St Ignatius Catholic Church

Kensington Terrace, Toowong

Aug. Laukhuff, Weikersheim, W. Germany, 1959
Installed 1959 Whitehouse Bros, Brisbane
2 manuals, 2 ranks extended, electric action




St Ignatius Catholic Church, Toowong
[Photograph by David Vann (May 2012)]


Historical and Technical Documentation by Geoffrey Cox
© OHTA 2012, 2014 (last updated August 2014)

St Ignatius Loyola Parish in Toowong was founded in 1916 as the parish of 'St Michael & All Souls.' The foundation stone of the present church was laid on 16 June 1929 and the building was opened on 18 May 1930. Built in the Italian Romanesque style and designed by the Sydney architect, John Francis Hennessey, the building features polychrome brickwork, while the interior includes extensive scagliola work to the sanctuary and pulpit.1






The 1959 Laukhuff/Whitehouse organ
[Photographs by David Vann (May 2012)]

The organ in this church was installed in 1959 by Whitehouse Bros of Brisbane as a memorial to Fr Leo Murphy S.J., who was appointed as an Assistant Priest to the Toowong parish in December 1942 and worked there until his death in March 1957. It was blessed by the Most Rev. P.M. O'Donnell, Coadjutor Archbishop of Brisbane, on 'Laetare Sunday,' 8 March 1959, and the sermon for the occasion was preached by the Very Rev. Fr Vincent Rowan P.P., Director of Sacred Music at Pius XII Seminary, Banyo.2

This was one of two extension instruments installed in Brisbane in 1959 by Whitehouse Bros, which were in reality built in their entirety by Aug. Laukhuff of Weikersheim, W. Germany.3 The other, at St James' Anglican Church, Kelvin Grove, was slightly larger. The organ case is free-standing and constructed of oak, with walnut overlay inside the console.4



Console of the 1959 Laukhuff/Whitehouse organ
[Photograph by David Vann (May 2012)]

 

 

GREAT
Bourdon
Open Diapason
Octave
Flute
Quint
Principal
Piccolo

SWELL
Stopped Diapason
Prestant
Gedeckt
Octave
Quint

PEDAL
Bourdon
Diapason
Flute
Flute
Principal

NO COUPLERS

16
8
4
4
2-2/3
2
2


8
4
4
2
1-1/3


16
8
8
4
2

A
B
B
A
A
B
A


A
B
A
B
A


A
B
A
A
B


  

Tremulant
Detached stop-key console
Compass: 61/30
Direct electric action.5












Console details of the 1959 Laukhuff/Whitehouse organ
[Photographs by David Vann (May 2012)]

 

 

 

______________________________________________________________

1 Queensland Heritage Council, Queensland Heritage Register, location 602532.

2 Order of Service for the blessing of the organ, Sunday 8 March 1959.

3 Personal communication to G. Cox from Kevin M. Whitehouse, 1974.

4 Details from Order of Service leaflet, op. cit.

5 Specification noted by G. Cox, May 1974.