Uniting Church (formerly Methodist)

corner Finlayson Street and Cox's Lane, Lane Cove

1960 J.P. Eagles, Sydney
Rebuilt and enlarged 1980 Geoffrey D. Kendall, Sydney
Removed and broken up 2013
2 manuals, 6 ranks + mixture extended,
electro-magnetic action












Historical and Technical Documentation by Kelvin Hastie 
© OHTA 2024



The foundation stone of the Lane Cove Methodist Church was laid on 12 September 1959 by Mr L. Bowmer, the congregation having previously worshipped in an adjacent building, subsequently used as a church hall.



Church hall




Church entrance




Church interior


The pipe organ, built by J.P. Eagles, of Cheltenham, was installed in 1960. It was a four-rank electro-magnetic unit instrument with a console cabinet supplied by Ricketts & Thorp, of Rockdale. The four ranks were Diapason, Flute, Geigen and Dulciana.

In 1980 the organ was rebuilt and enlarged to six ranks by Geoffrey D. Kendall, an amateur organ builder. Kendall provided an additional flute rank for the Great and a Trumpet for the Swell. New casework was provided and the Eagles console refitted. As a result of haphazard switching and wiring, and poor overall workmanship, the instrument became unreliable.



Organ case












Console details

 


Owing to demographic change in the district and a fall in church attendance, the congregation voted to close the church and sell the site. Prior to the sale, the building had been used by a Korean congregation for a number of years. The organ was removed and broken up in 2013 and property was redeveloped, with numerous apartments now standing on the former church site.

GREAT
Diapason
Flute
Octave
Flute
Fifteenth
Mixture III
Swell to Great


8
8
4
4
2
III



A
B +
A
B
A
*


 
SWELL
Flute
Dulciana
Geigen
Flute
Piccolo
Tierce
Trumpet
Tremulant


8
8
4
4
2
1-3/5
8



C
D (1-12 from C)
E
C
C
D
E =


 
PEDAL
Bourdon
Flute
Quint
Octave
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal

16
8
5-1/3
4



B
B
B
B ^


 

Electro-magnetic action
Compass 61/32
3 preset pistons per manual

+ Second hand open flute pipes from Tenor C, added 1980
* 13 notes, 39 pipes repeating throughout the compass
= Added 1980 at rear of organ, partly "en chamade"
^ Extended from Great Flute, not Great Diapason

Great piston settings:
1-Inoperable
2 Pedal Bourdon 16 + Diapason 8+4+2
3 Pedal Bourdon 16, Quint 5-1/3 + Diapason 8+4+2+Mixture

Swell piston settings:
1 - Dulciana 8
2 - Flute 8 + Geigen 4 + Piccolo 2
3 - Flute 8 + Geigen 4 + Piccolo 2 + Tierce 1-3/5





Great Pipework - Diapason




Part of Pedal Bourdon and Great repeating 39-pipe Mixture




Swell Pipework




Pedal Pipework - part of Pedal-Great flute




Eagles wind regulator




Eagles Swell Motor and Shutters




Kendall switching and part of Trumpet rank




All photographs taken by Kelvin Hastie, 2012