St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls Chapel: exterior from north-west
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (11 April 2012)]
St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls Chapel: exterior from north-west
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (11 April 2012)]
Historical and Technical Documentation by Patrick Elms and Colin van der Lecq
© OHTA 2012 (last updated May 2012)
Built in local limestone in 1993, the chapel was designed by architect Brian Klopper of North Fremantle. Apart from the quasi-marble floor, materials have been used in their natural state. The design and layout of the windows pay respect to the bright natural light of Perth. Clear glass was used throughout to allow future generations to add coloured glass in stages, reflecting the ongoing life of the School as a worshipping community.
The LeFanu Oratory was dedicated in 1979 and included three stained glass windows: the Risen Christ, Saint Hilda and the Parable of the Sower. These windows are now in the oratory at the east end of the chapel.
Maria Cristina White-da Cruz created the rose window at the west end behind the organ, installed in 1997. She also made the small window in the LeFanu Oratory (prayer room) and in the stair well leading up into the organ gallery.1
St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls Chapel: organ from nave
[Photograph by John Maidment (11 April 2012)]
The organ was built in 1994-95 by F.J. Larner and Co, Bayswater, using the surviving remnants of the 1875 Hill & Son organ from St George's Cathedral, Perth with a new case of Jarrah and new display pipes of polished zinc. Use is also made of the J.W. Walker & Sons Subbass and windchest from St George's Cathedral, and, at least, the Great Claribel Flute and Swell Cornopean from the Dodd rebuild of the Hill organ. The Swell Violin Diapason is new and it is hoped to obtain the original Hill stop to replace this in the near future.
St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls Chapel: interior and console
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (11 April 2012)]
In 2009 Patrick Elms & Co convinced the School to remove the carpet from the organ gallery and the Jarrah floor was installed. The organ was moved forward 200mm to allow maintenance access and hardboard panels were installed behind the organ to improve the egress of the organ into the chapel, which has a very dry acoustic.
| GREAT Open Diapason Claribel Flute Dulciana Principal Wald Flute Twelfth Fifteenth Mixture Swell to Great SWELL Violin Diapason Stopped Diapason Principal Fifteenth Cornopean Tremulant Swell Sub Octave Swell Unison Off Swell Octave PEDAL Bourdon Principal Bass Flute Bassoon Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal |
8 8 8 4 4 2-2/3 2 III 8 8 4 2 8 16 8 8 16 |
A * A |
Compass: 56/30 2
* Prepared for
St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls Chapel: left-hand stop jamb
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (11 April 2012)]
St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls Chapel: right-hand stop jamb
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (11 April 2012)]
St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls Chapel: Great windchest
showing Hill & Son and Dodd pipework
[Photograph by Trevor Bunning (11 April 2012)]
1 Website http://www.oswa.org.au/WAOrgans/MosmanStHilda.html accessed 19 February 2012
2 From Patrick Elms' photographs of the stop jamb