Manly Uniting

From SOJ June/July 1982:

This Church has an organ originally built by Charles Richardson for the Ocean Street Congregational Church, Woollahra, about 1900. In the mid 1920s the Church was closed and its congregation amalgamated with that of the Jersey Road Congregatlonal Church. A theological dlfference had caused the two churches to be formed separately in the nineteenth century.

The organ was purchased by the Manly Methodist Church in 1925 and was installed by C W Leggo, following a rebuild with tubular-pneumatic action. In 1962 repairs were undertaken by S T Noad & Son at a cost of £500. At this time a Twelfth 2-2/3' and Fifteenth 2' were added to the Swell, being placed on a pneumatic ventil chest at the side on the swell box.

In the late 1970s it became apparent that further work on the instrument would be necessary, as the action was continually troublesome. It was decided by the Church to accept a quote from J W Walker & Sons (Aust. ) for the electrification of the organ. The tubular-pneumatic action, the Noad ventil chest of 1962, and the Swell Voix Celeste 8, were removed in the rebuilding work. Electric console fittings and an electro-magnetic action were installed and an extra stop was derived for the pedal division.

The organist of the church for over 60 years, from the early 1920s, was Mr Roy Freeman who taught many of Sydney's organists.

The specification is (1982):