First Church of Christ Scientist, Perth: exterior
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (13 April 2012)]
First Church of Christ Scientist, Perth: exterior
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (13 April 2012)]
Historical and Technical Documentation by Patrick Elms and Colin van der Lecq
© OHTA 2012 (last updated May 2012)
Designed in 1938 by Perth architects Ochiltree and Hargrave, the foundation stone was laid on 2 February 1939 with the first services held on 25 June of that year. As church law requires a building to be free of debt before it is dedicated the dedication did not take place until 26 June 1949.1 Designed in Interwar Art Deco style, the church is an ashlar-ruled stucco masonry building with imitation stucco cladding. An interior feature is the use of Jarrah and local Sheoak for the parquetry floor.2
The organ, built in 1953 by Whitehouse Bros, Brisbane, is the only example of this firm's work in the state.3
| GREAT Bourdon Open Diapason Hohl Flute Octave Harmonic Flute Fifteenth Swell to Great Sub Swell to Great Swell to Great Super Choir to Great SWELL Violin Diapason Lieblich Gedackt Salicional Principal Piccolo Cornopean Oboe Tremulant Swell Sub Swell Super CHOIR (enclosed) Stopped Diapason Dulciana Suabe Flute Clarinet Tremulant Swell to Choir PEDAL Harmonic Bass Bourdon Echo Bourdon Bass Flute Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal Choir to Pedal |
16 8 8 4 4 2 8 8 8 4 2 8 8 8 8 4 8 32 16 16 8 |
First Church of Christ Scientist, Perth: interior looking towards organ
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (13 April 2012)]
In 1983 a contract was let to Bellsham Pipe Organs (Australia) Pty Ltd to rebuild the organ into a scheme of 38 stops utilizing all of the existing pipework and the cone valve swell windchest with new slider windchests for the Great and Choir, modern casework and a new drawstop console.
| GREAT Bourdon Open Diapason Hohl Flote Octave Harmonic Flute Twelfth Fifteenth Fourniture Trumpet Swell to Great Choir to Great SWELL Geigen Diapason Lieblich Gedackt Salicional Voix Celeste Gemshorn Piccolo Mixture Oboe Tremulant Fagot Cornopean Clarion CHOIR Gedackt Viola da Gamba Spitz Flute Nazard Principal Tierce Larigot Scharff Clarinet Tremulant Tuba Swell to Choir PEDAL Principal Subbass Octave Bass Flute Quint Fifteenth Trombone Trumpet Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal Choir to Pedal |
16 8 8 4 4 2-2/3 2 IV 8 8 8 8 8 4 2 III 8 16 8 4 8 8 4 2-2/3 2 1-3/5 1-1/3 IV 8 8 16 16 8 8 5-1/3 4 16 8 |
A A A B C B C C B D D |
Compass: 61/304
First Church of Christ Scientist, Perth: organ case – Andrew Brown about to demonstrate the organ
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (13 April 2012)]
First Church of Christ Scientist, Perth: console
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (13 April 2012)]
First Church of Christ Scientist, Perth: left hand stop jamb
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (13 April 2012)]
First Church of Christ Scientist, Perth: right hand stop jamb
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (13 April 2012)]
First Church of Christ Scientist, Perth: Pedal Trombone
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (13 April 2012)]
1 Website http://www.csperth.org.au/cms/index.php/christian-science/history.html accessed 19 February 2012
2 Website http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/viewplace.html?place_seq=37822&offset=39&view=description accessed 7 December 2011
3 From notes of JR Elms 1969
4 Website http://www.oswa.org.au/WAOrgans/PerthFCOCScientists.html accessed 19 February 2012 with corrections by G. Devenish