Morpeth Road. Chapel. Morpeth
B. 1912 Norman & Beard, London & Norwich, for Congregational Church, Maitland.
Reb. & inst. present location 1965 S.I. Sakac's Melbourne.
2m., 11 sp.st., 3c., el.pn. Gt: 8.8.4.2. Sw: 8.4.2.8. Ped: 16.8.4.
Rem. and now in Residence of Gordon Hamilton, Singleton 1984
Present organ: 1982 Hamer-Howorth, 1m., 7sp.st.
Photo: David Evans (March 1983)
Morpeth College Chapel information sheet (1991):
The College organ was built by Father John Hamer-Howorth in his home workshop in Toowoomba, Queensland in 1982 and transported to is present location in November of that year.
The organ was dedicated by the Bishop of Newcastle, the Right Reverend Alfred Holland, at a service on Wednesday, 27th April, 1983.
Father John Hamer-Howorth was perhaps best known in this district for the work he did some years ago on the organ of St John's, Raymond Terrace. He was originally trained in stained glass work at the Leeds City College of Fine Art. After his war service as a topographical draftsman in the Royal Signals, he took up the position of chief designer draftsman for Henry Willis IV, Organ Builders, London. Father John came to Australia in 1952 and trained at St Francis' College in Brisbane for the Anglican priesthood.
The specification of the organ is as follows:
| Manual Unenclosed Open Diapason Enclosed Stopped Diapason Salicional Block Flute Principal Fifteenth Pedal Unenclosed Pedal Bourdon Manual to Pedals Tremolo Super Octave |
8 8 8 4 4 2 16 |
The action to the main soundboard is tracker, as is that to the pedals. The Manual to Pedal drawstop is mechanical, while the other drawstop aaction is pneumatic. The Open Diapason is on pressure pneumatics.
The pipework, as well as some other parts of the organ, comes from older organs. The sound, as a result, is particularly mellow and sweet. The Open Diapason is by Palmer of England. The Bourdon comes from Croydon, Surrey. The Stopped Diapason is by Robson. The Block Flute comes from the Methodist Chapel Organ, Sutton-on-Soar, Northampton, as does the Principal and Fifteenth.
The main chest is from the old Homebush Methodist Church organ in Sydney, built by Hunter of London around the turn of the century.
The electric blower is by the British Organ Blowing Company of London, and stands with the organ in the gallery at the rear of the Chapel. The casework is by Father John Hamer-Howorth and is made of silky oak.
The organist sits with his/her back to the congregation, in the centre of the gallery, with a mirror giving excellent visibility.