The Auditorium of the Kelvin Grove State College
[Photograph by David Vann (June 2012)]
The Auditorium of the Kelvin Grove State College
[Photograph by David Vann (June 2012)]
Historical and Technical Documentation by Geoffrey Cox
© OHTA 2012 (last updated June 2012)
Kelvin Grove State College was founded in 1961 as the Kelvin Grove State High School. It became a P-12 State College in 2002 upon amalgamation with the Kelvin Grove State School.1
The theatre organ housed in the Auditorium is the property of the Theatre Organ Society of Australia (Queensland Division). It was built originally in 1932-33 by Christie, London, for the Granada Theatre, Maidstone, Kent, England, where it comprised 9 ranks spread over 3 manuals. "Christie" was the trading name for theatre organs built by the firm of Hill, Norman & Beard, using the name of John Christie, who became chairman of the board of directors after the death of Dr Arthur Hill in 1923.
The Christie / Hill, Norman & Beard nameplate
[Photograph by David Vann (June 2012)]
The Kelvin Grove organ was salvaged from the theatre in Kent following floods, and purchased in 1970 by the Queensland Division of the Theatre Organ Society of Australia. It was installed in its present location between 1973 and 1975 by members of the Society. Although the organ itself had survived the floods in Kent, the original console was damaged beyond repair, having been submerged under water for around two weeks. The stop-keys and other usable console parts were nevertheless salvaged. These were then used in rebuilding a 1928 Christie console (originally of 2 manuals) that had already been obtained by the Society from the New Empire Theatre, Dunedin, New Zealand.2
The rebuilt console of 1975 on the stage at Kelvin Grove
[Photographs by Howard Baker (1990s)]
The organ was formally inaugurated in its new location on Monday 24 November 1975 with a concert by Melbourne organist, Tony Fenelon. At that time, the instrument comprised 732 pipes (8 ranks) & percussion, spread over 3 manuals and pedals, and using electro-pneumatic action.3 The complete specification, as recorded in 1975 was as follows:
The original specification of the organ at Kelvin Grove
[Photograph by Howard Baker (1975 or later)]
The disposition of the eight ranks in the two chambers was as follows:
| MAIN CHAMBER Diapason Viol Viol Celeste Flute4 |
SOLO CHAMBER Tibia Tuba Vox Humana Trumpet.4 |
Percussion stops, showing the Glockenspiel, Chimes, Xylophone, and Tom Tom,
and the piano connected to the Christie organ
[Photographs by David Vann (June 2012)]
The organ was rebuilt around 2000-01 by members of the Theatre Organ Society, and re-opened on 13 April 2001 as part of the annual International TOSA convention. The number of ranks was increased to 11 with the addition of Clarinet, Orchestral Oboe and Solo String ranks, resulting in a new total of 839 pipes. The chests and winding were re-arranged and augmented so that tremulants no longer operated on the basses. Compromises that stemmed from the origins of the console as a two-manual one were overcome by comprehensively rebuilding it, using some parts of the old one.5
The rebuilt console of 2001 at Kelvin Grove
[Photographs by David Vann (June 2012)]
The disposition of the ranks in the two chambers was adjusted in 2000-01 as shown in the following revised summary specification:
MAIN CHAMBER |
(left-hand side) 16, 8, 4, 2 8, 4, 2-2/3, 2, 1-3/5, 1-1/3 8, 4, 2 4 16, 8, 4 8 |
SOLO CHAMBER |
(right-hand side) 16, 8, 5-1/3, 4, 3-1/5, 2-2/3, 2 8 8 8, 4 8, 4 |
3 tremulants to Main Chamber (Main, Strings, Tuba)
3 tremulants to Solo Chamber (Trumpet, Orch Oboe, Solo String).
8-level capture system
171 stops
55 pistons
Electro-pneumatic action.6
Repairs to the instrument were made following damage in a hail storm in 2005.7
Pipework of the Christie organ,
showing the Tuba, Orchestral Oboe and Vox Humana ranks
[Photographs by David Vann (June 2012)]
Further details of this instrument can be found at Ian McIver's Encyclopaedia of Australian Theatre Organs.
________________________________________________________________________
1 Kelvin Grove State College website, www.kelvingrovesc.eq.edu.au - accessed June 2012.
2 The Vox (August 1970), p. 8; Personal communication to G. Cox from Mr Howell Whitehouse, c.1974.
3 Inaugural Concert Programme (24 November 1975); The Courier Mail (13 September, 1975).
4 Merv Lock, 'The Kelvin Grove Christie Organ,' The Organ Voice, vol. 28, no. 4 (December 2002), pp. 6-7.
5 Lock, pp. 7-9.
6 Loc. cit.
7 Organ Australia, vol. 2, no. 1 (March 2007), p. 43.