Uniting (formerly Methodist) Church
Vulture Street, West End
FIRST ORGAN: Positive Organ Company Ltd, London, 1890s,
for Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Mackay
Installed in this location 1901
Removed c.1909 to St Philip's Anglican Church, Annerley
SECOND ORGAN: B.B.Whitehouse & Co., Brisbane, 1909.
Removed 1924 to Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Fortitude Valley
PRESENT ORGAN: Whitehouse Bros, Brisbane, 1924
Restored 1991-92 W.J. Simon Pierce, Brisbane
2 manuals, 19 speaking stops, tubular-pneumatic action
West End Uniting Church
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (September 2007)]
Historical and Technical Documentation by Geoffrey Cox
© OHTA 2007, 2011, 2012 (last updated June 2012)
The foundation stone of the Wesleyan Church at West End was laid on 10 January 1885, and the church was opened with special services on 15 November 1885.1 The building was designed by the Scottish-born architect, Alex. B. Wilson (1857-1938), shortly after Wilson had set up his own architectural practice in Brisbane.2 The first organist of the church, Mr W.D. Steele is said to have 'presided at an organ purchased from Albert Street Church.'3 This was obviously a reed organ. It was replaced successively by three pipe organs,4 in 1901, 1909 and 1924 respectively.
First Organ
The first pipe organ, built by the Positive Organ Company Ltd, London, had come from Holy Trinity Church, Mackay. It was installed at West End in 1901,5 and subsequently found its way to St Philip's Anglican Church, Annerley, where it was destroyed by fire in 1954.
Second Organ
The second organ was a mechanical-action instrument built in 1909 by B.B.Whitehouse & Co. of Brisbane. It was opened at West End on Wednesday 31 March 1909,6 and later sold to Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Fortitude Valley, where it was installed in 1924.7 It has subsequently been rebuilt and enlarged.
Present Organ
The present organ at this church was built by Whitehouse Bros of Brisbane,8 and was opened on Sunday 25 May 1924. It was the gift of Mr Robert J. Archibald, organist and choirmaster of the church for many years. Mr Archibald had previously been organist at the Neil-street Methodist Church, Toowoomba, around 1898. His memorial plaque at West End records that he died on 1 August 1939.
A GIFT ORGAN
A magnificent organ built by Mr Whitehouse, has been given to the West End Methodist Church by Mr R. J. Archibald, the church organist and choirmaster, and on Sunday the instrument will be opened with special services, morning and evening, by the Rev. B. Frederick and the Rev. H. H. Trigge, M.A. The whole of the choir gallery and pulpit has been built under the supervision of Mr. Lange Powell, architect, by Mr. Stainfeld, contractor. The organ and gallery are in silky oak, and an electric motor supplies the air. A special choral service will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, when Mr. Archibald will contribute organ solos, the choir will sing anthems, and Misses Lena Hammond, R. Barrett, D. Wilde, E. Taylor, and Rev. A. Lewis, Messrs R. L. Wishart, S. Tamblyn, and V. Cooling will contribute solos. On Thursday night Dr. Jarman will give an organ recital, and Mrs. Jarman will be soloist for the evening.9
Organ casework, pulpit and other furnishings, designed by Lange Powell
[Photograph by John Maidment (September 2007)]
Organ Specification
| GREAT | SWELL | PEDAL |
|---|---|---|
| 16' Bourdon | 8' Open Diapason | 16' Bourdon |
| 8' Open Diapason | 8' Salicional | 16' Echo Bourdon |
| 8' Dulciana | 8' Voix Celeste | 8' Bass Flute |
| 8' Clarabella | 8' Gedact | |
| 4' Principal | 4' Gemshorn | |
| 4' Flute | 4' Flute | |
| 2' Piccolo | ||
| 8' Cornopean | ||
| 8' Oboe | ||
| 8' Vox Humana |
COUPLERS
- Swell to Pedal
- Great to Pedal
- Swell to Great
- Swell Super [acting through to Great]
- Swell Sub [acting through to Great]
Detached draw-stop console
3 combination pistons (& cancel) to Great Organ
3 combination pistons (& cancel) to Swell Organ
Radiating concave pedalboard
Hitchdown lever swell [replaced by balanced swell pedal after 1972]
Tremulant
Compass: 61/30
Tubular-pneumatic action.15