ST THOMAS’ ANGLICAN CHURCH, ROZELLE
© PdL 2005
Former Sydney organist, Peter Meyer, provides the following information on the organs and organists of the church:
A harmonium, played by Mr E.Russell accompanied services until the present Henry Jones organ was installed and dedicated by Dean Cowper in 1884. It was 'designed' by Frederick Morley and cost £315, supervision in London being carried out by Morley’s brother, Felix. Arthur Mason then became organist. He moved later to St James' King Street and to the Sydney City Organist’s position. Later organists at Rozelle included Francis Martin who composed a theme on which Alfred Hollins improvised during his tour in 1904, Lorna Trevella OAM, Lilian Frost's pupil Mrs R.P. Harrison, and Faunce Allman's pupils George Taafe, Ray Holland, and R.G. Macintosh (a founding member and first treasurer of the Organ Society of Sydney).
The choir members who helped Mr Charles Leggo to relocate the organ from the south to the north transept in 1936 included one John Kerr, later to become Governor General. S.T. Noad took over the maintenance from Leggo in 1943. Ten years later the organ narrowly escaped 'modernisation' by J.P. Eagles. For a predominantly working class congregation St Thomas had remarkably able organists and good choirs.
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The organ is rarely used today and is not in first-class condition. It is one of only two organs by Henry Jones, of South Kensington in London, to survive basically unaltered in NSW. [3]
