Pipe Organs in WA
 
 
 
 
 

St Brigid's Roman Catholic Church, Northbridge
The pipe organs of Western Australia



St Brigid's Church
Photo: Kerry Raymond


Photo: Bruce Duncan


View of the choir gallery and organ from the front of the church
Photo: Bruce Duncan


Organ with small display to church and wider presentation to choir
Photo: Bruce Duncan


Photo: Boyd Peters


The 1964 console
Photo: Boyd Peters

St Brigid's
The setter system
Photo: Bruce Duncan

Property
Name of institution   St. Brigid's Roman Catholic Church
Type of institution0   Church
Street Address   211 Aberdeen Street
City   Northbridge
State   Western Australia
Postcode   6003
Country   Australia
Name of building   St. Brigid's Roman Catholic Church
Name of room   Church sanctuary
Dates of the building   1905
Register of Heritage Places   Permanent Entry 23/11/2004
Heritage Place number   01977
Architect   Cavanagh & Cavanagh
Builder  

Special architectural features and fittings   Church designed in the Federation Gothic style with elements of Romanesque architecture also included in the design. Steeply pitched gable roof with tower and spire, arched windows with stucco decoration. Face brick construction general with rendered bonds. The church was extended to the west and a new altar constructed in 1957.

The church is built in Federation Gothic style with walls of red brick. The church is about 60 feet wide and 115 feet long and the height to the ceiling is 40 feet. There are three aisles giving access to seating for 700-800 people. There is a large rose window over the main entrance on Fitzgerald Street with another entrance on Aberdeen Street. On the corner nearest Fitzgerald and Aberdeen Streets, the stairs to the choir are extended up to a tower containing a belfry. The church bell was imported from England. The windows on the side are mullioned and traceried with the surrounds being made of freestone. The roof is made of Green Welsh slate. The furniture in the church was custom-made from solid polished jarrah timber.

The convent has an oratory and features a hammer-beamed trussed roof. The windosw are painted dado and leadlight panel bay windows with gold-painted arches. The school is a two-storey building in the Federation Arts and Craft style.

Other location information   On 16 July 1888, Sisters Berchmans Deane and John Evangelist Stewart of the Sisters of Mercy commenced the operation of a school in a cottage on John Street. The school (called St Brigid's) quickly attracted many pupils and, in six months, plans were underway for a larger school. On 1 Feb 1889 (the feast of St Brigid), Bishop Gibney laid the foundation stone for a large school building. Student numbers continued to grow, necessitating the construction of a convent chapel with accommodation for larger numbers of the Sisters of Mercy required to run the school. As the number of Sisters increased, the convent building was progressively extended. The convent building was completed in 1896.[The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879-1954)]

In 25 May 1896, the convent became an independent community of the Sisters of Mercy (previously it had been affiliated with the Convent of the Immaculate Conception in Victoria Square). This allowed the convent to accept novices and postulants.

In 1901, the parish of St Brigid's was established and Monsignor Bourke was appointed as parish priest. The nuns provided access to the school buildings for church services, but this was very inconvenient to constantly re-arrange everything, so a committee was formed in April 1901 to raise funds for the building a church and a presbytery.

In 1902, the presbytery was built facing Aberdeen Street. In February 1904, the plans had been drawn up for the church itself and the foundation stone was laid in May 1904. The church was built on the corner of Fitzgerald Street and Aberdeen Street and was officially opened on Sunday 5 February 1905.

By 1974, the area, once residential, had become more of a commercial and industrial area. As a result, there were very few students. It was decided that the Sisters would sell the convent to the Western Australian State Government to be used by organisations such as the Department of Corrections and for Technical and Further Education (TAFE).

In 1991, the church precinct was classified by the National Trust of Australia. The State Government offered the Sisters the opportunity to buy back the convent and a community grant was used to restore the buildings. The Sisters returned to St Brigid's in 1998 and the precinct was heritage listed in 2004.

In 2011, the St Brigid's Convent is used as the Congregation administration offices of the Sisters of Mercy in West Perth. The historical records of the Sisters are kept in the cottage where the school began.

Name of contact  
Mailing Address  
Telephone   08 9227 7956
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   Reduced display facing the nave
Typical Dodd organ case in dark timber with corbelled display pipes in a central tower surrounded by two very small flats. The organ is laid out with the Swell against the side wall of the church, the Great immediately in front and the Pedal at the back of the organ (to the left side as you view it from the gallery).

Placement in room   Choir gallery with

Builder's name   J.E. Dodd, Adelaide.

Opus number  

Date of completion/installation   1905 / 06

Construction materials  

Number of manuals   Two (2)

Key compasses   CC - ccc

Number of keys   61 (56 note ranks)

Key material   Ivory covered naturals and ebony sharps

Pedal compass   CC - f

Number of pedals   30

Pedalboard type   Concave and radiating

Pedalboard material  

Type of chests  

Type of key action   Electro-pneumatic

Type of stop action   Electro-pneumatic

Couplers   Swell sub octave
Swell super octave
Swell to Great
Swell to Great sub
Swell to Great super
Great super octave
Swell to Pedal
Great to Pedal

Tremulants   Swell

Accessories    Three pistons under Swell keyboard, three under Great, repeated as toe studs, all general pistons and indiviudually settable.
Toe stud (reversable) Great to Pedal coupler.

Console type   Detached stoptabs

Stop label material  

Placement   Stoprail

General design  

Playing aids   Balanced Swell pedal
Swing down setter panels for pistons.

Divisions   Great, Swell, Pedal

Wind pressures  

Stop list  
GREAT
Open Diapason 8'
Claribel 8'
Dulciana 8'
Principal 4'
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SWELL
Hohl Flute 8'
Voli d'Orchestre 8'
Flauto Traverso 4'
Oboe 8'
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PEDAL
Bourdon 16'
Echo 16'
Viola 8'
Fifteenth 4'
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Total number of stops   12

Total number of ranks   12

Total number of pipes   646 (56 pipes to manual divisions)

Dates when key work has been undertaken on current organ   Rebuilt 1964 by J.E. Dodd & Sons Gunstar Organ Works, Adelaide. This rebuild included a new detached console, the original console having been built into the case of the organ.

Dates of any moves that have taken place to current organ   None

Information on current organ  

Comparable instruments to current organ   J E Dodd built many organs of a similar nature for churches throughout Australia.

Assessment of organ and current status   In very good condition.

Other organs by this builder   There are several organs by J E Dodd 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 01 January 2009.
Additional information from Wickipedia 22 February 2011.
Photograph of the church by Kerry Raymond.
Additional photographs of the church tower and interior and details by Bruce Duncan 23 February 2011.