Santa Sabina College is an independent Catholic school, welcoming boys from Kindergarten to Year 4 and girls from Kindergarten to Year 12 (St Patrick's College in Strathfield caters for boys from Year 5 to Year 12). It was founded in 1894 by the Dominican Sisters who built their convent on the site and still govern the school today.1
The new chapel was opened in 19601 and Sydney Noad supplied the organ in 19622. Based on five ranks plus a two rank mixture, it is all enclosed in the centre of the western gallery with the console on the far left. The five ranks are: Diapason (A), Flute (B), Dulciana (C), Geigen (D) and Oboe (E). A two rank Acuta Mixture is found on the Swell manual and the tremulant is very strong.
The specification is:
| Great (enclosed) Open Diapason Clarabel Flute Dulciana Principal Dulcet Flute Twelth Fifteenth Oboe Swell to Great Swell Contra Geigen Gamba Clarabel Flute Salicit Flute Flautina Acuta Contra Oboe Oboe Oboe Clarion Tremulant Swell Octave Pedal (enclosed) Bourdon Bass Flute Principal Flute Great to Pedals Swell to Pedals |
8 8 8 4 4 4 2-2/3 2 8 16 8 8 4 4 2 2 rks 16 8 4 16 8 8 4 |
A CC - AA# in organ façade B C A C B B A E D TC D B D B B E TC E E B B A B |
3 fixed thumb pistons to Swell
3 fixed thumb pistons to Great
Gt to Ped reversible thumb piston
Gt to Ped reversible toe piston
Balanced Swell pedal
All enclosed
Compass 61/303
Photographs: Mark Quarmby (August 2011)
1 Historical details taken from the College web site: http://www.ssc.nsw.edu.au/aboutus/ourhistory.cfm accessed 26 August 2011
2 Date of organ taken from the Gazetteer of NSW Pipe Organs (John Maidment, Society of Organists Victoria 1981) as there is no buider's plaque on the console.
3 Specification noted by Mark Quarmby (August 2011)