St James' Anglican Church

173 King Street

John Gray 1827, William Davidson 1901, Hill, Norman and Beard 1971, Dobson 2024

Information and photos supplied from St James' Church Office:


The organ built by John Gray of London was originally installed in the west gallery and was played for the first time on 7 October, 1827. Probably the first organ in the colony, it was a two manual instrument of eleven stops.

"St James’ new organ pealed its notes of praise for the first time at a noon service on Sunday to an overflowing congregation. The organ was not in perfect harmony owing to its yet incomplete state. Its intonations however in many instances was full, rich and harmonious."

-          The Australian, 10 October, 1827.

The organ in 1898

Specification of the Gray Organ:

GREAT Open Diapason  Stopped Diapason Principal Fifteenth  Sesquialtera Mixture Trumpet    SWELL Open Diapason Stopped Diapason Principal  Fifteenth   Hautboy PEDAL pulldowns (one octave)

8 8 4 2 8 8 8 4 2 8

GG compass (added 1831) F0 compass

After a number of moves around the church’s galleries, the instrument was placed in what had been intended as the south porch in 1867.

From 1872 the organ was in the care of William Davidson who added to and rebuilt the old organ until, by about 1900, there were eleven stops on the Great, ten on the Swell & two Pedal stops. The impressive tall organ case, of English design, was re-used by William Davidson when he modernised and enlarged the organ. The side towers of the original casework were surmounted by mitres and the central tower by a crown. A stylised replica case above and behind it accommodated Davidson’s enlargements.

Further extensive alterations & additions were made under the then organist, Arthur Mason (who was also City Organist) and the instrument was placed in its current position on either side of the Choir in 1901. George Fincham & Son later renovated the instrument adding three stops, and later again C.W. Leggo added the Pedal 16’ Violone.

The organ in 1902

For at least forty years the specification was:

GREAT Bourdon  Open Diapason No. 1   Open Diapason No. 2   Stopt Diapason Hohl Flute Gamba Principal    Harmonic Flute Twelfth    Fifteenth       Mixture    Trumpet    SWELL Bourdon   Open Diapason   Stopt Diapason      Viol d’Gamba   Viol Celeste  Principal        Flute  Fifteenth    Mixture         Horn         Oboe Clarion CHOIR Flauto Traverso Gedeckt      Viole d’Orchestre   Dulciana        Flute       Piccolo     Clarinet   PEDAL Open Bass Violone Bourdon  Quint    Principal  Bass Flute

16 8 8 8 8 8 4 4 2-2/3 2 IV 8 16 8 8 8 8 4 4 2 IV 8 8 4 8 8 8 8 4 2 8 16 16 16 10-2/3 8 8

Manual compass:  56 notes
Pedal compass:  30 notes
Tubular-pneumatic action



It had long been apparent that major work was necessary and in 1967 the Parish Council set up a committee to call tenders and make recommendations. Early in 1970, the Parish Council decided to place a contract with Hill, Norman & Beard (Aust.) Pty Ltd for the reconstruction of the organ for $35,000. After further consideration the final specification was drawn up at a cost of around $50,000. The work was completed in 1971 & made possible by a substantial bequest by Wilmet Helena Peele, received by the Church at that time. The console is in memory of the Reverend J.H.Chaseling and the Trompette Militaire stop in memory of George Faunce Allman.

Almost all of the Davidson, Fincham & Leggo stops were retained. The Great Gamba was moved to the pedal as the basis of the 16’ Salicional. The Swell Bourdon was replaced by the Contra Fagotto.

 

 

Hill, Norman and Beard 1971

Great Organ Quintaton Open Diapason I Open Diapason II Hohl Flute Stopped Diapason Principal Harmonic Flute Spitz Flute Twelfth Fifteenth Mixture Plein Jeu Trumpet Clarion Swell Organ Open Diapason Gedeckt Viole da Gamba Voix Celeste Geigen Principal Lieblich Flute Doublette Sesquialtera Plein Jeu Contra Fagotto Horn Oboe Clarion Tremulant Choir Organ Bourdon Stopped Diapason Dulciana Gemshorn Nason Flute Flute Nazard Gemshorn Octavin Quartane Clarinet Tremulant Trumpet Clarion Trompette Militaire Positive Organ Gedeckt Chimney Flute Nazard Principal Piccolo Tierce Larigot Cymbale Krummhorn Positive to Great Positive to Choir Positive to Pedal Pedal Organ Resultant Bass Open Bass Bourdon Violone Salicional Quint Principal Flute Fifteenth Octave Flute Nachthorn Mixture Contra Posaune Posaune Krummhorn Clarion Krummhorn

16 8 8 8 8 4 4 4 2-2/3 2 III IV 8 4 8 8 8 8 4 4 2 II IV 16 8 8 4 16 8 8 4 4 2-2/3 2 1 II 8 8 4 8 8 4 2-2/3 2 2 1-3/5 1-1/3 II 8 32 16 16 16 16 10-2/3 8 8 4 4 2 IV 16 16 8 4 4

(tenor C) A A (enclosed) (enclosed) G G (tenor C) H G G H H (tenor C) A A (tenor C) en chamade, unenclosed F D+E D E C I C I I (disconnected) B B F B F

Couplers
Swell Octave
Swell Unison Off
Swell Sub-Octave
Swell to Great Octave
Swell to Great
Swell to Great Sub-Octave
Choir to Great
Swell to Choir Octave
Swell to Choir
Swell to Choir Sub-Octave
Swell to Pedal
Great to Pedal
Choir to Pedal

Piston Couplers
Swell to Pedal Pistons
Great and Pedal Pistons

Capture Action:
7 pistons to Great Organ
7 pistons to Swell Organ
7 pistons to Choir Organ
7 toe pistons to Swell Organ
7 toe pistons to Pedal Organ
15 general pistons (above Swell)
Swell to Pedal reversible piston
Swell to Great reversible piston
Choir to Great reversible piston
Great to Pedal reversible piston
Swell to Choir reversible piston
Choir to Pedal reversible piston
Great to Pedal reversible toe piston
General Cancel piston
Setter piston
Sequencer 'Next' piston (under Swell)
Sequencer 'Next' piston (under Great)
Sequencer 'Next' piston (under Choir)
Sequencer 'Back' piston (under Great)
Bombarde 32' reversible piston (prep. for)
Sub-Bourdon 32' reversible piston (prep. for)
Cymbalstern reversible piston (prep. for)
256 levels of general memory
8 levels of departmental memory
general piston sequencer

Balanced Swell Pedal to Choir Organ
Balanced Swell Pedal to Swell Organ

Compass 61/32

THE ST JAMES’ ORGAN SPECIFICATION

Dobson Pipe Organ Builders Ltd

Lake City, Iowa, USA

Opus 99, 2024

Photos: St James' Church (June 2024)

 

GREAT Double Diapason First Diapason Second Diapason Octave Twelfth Fifiteenth Seventeenth Mixture 19.22.26.29.	16 8 8 4 2-2/3 2 1-3/5 IV	(4" pressure) G - partly in façade partly in façade partly in façade
Enclosed in Choir box Hohl Flute Gamba Harmonic Flute Trumpet Tremulant Tuba Swell to Great Choir to Great Solo to Great Pedal to Great	8 8 4 8 8	A B
SWELL Lieblich Gedeckt Diapason Viole de Gambe Voix Celeste Lieblich Gedeckt Octave Traverse Flute Flautina Mixture 15.19.22.26 Waldhorn Cornopean Oboe Vox Humana Clarion Sub Octave Super Octave Unison Off Tremulant Solo to Swell	16 8 8 8 8 4 4 2 IV 16 8 8 8 4	(enclosed) (4" pressure) C - 1-12 existing from previous organ tenor F C harmonic M ex Skinner Op 404 (1923), revoiced
CHOIR Gamba Stopped Diapason Flauto Dolce Flute Celeste Chimney Flute Nazard Piccolo Tierce Basset Horn Tremulant Tuba Sub Octave Super Octave Unison Off Great to Choir Swell to Choir Solo to Choir Pedal to Choir	8 8 8 8 4 2-2/3 2 1-3/5 8 8	(enclosed) (4" pressure) A tenor F F B
SOLO Contre Viole Harmonic Flute Viole d'Orchestre Viole Celeste Orchestral Flute Viole Octaviante Cornet des Violes 10.12.15 Bassoon Orchestral Oboe Tremulant Basset Horn Tuba Sub Octave Super Octave Unison Off	16 8 8 8 8 4 III 16 8 8 8	(doubly enclosed within Choir) (7" pressure, Tuba 15" pressure) D H D tenor F H extension of Cornet des Violes 2' rank III E E F B
PEDAL Double Open Wood Contra Salicional Open Wood Open Metal Bourdon Contre Viole Lieblich Gedeckt Octave Octave Wood Bass Flute Still Gedeckt Fifteenth Octave Flute Grand Harmonics Contra Trombone Trombone Waldhorn Trumpet Clarion Basset Horn Tuba Pedal Unison Off Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal Choir to Pedal Solo to Pedal	32 32 16 16 16 16 8 8 8 8 8 4 4 32 16 16 8 4 4 8	(6" pressure) digital digital I G J D C K - partly in façade I J C K I various L L M L L F C

ADDITIONAL CONTROLS

• All Swells to Swell (thumb piston & lamp)

• Choir Expression on Solo (thumb piston & lamp)

• Nave Expression Off (drawknob; closes Swell and Choir nave-facing shade fronts)

• Generals on Swell Toe Pistons (drawknob)

• Great & Pedal Pistons Combined (drawknob)

• Pedal Divide

DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION

• Four-manual console with drawknobs in angled vertical jambs

• Manual keyboards have bone naturals with ebony sharps

• Pedalboard has hard maple naturals and rosewood sharps

• Rosewood drawknobs with bone-coloured faces and black engraving

• Rosewood Swell, Choir, and Solo expression shoes

• Dimmable lamps for Solo keys and Pedal keys

• Bench with crank-type height adjustment

• Electric key and stop actions

• Solid State Organ Systems combination action

300 levels of general memory
16 levels of divisional memory
16 general thumb pistons
8 Great divisional thumb pistons
8 Swell divisional thumb and toe pistons
8 Choir divisional thumb pistons
8 Solo divisional thumb pistons
8 Pedal divisional toe pistons
Swell to Great reversible thumb piston
Solo to Great reversible thumb piston
Solo to Swell reversible thumb piston
Swell to Choir reversible thumb piston
Solo to Choir reversible thumb piston
Great to Pedal reversible thumb & toe piston
Swell to Pedal reversible thumb & toe piston
Choir to Pedal reversible thumb piston
Solo to Pedal reversible thumb piston
Open Wood 32 reversible thumb & toe pistons
Salicional 32 reversible thumb & toe pistons
Trombone 32 reversible thumb & toe pistons
Cancel thumb piston
Tutti reversible thumb & toe pistons
Set and Scope thumb pistons
Simple (natural order) piston stepper with Next and Previous thumb & toe pistons
All Pistons Next reversible thumb piston with lamp

Photos: Neil Palmer (posted on Facebook 20 July  2024)

 

 
George Faunce Allman
Organist of St James' 1907-1961