St Stephen's Willoughby

St Stephen's Anglican Church
cnr Mowbray and Sydney Roads, Willoughby

Hill, Norman & Beard 1929, enlarged 1968 (3/24 electro-pneumatic)

Photo: Robert Parkinson

From SOJ From SOJ February/March 1989, Spring 2005 plus information from the church organist, Sian Gardner (Feb 2006):

The foundation stone for St Stephen's was laid in September 1871 and completed in April 1872. At first a harmonium was purchased and then within ten years the congregation had grown enough to warrent a new building. Edmund Blacket submitted a design to be completed by his brother Arthur. Built from sandstone in the early English Gothic style, it was to include and organ chamber and tower but these did not eventuate. The incomplete church was opened in April 1884.

George Fincham & Sons from Melbourne built an organ which was installed in the eastern bay in 1904. George Faunce Allman was employed as Organist and Choir Master for the princely sum of 30 pounds per year. After leaving St Stephen's he became Organist and Choir Master of St James, King Street. He was also appointed Organist to the University of Sydney and Professor of Organ at the Conservatorium of Music. The organ of 2 manuals and 16 speaking stops, with a façade of stencilled pipes, lasted only until 1929 when a completely new instrument of 3 manuals and 20 stops was ordered from the London firm of Wm Hill & Son and Norman & Beard Ltd. A movement to enlarge the Fincham organ had been launched but it was decided to purchase a new one, as a World War I Memorial. It was installed in 1930. Unstencilled pipes lined the front of a very simple case, still in the eastern bay. The organ was installed by HNB's Australian agents. There is a noticeable difference between these earlier London Hill, Norman & Beard organs and their Australian counterparts of a few years later. The London organs were always superbly made with an excellent tonal finish and have proven to be exceptionally reliable. Several large organs were imported at this time - Melbourne Town Hall, St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide and Scots Church, Sydney (now restored in Scotch College, Melbourne). The Fincham organ was sold to St Peter's Anglican Church, Hornsby.

In December 1960, the chancel and apse were completed in a modern style with a futuristic reredos. Two bays, each of two storeys were added to both sides of the chancel - on the east the organ was housed above a work room, and on the west the detached console and choir music press were placed above the clergy vestry. Music was always a feature at St Stephen's, and in 1968, Hill Norman and Beard were contracted to renovate and enlarge it through the addition of a Mixture III to the Great and extra stops to the Pedal. The Choir Viol d'Orchestre 8 was removed and a Flautina 2 installed in its place. A Tremulant was added to the Swell and the Swell to Great Sub Octave coupler was replaced with a Swell to Choir coupler. This was completed in 1971 and splendidly demonstrated by a service of Choral Evensong on 14 July 1971. The organ has 3 manuals and 24 stops.

Compass 61/30

Action: electro-pneumatic.

4 pistons for Great
4 Pistons for Swell
2 pistons for Choir
1 reversible toe piston for Great to Pedal

17 year old Joshua Ryan preparing for a recital (6 Nov 2011)

Photos above: Mark Quarmby (Nov 2011)

Three photos above: Robert Parkinson