St Mary's Catholic Church
cnr Miller and Ridge Streets, North Sydney

The British Pianoforte Depot Ltd. 1917 (2/8 mechanical and tubular-pneumatic)

From SOJ February/March 1987:

St Mary's Catholic Church at North Sydney was opened in 1868. The organ is dedicated to the memory of Raymond Hahn, the choir master and organist at St Mary's from 1888 to 1942, so the organ was evidently moved there from a previous, unknown location, sometime after his death. Apart from a Hohl Flute on the Great instead of a Stopped Diapason, it is identical to the organ placed in St Mary's Catholic church in Grafton in 1914. The organ was restored in 1982 by Pitchford & Garside and the Great Dolce and Harmonic Flute were replaced with a Principal and Fifteenth as the instrument had been considered inadequate since it was moved to the newer and larger church in 1938. The Harmonic Flute was incorporated into the Whitehouse organ in the Chatswood Church of Christ which was being rebuilt at that time by the same firm.

The organ was built in 1917 by the British Pianforte Co. with mechanical key and stop action and tubular-pneumatic pedal action. Not a lot is known about the company which produced a number of mainly small tracker and/or pneumatic action organs in the early 20th century. It is known that the German migrant organ builder, Ernest Ladegast (son of the famous German organbuilder Friedrich Ladegast) worked for the firm and thus some of the instruments have typically distinctive German characteristics.

The orginal specification was: Great Open Diapason Hohl Flute Dolce Harmonic Flute Swell Lieblich Gedackt Gamba Gemshorn Tremulant Pedal Bourdon Couplers Swell to Great Swell to Pedal Great to Pedal	8 8 8 4 8 8 4 16
The current specification is:
Great Open Diapason Hohl Flute Principal Fifteenth Swell Lieblich Gedackt Gamba Gemshorn Tremulant Pedal Bourdon Couplers Swell to Great Swell to Pedal Great to Pedal	8 8 4 2 8 8 4 16

Compass 58/30
Mechanical action
Lever swell pedal

© PdL 2006

A history of the parish of St Mary's North Sydney follows:

St Mary’s Church

The first Church to occupy the Miller-Ridge Streets site was described as a "neat temporary church got up in a few weeks".

The church was of wood construction and was visited by Archbishop Polding in March 1856. This temporary church was not named but it was aligned east-west with the main entrance at the east end from Miller Street which is the alignment of the present church.

When the second parish priest, Dean Father John Kenny arrived in 1867, he quickly set about providing a new permanent church for the 450 Catholics of the North Shore.

On 28 June 1868, Archbishop Polding opened and dedicated this new church to the Mother of God under the title of "Saint Mary Star of the Sea". Built to accommodate 150 people seated, the church was of Gothic design with gabled roof and pointed arch stained glass windows. The alignment of this church however reversed that of the temporary church so that the main entrance faced the present primary school and the altar and the rear wall of the church has its back to Miller street.

By 1893, the Parish Priest of the time, Father Brennan SJ decided that with some 2,000 Catholics attending the church, some major alterations would have to be made.

On 6 October 1895, Cardinal Moran blessed the cornerstone for these new alterations which almost doubled the size of the stone Gothic Church. These additions and alterations were dedicated by Cardinal Moran on 7 September 1896.

It was this church of 1896 that was pulled down, beginning on 12 July 1937. The Gothic Church of Saint Mary Star of the Sea was to be replaced by the present Mary Immaculate Church. The present church was completed and officially opened by Archbishop Gilroy on 4 December 1938, the Sunday prior to the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

The parish priest at the time, Fr O’Mara SJ was also justly proud in 1938 for it was the year that marked the Diamond Jubilee of the arrival of the Jesuits at the parish of North Sydney.

The present church does have some reminders of the earlier church. The outer stone wall of the church is the stone used for the older church. The Shrine of Our Lady of the Way contains a floor of marble taken from the old sanctuary, while the stained glass windows in the Shrine are from the old church. The side aisle pews also date from the older church of Father Brennan (1893) while at the back of the side aisles the very old pews date from Dean Kenny’s time (1867).

The foundation stone for the present St Mary’s Church was laid and dedicated by the then Co-adjutor Archbishop of Sydney, Dr N.T. Gilroy on 21 November 1937. This stone can be seen underneath the east end of the confessional window on the left hand side as one enters the church.

(supplied by Pastor de Lasala 2006)