St Joseph's Catholic Church
Warrnambool.
Fincham & Hobday 1892-93
3 manuals, 34 speaking stops, 7 couplers and tubular-pneumatic action.
This large bluestone church, in Decorated Gothic style, was begun in 1869-1872 to the design of William Wardell, although possibly supervised by a local designer, Samuel Parker. The western bays of the nave and the tower and broach spire were completed in 1886-1889 to the design of WB. Tappin.[1] The building consists of an aisled nave, with diminutive clerestory and chancel, all placed under a single roof ridge.
The organ was built by Fincham & Hobday at a cost of £1,420 and was opened in January 1893.[2] At the time, it was the largest organ in rural Victoria and is the second largest example of the 19th century work of the Fincham firm to remain largely intact. Renovation work was carried out in 1977 by the RevD Fr Kevin O'Brien. The organ is divided on either side of the west gallery, with the console in between the two sides. It incorporates tubular-pneumatic action throughout, including that of the swell shutters, and an elaborate combination action.
GREAT
Double Diapason
Open Diapason
Claribel
Loud Gamba
Dulciana
Principal
Harmonic Flute
Octave Quint
Fifteenth
Mixture 17.19.22
Trumpet
SWELL
Bourdon
Open Diapason
Stopped Diapason
Gamba
Celeste
Octave
Rohr Flöte
Super Octave
Mixture 17.19.22
Cornopean
Oboe
Vox Humana
tremulant
CHOIR
Harmonic Flute
Gedact
Keraulophon
Vox Angelica
Flute
Harmonic Piccolo
Clarionet
PEDAL
Open Diapason
Bourdon
Viola
Violoncello
16
8
8
8
8
4
4
2-2/3
2
III
8
16
8
8
8
8
4
4
2
III
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
4
2
8
16
16
8
8
TC
TC
compass: 56/30
7 couplers
4 fixed thumb pistons to great
4 fixed thumb pistons to swell
detached drawknob console
tubular-pneumatic action
[1]Victorian Churches: their origins, their story & their architecture, edited by Miles Lewis. East Melbourne: National Trust of Australia (Victoria), 1991, p.154
[2] Matthews Colonial Organs & Organbuilders. Carlton: Melbourne University Press, 1969, p.1 54
[3] 'The St Josepht organ' [from a contemporary description 19 January 1893], OHTA News, vol.17, noA (January 1993), pp.5-6.
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Photos: JRM May 2006 & Oct 2008