SS Peter & Paul's Catholic Church
Montague Street, South Melbourne
First organ, inst 1850s-1860s in old church,
moved into new church 1869; present loc unknown;
Second organ B William Anderson, inst 1875.
2 manuals, 16 stops; rem 1884, present loc unknown;
Third organ, B 1884 William Anderson; broken up c1970.
2 manuals, 21 speaking stops, 3 couplers, tracker.
Gt: 16.8.8 divided.8.8.4.4.2-2/3.2.8. Sw: 16 divided.8.8.4.2.8.8. Ped: 16.16.8
This organ has been destroyed.
Fourth organ, B 1971 Myles R. Browne, incorporating façade pipes and other parts from first organ.
2 manuals, 10 speaking stops, 6 couplers, electro-magnetic action.
Gt: 8.8.8.4.2. Sw: 8.8.4.III. Ped: 16.
Present organ, B 1950 S.T. Noad & Son for Soldiers Memorial Presbyterian Church, Kogarah, NSW.
Enl. 1980 Peter D.G. Jewkes Pty Ltd (addition of Principal / Fifteenth unit).
Renovated and installed present location 2011 by Australian Pipe Organs Pty Ltd.
2 manuals, 18 speaking stops, 8 couplers, electro-pneumatic action.
Gt: 8.8.8.4.4.2. Sw: 8.8.8.8.4.III.8. Ped: 16.8.8.5-1/3.4.
SS Peter & Paul’s is an impressive church built in bluestone in the Decorate Gothic style with freestone dressings. It consists of a long nave with aisles, the triangular clerestory windows deriving from Lichfield Cathedral, vaulted transepts, sanctuary and side chapels. The nave was designed by T.A. Kelly and built 1869-72, with its west end rose window and unfinished tower. The remainder of the building dates from 1912-13, to the design of Bates, Peebles & Smart, and includes fine windows by Zettler of Munich and marble altarpieces.
The first instrument, said to be the first pipe organ in the area, was moved into the new church; details of this instrument are unknown. The second organ, a two manual instrument of 16 stops, was built by William Anderson and opened in 1875. The third instrument was built by William Anderson and opened in 1884. This was the second largest instrument built by Anderson, and was located at the west end of the church, in front of the rose window. Sadly this instrument was broken up in the late 1960s when major renovations to the church were being undertaken. The splendidly decorated façade pipes, with ornamental cartouches, and a small amount of the pipework were incorporated in a new instrument, sadly unworthy of this very fine building. Other parts, particularly pipework and windchests, were sold.
The 1884 organ had Anderson’s typical sloping parallel stop jambs, possibly deriving from his earlier sojourn in England, where such a feature was used by Gray & Davison and Forster & Andrews. The metal pipework may have been supplied by George Fincham. The case also incorporated Anderson’s signature detached colonettes, pierced impost panel, and turned finials.
GREAT ORGAN
Double Diapason
Open Diapason
Stop’d Diapason Bass
Clarabella
Keraulophon
Dulciana
Principal
Flute
Twelfth
Fifteenth
Trumpet
Swell to Great
SWELL ORGAN
Lieblich Bourdon
Double Diapason
Open Diapason
Stop’d Diapason
Gemshorn
Piccolo
Cornopean
Oboe
PEDAL ORGAN
Open Diapason
Bourdon
Principal
Great to Pedals
Swell to Pedals
16
8
8
8
8
8
4
4
3
2
8
16
16
8
8
4
2
8
8
16
16
8
[Bourdon]
CC-BB
TC
TC
TC
CCC-BBB
CC
Compass: 58/30
Mechanical key & stop action
Spotted metal pipework
3 composition pedals to Great
2 composition pedals to Swell
Trigger swell lever
1 knob at console disconnected and without label
SS Peter & Paul's Catholic Church, South Melbourne: Noad and Anderson organ facades 2011
[photograph by John Maidment (30 November 2011)]
The present organ was built in 1950 by the Sydney organbuilding firm of S.T. Noad & Son for the Soldiers Memorial Presbyterian Church, Kogarah, NSW. In 1980 Peter D.G. Jewkes Pty Ltd added a Principal and Fifteenth unit to the Great and upgraded the action. It was renovated in 2011 by Australian Pipe Organs Pty Ltd, with a new detached stopkey console, further electrical upgrade, and a Pedal Principal unit was added using the original William Anderson façade pipes together with a Mixture to the Swell. The Great Principal and Fifteenth now incorporate Anderson pipework. The casework consists of the Noad gold-painted zinc façade pipes facing across the church and the Anderson decorated façade at right angles facing down the church. The organ was donated by Myles Browne to honour the 38 years pastorate of Fr Bob Maguire.
GREAT
Open Diapason
Stopped Diapason
Dulciana
Principal
Harmonic Flute
Fifteenth
Swell Sub Octave to Great
Swell to Great
Swell Octave to Great
SWELL
Violin Diapason
Lieblich Gedact
Salicional
Voix Celeste
Principal
Mixture 15.19.22
Oboe
Swell Sub Octave
Swell Octave
Tremulant
PEDAL
Bourdon
Principal
Flute
Octave Quint
Fifteenth
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
Swell Octave to Pedal
8
8
8
4
4
2
8
8
8
8
4
III
8
16
8
8
5-1/3
4
A
A
TC
B
C
B
B
C
APO 2012
APO 2012
APO 2012
Compass: 61/30
Electro-pneumatic action
Detached stopkey console
Photo taken at the console of the 1884 Anderson instrument
Victorian Churches: their Origins, their Story & their Architecture, edited by Miles Lewis.
Melbourne: National Trust of Australia (Victoria), 1991, p.86
E.N. Matthews, Colonial Organs and Organbuilders. Carlton: Melbourne University Press, 1969, p.153
Notes by John Maidment c.1967
Images from John Maidment, Peter Jewkes, Bill Smith