 1961. In 1981 the organ was renovated by Peter Jewkes and solid state circuitry installed. The instrument relies heavily on extension and unification, although most of the chorus work on the manuals is independent. There are seventeen ranks, six being mixtures. A new replacement trumpet rank has also been added in 2005 by Peter Jewkes.
The church's organist, Beth Cathcart has provided this pamphlet on the organ which corrects some details (July 2013):
The specification is:
| GREAT Contra Dulciana Open Diapason Gedeckt Dulciana Octave Dulcet Quint Super Octave Foumiture Trumpet SWELL Geigen Diapason Hohlflute Salicional Voix Celeste Principal Flute Ouverte Nazard Piccolo Mixture Double Trumpet Trumpet Clarion PEDAL Sub Bass Bourdon Contra Dulciana Principal Flute Quint Choral Bass Octave Flute Octavin Double Trumpet Trumpet Clarion COUPLERS Great & Pedal pistons Swell to Pedal pistons Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal Swell to Pedal 4' Swell to Great Sub-Octave Swell to Great Swell to Great Octave Swell to Sub Octave Swell unison off Swell Octave Swell tremulant Double touch cancel |
16 8 8 8 4 4 2-2/3 2 III 8 8 8 8 8 4 4 2-2/3 2 III 16 8 4 16 16 16 8 8 5-1/3 4 4 2 16 8 4 |
Compass 61/30
Electro-magnetic action
Photo: Trevor Bunning (Sept. 1965)
New Trumpet
Swell pipework
Photos: Trevor Bunning (July 2013)
Information from the Welcome Pamphlet at St Andrew's and Mrs Sheila Thompson, via Geoff Wells, February 2001. Other details supplied by Peter Jewkes, August 2001.