Pipe Organs in WA
 
 
 
 
 

Central Baptist Church, Perth
The pipe organs of Western Australia



Perth Central Baptist

Perth Central Baptist

Elms

Perth Central Baptist
The Alexander Library is constructed over the site of Central Baptist Church


Property
Name of institution   Central Baptist Church
Type of institution0   Church
Street Address   Museum Street
City   Perth
State   Western Australia
Postcode   6000
Country   Australia
Name of building   Central Baptist Church
Name of room  
Dates of the building   1899, demolished 1979
Register of Heritage Places  
Heritage Place number  
Architect  
Builder  

Special architectural features and fittings  

Other location information   This is Western Australia's first established Baptist Church with the Foundation Service being held in the Perth Town Hall on the 23 June 1895.

May 1899 saw the opening and dedication of Central Baptist Church in Museum Street. This was not only the worship and outreach centre of Perth Church but also was used for many years by the WA Baptist Union for meetings and assemblies.

A forced land resumption by the State to make way for a Cultural Centre led to relocation of the church to its present site on the corner of James and Stirling Streets with the new Perth Baptist Church Dedication and Opening being held on the 23 June, 1973.

When passing the Alexander Library on the way to the church, stop by the entrance to the Library and there on a pillar is to be found a brass plate which marks the site of the first Baptist Church in WA. The Foundation Stone from the Museum Street site is embedded beside the Stone of the present building.

There are now 108 established Baptist churches and fellowships in suburban and country WA with this Perth church being the only Baptist Church within city precincts.

Name of contact  
Mailing Address  
Telephone  
Email  
Other contact information  

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Previous organ(s)
Date of previous organ   None
Detail of previous organ  
Dates when key work has been undertaken  
Dates of any moves that have taken place  
Variations from original design of organ  
Information on previous organ  
Information about comparable instruments to previous organ  
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Present organ
Type of installation   Freestanding

Case description   Open display of pipes

Placement in room   Front left of sanctuary

Builder's name   F. Hufner

Opus number  

Date of completion/installation   1929

Construction materials  

Key compasses   CC-ccc

Number of keys   61

Key material  

Pedal compass   CC-g

Number of pedals   32

Pedalboard type   Radiating concave

Pedalboard material  

Type of chests  

Type of key action  

Type of stop action  

Couplers   Swell - Great
Swell - Pedal
Great - Pedal

Tremulants  

Accessories   

Console type  

Stop label material  

Placement  

General design  

Playing aids  

Divisions   Great, Swell, Pedal

Wind pressures  

Stop list  
GREAT
16'
Open Diapason 8'
Flute 8'
Principal 4'
4'
2 2/3'
2'
2'
.
SWELL
8'
8'
4'
Oboe 8'
.
PEDAL
Contra Saliciona 16'
10 2/3'
8'
4'
.
Total number of stops   16

Total number of ranks  

Total number of pipes  

Dates when key work has been undertaken on current organ   Rebuilt and enlarged in 1957 by Paul F. Hufner. Electro-pneumatic action at this stage.

Dates of any moves that have taken place to current organ   The organ was removed in 1973 when Central Baptist Church was demolished.

Rebuilt and installed in Church of the Holy Rosary, Doubleview.

Contra Salicional 16' later incorporated into the organ at Yarloop Steamshed as a Gamba 8' rank. The Yarloop organ was completely destroyed by a bushfire that devastated Yarloop in January 2016.

Information on current organ   TEXT

Comparable instruments to current organ  

Assessment of organ and current status   No longer in this location

Other organs by this builder   There are other organs by Fredrick Hufmer in Western Australia. Please refer to Western Australian Organs Builders Index

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Document control Original entries J R Elms, OAM, Gazetteer of Western Australian Pipe Organs, 1971, 1999, 2003 and 2004.
This entry D B Duncan 09 January 2009.
Additional information from Bob Elms 06 February 2009.
Additional information about the Contra Salicional noted by Bruce Duncan in conversation with John Larner, 9 May 2009.
Photograph of the Alexander Library from Wickipedia
Photographs of the church and organ from the State Library of Western Australia.
Church history from the Perth Baptist Church web site.
Photos of church and organ supplied by Andrew Gardner 28 August 2009.
Newspaper clipping sourced by Lynne Langford 12 July 2018.
Photo of the original organ from the Bob Elms collection scanned by Patrick Elms 18 May 2019.