St Peter's Church, Eaglehawk: the exterior viewed from the south-east
[photograph by John Maidment (28 September 2012)]
St Peter's Church, Eaglehawk: the exterior viewed from the south-east
[photograph by John Maidment (28 September 2012)]
Historical and Technical Documentation by John Maidment
© OHTA (last updated October 2012)
The present St Peter's Church replaced an earlier stone building opened in 1863. It was designed by vestryman H.E. Tolhurst and opened in 1874. It is constructed of brick but the lofty nave in the Gothic style was never completed to its envisaged length.1
St Peter's Church, Eaglehawk: the organ facade
[photograph by John Maidment (28 September 2012)]
The organ is understood to have been built in 1886 by Alfred Crook, of Brunswick, for use in his residence.2 Later, Crook brought the instrument to the country town of Lockwood before its installation in the Congregational Church, Forest Street, Bendigo in 1893.3 In 1938 it was placed in the Congregational Church, Olinda Street by Cyril Cowling.
Following an extensive renovation by a number of members of the Society of Organists in Bendigo headed by Rae Anderson, and members of the local parish, in association with Hill, Norman & Beard (Australia) Pty Ltd, the organ was opened in St Peter's Church early in 1971.4 At the time, the keys were recovered, the pipework and action repaired, a new BOB blower and single-rise sprung reservoir provided, and the casework and diapered front pipes restored. A former string rank on the swell was transposed to form a Twelfth and the whole organ revoiced.5 The rear wall of the swell box was moved backwards to accommodate the passage board. Departmental labels were placed on the console (some from the 1913 Norman & Beard organ at Melbourne Grammar School).6
The casework is delightfully designed and painted and the façade pipes beautifully stencilled. The console shows a great sense of care in its design and construction. One can see the influence of Melbourne organbuilder Alfred Fuller, who had built two organs in Brunswick at the time of Alfred Crook's work.
| Great Open Diapason Dulciana Principal Swell Open Diapason Stopd Bass Clarabella Gamba Flute Twelfth Fifteenth Tremolo Pedal Bourdon Couplers Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal Swell to Great Swell Sub |
8ft 8ft 4ft 8ft 8ft 8ft 8ft 4ft [2-2/3] 2ft 16ft |
open wood bass TC CC-BB TC TC open wood TC* removed |
* transposed Keraulophon
Compass: 56/30
4 composition pedals
Trigger swell lever
Mechanical key & stop action
2.42 metres wide
2.8 metres deep
3.3 metres high (approximately)7
1 Mike Butcher and Gill Flanders, Bendigo Historic Buildings. Bendigo: National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Central Victorian Branch, 1987, p.122
2 'Organ Restored', Bendigo Advertiser 24 March 1971
3 'Organ Recital', Bendigo Advertiser 9 December 1893, p.4
4 'Organ Restored', Bendigo Advertiser 24 March 1971
5 Personal communication Rae Anderson to John Maidment 1971
6 Details noted by John Maidment 28 September 2012
7 Specification noted John Maidment June 1966 and September 2012
St Peter's Church, Eaglehawk: the organ console
[photograph by John Maidment (28 September 2012)]
St Peter's Church, Eaglehawk: the left-hand stop jamb
[photograph by John Maidment (28 September 2012)]
St Peter's Church, Eaglehawk: the right-hand stop jamb
[photograph by John Maidment (28 September 2012)]
St Peter's Church, Eaglehawk: the builder's plate
[photograph by John Maidment (28 September 2012)]
St Peter's Church, Eaglehawk: the Swell pipework
[photograph by John Maidment (28 September 2012)]
St Peter's Church, Eaglehawk: the Pedal Bourdon
[photograph by John Maidment (28 September 2012)]
St Peter's Church, Eaglehawk: the Tremolo
[photograph by John Maidment (28 September 2012)]