St Vincent’s Catholic Church

Bland Street, Ashfield

Built 1926 J.E. Dodd
2 manuals, 17 speaking stops, 6 couplers, electro-pneumatic action
Organ currently unplayable following 1980s alterations




St Vincent’s Catholic Church, Ashfield - exterior
(photograph by Pastor de Lasala [February 2019])


Historical and Technical Documentation by John Maidment
© OHTA, March 2022

Construction of St Vincent’s Church was completed in October 1907 through the addition of the west front, baptistry, portion of the tower and three confessionals. The foundation stone had been laid 13 years earlier.1 Constructed in a stuccoed classical renaissance style, the architect was J.F. Hennessy of the firm of Sheerin & Hennessy. The building was constructed by John Ptolemy.2



St Vincent’s Catholic Church, Ashfield – organ from nave
(photograph by Pastor de Lasala [February 2019])

The Dodd organ was opened almost 20 years afterwards.

St. Vincent’s, Ashfield.
NEW PIPE ORGAN ERECTED AND BLESSED.
On last Sunday the parishioners of St. Vincent’s, Ashfield, had the satisfaction of adding to their beautiful church a pipe organ of the latest and best design. The instrument was built by Messrs. Dodd, of Adelaide. It is a two-manual organ, including a swell organ, great organ, and independent pedal organ. The most modern improvements and effects are skilfully incorporated. The action is tubular pneumatic throughout. The whole is enclosed in a handsome case of varnished oregon.3

The specification of the organ before 1971 was:

GREAT
Open Diapason
Clarabel
Gedackt
Dulcissima
Principal
Flauto Traverso
Great Octave
Swell to Great
8
8
8
8
4
4



    
SWELL
Bourdon
Open Diapason
Hohl Flute
Viole
Celeste
Dulcet
Cornopean
Vox Humana
Tremulant
Swell Sub
Swell Super
16
8
8
8
8
4
8
8
A



TC







  
PEDAL
Subbass
Echo Bass
Flute
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
16
16
8
B
A
B


  

Compass: 61/30
Balanced swell pedal
Thumb pistons to Great and Swell
Detached stopkey console
Electro-pneumatic action4

It appears that the action may have been partially converted from tubular-pneumatic to electro-pneumatic at some stage.

The organ sustained substantial dismantling for a projected rebuilding that was never completed and has been unplayable for some decades.




St Vincent’s Catholic Church, Ashfield – organ from gallery
(photograph by Pastor de Lasala [February 2019])




St Vincent’s Catholic Church, Ashfield - nameplate
(photograph by Pastor de Lasala [February 2019])

1 Sydney Morning Herald, 14 October 1907, p.5

2 Freeman’s Journal, 17 October 1907, p.26

3 The Catholic Press, 4 March 1926, p.34

4 Specification supplied to John Maidment by Robert Wallace, February 1971