St David's Welsh Calvinistic Church

La Trobe Street

Built 1923 Frederick Taylor
Rebuilt 1978 George Fincham & Sons Pty Ltd
2 manuals, 19 speaking stops, 6 couplers, electro-pneumatic action

St David's Welsh Church, Melbourne: exterior view
(photograph from FlickR)

Historical and Technical Documentation by John Maidment
© OHTA, 2013 (last updated March 2013)

The history of the Welsh Church of Melbourne dates back to 1852 when the first Welsh service was held in Melbourne. In 1854 the present site of the church was granted by the government, adjacent to the former St John's Anglican Church, demolished in the 1950s. The first church, constructed in bluestone, was opened in February 1857.

The present St David's Church was dedicated in December 1871. It was built to the design of prominent Melbourne architects Crouch & Wilson although bears strong resemblances to the work of their contemporary Charles Webb, similar to two of Webb's other designs: the Church of Christ, Swanston Street and Trinity Uniting Church, Brighton in the design of its facade, with two turrets flanking a central window. At St David's, however, the window consists of three traceried lights rather than the rose window at Brighton.

The Argus reported the opening of the building:

A new Presbyterian or Calvinistic Methodist Church was opened for Divine worship on Saturday, in Latrobe-street. The congregation first met in a common school in Collins-street in 1853, but in a year or two became sufficiently numerous to remove to a larger building in Latrobe-street. This, in time, failed to afford sufficient accommodation, and the present structure has been erected in its place. It was designed by Messrs. Crouch and Wilson, and was erected by Mr. Ireland the total cost being about £1,300. Its style is what is known as the early decorated. It is built of brick, on stone foundations, and measures over all 65ft, 6in. by 42ft. It is intended to stucco the whole exterior of the church, but at present only the front elevation has been so treated. This façade stands upon a fine axed bluestone base and is 50ft. high to the top of the finial on the gable. The principal entrance is in the centre, and above it is a large triple light window, with geometrical tracery filled with stained glass, from the manufactory of Messrs. Ferguson, Urie, and Lyon. On either side the door and principal window are two octagonal buttresses and pinnacles on a square base, with lancet headed openings under the spires. These are not mere ornaments, for besides forming the receptacle for gas-meters, they are made to play an important part in the ventilation of the edifice. The total height of these pinnacles from the ground is 59ft. The interior of the church is divided into two portions. The church proper, which, measures 34ft. x 48ft. 6in. in the clear, has a sloping floor, and the walls rise to the average height of 25ft, the mean height of ceiling being 29ft. At the rear of this are two vestries, together occupying the whole width of the church, and so arranged that should the extra space be required to meet the growing wants of the congregation, the throwing down of the dividing wall will not mar the proportions of the building. The height of these rooms is 11ft., the space above being in one room, to be used for lecture purposes or smaller week night services. The opening service was conducted by the Rev. R. T. Roberts, of Maldon, assisted by the Rev. W. M. Evans, the pastor of the church. On Sunday special services were held by the Rev. Spencer Williams, Wesleyan minister, Ballarat; the Rev. W. Thomas, Sebastopol ; the Rev. R. T. Roberts, and the Rev. W. M. Evans. This evening a tea-meeting will be held in the building, and subsequently ad- dresses will be delivered in Welsh and English.¹

The impeccably preserved interior includes cedar pews with an unusual end profile, grouped in semi-circular formation placed on a raked floor. There are a number of blackwood furnishings including the communion table, elders' chairs and pulpit. The large clock above the porch is by Welsh & Sons, London and there is a rear window with scrolled texts in the Welsh language made by Ferguson, Urie & Lyon.

It is interesting to note that in 1896 an outpatients clinic was started in the church rooms to the rear, an initiative of the then minister The Revd Dr D. Egryn Jones. His wife Dr Constance Stone (daughter of the Melbourne organbuilder William Stone) was one of the founders of the Queen Victoria Hospital. Evidence of the clinic exists in a dispensary opening in one of the doors adjacent to the church hall.²

St David's Welsh Church, Melbourne: the organ
(photograph by John Maidment [16 July 2011])

Located prominently at the front of the church, the organ built by Frederick Taylor, of Burwood Road, Hawthorn was opened in 1923. It has a fine blackwood case and incorporates excellent string, flute and reed stops. The opening recital in 1923 was given by Dr A.E. Floyd of St Paul's Cathedral. The Argus reported:

New Organ at Welsh Church

The Welsh Presbyterian Church, Latrobe-street, was filled on Saturday evening on the occasion of the formal opening of a new pipe organ. After a short dedicatory service, which was conducted by the minister of the church, Dr. Egryn Jones, an organ recital was given by Dr. A. E.Floyd, organist of St. Paul's Cathedral. Dr. Floyd's programme, which included his own fantasia on the hymn tune "Hyfrydol", was designed to show very effectively the varied resources of the instrument. Vocal solos were contributed by Miss Bessie Martin, Mr. Owen Davies, and Mr. Howell Williams. The organ, which is the work of Mr. F. Taylor, of Hawthorn, is an admirable example of modern organ-building. Its tone and its mechanism are alike excellent, and it is enclosed in a handsome and dignified case.³

Compass: 61/32
Tubular-pneumatic action
3 thumb pistons to Great
3 thumb pistons to Swell
Balanced mechanical swell pedal
Detached drawstop console⁴

St David's Welsh Church, Melbourne: the console – left stop jamb
(photograph by John Maidment [16 July 2011])




St David's Welsh Church, Melbourne: the console – right stop jamb
(photograph by John Maidment [16 July 2011])




St David's Welsh Church, Melbourne: side view of organ showing pedal pipes
(photograph by John Maidment [16 July 2011])

In 1978 the organ was rebuilt by George Fincham & Sons Pty Ltd. The action was converted to electro-pneumatic, and the console refitted with new keysets, pistons and drawstops and new pedal chests were constructed. The original specification and nomenclature was retained exactly.⁵

1 The Argus, 1 January 1872, p.5

2 Historical details from notes for a tour conducted on behalf of the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) 16 July 2011

3 The Argus, 26 February 1923, p.8

4 Specification noted by John Maidment February 1966

5 Details noted by John Maidment 16 July 2011