St Matthew's Catholic Church

History

From SOJ August/September 1993:

The organ for this church was built by Alfred Hunter (England) in 1879 for Henry McQuade's residence Fairfield in Windsor. It arrived in 1880. However, on 1 January, 1882 it was in use at St Matthew's Catholic Church. It has been restored in recent years. The wind is supplied manually by an assistant or by the organist himself, by foot. There is no electric blower (written in 1993 before restoration).

From SOJ Spring 2012:

The Roman Catholic St Matthew's church is the oldest Catholic Church in continual use since 1840 on mainland Australia. A grant of land was appropriated in 1836 for a Roman Catholic Church and Cemetery. The church was the plan of Fr J.J. Therry and completed under the supervision of architect, Thomas Bird and Bishop Dr Polding. A bequest from parishioner James Doyle added to the local public subscription. It was officially opened on the 21 October 1840 by Dr Polding & the Rev. W. Ullathorne.

The organ for this church was built by Alfred Hunter in England in 1879 for Henry McQuade's residence Fairfield in Windsor. It arrived in 1880. However, McQuade decided to give it to St Matthew's Catholic Church and so on 1 January, 1882 it was first used there. The instrument is situated in a gallery with thirteen decorated pipes of the Open Diapason displayed. The builder's plate gives Hunter's address as "379, Kennington Rd, London".

The pedal board is flat and parallel with a compass of twenty-nine notes. The action is mechanical. Until the restoration by the South Island Organ Company in 1998 the blower was pumped either manually by an assistant or by a foot lever to the right of the Swell pedal operated by the organist.

Organ Specification

Couplers

• Swell to Great
• Great to Pedal
• Swell to Pedal

Action: Mechanical

Wind Supply: Hand blown