HILL PIPE ORGAN - ST PETER'S LUTHERAN CHURCH

25 SCALLAN STREET STAWELL, NORTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE

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Victorian Heritage Register

Hill pipe organ-St Peters Stawell_KJ_29 may 08

Statement of Significance

• Additional Place Information

  • History

    HILL PIPE ORGAN - ST PETER'S LUTHERAN CHURCH - History

    The church

    The Congregational Church was opened on Sunday 13 September 1874, having been designed and supervised by the Rev J G Wilson. As a consequence of a dwindling congregation in the twentieth century, the Congregational Church closed. In August 1957 the church was acquired by the newly formed Lutheran Congregation at a cost of ₤2250. An additional ₤1029 was spent on renovations to the building and it was dedicated as St Peter's Lutheran Church on 28 September 1958, fifteen years after the first Lutheran services had been held in Stawell in a private house.

    The organ

    This organ was originally built for a Mr Davis, Melbourne , in 1858, and is described as a 'new chamber organ'. According to Miles Lewis's Melbourne Mansions Database Peter Davis lived in Collins Street in 1854, and by 1856 P Davis had a house in Lennox Street, Richmond described as a large 'gentleman's residence' 'standing forth as a model'. In 1866 Davis had Reed & Barnes build Euro-Reko in St Kilda for him. Some time between 1886 and 1892 the organ was installed in St Andrew's Anglican Church, Brighton, where it remained until 1923. It was then installed in Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Stratford, and in 1969 it was purchased by John Kriewaldt, a member of the congregation of St Peter's Lutheran Church in Stawell, restored by him and placed in its present location. In 1995 the William Hill organ underwent further restoration.

    The historic value of this organ is enhanced by the following characteristics:

    The organ has an attractive and notable Neo-classical case (with egg and dart moulding) constructed from solid mahogany. All of the original pipework is present, and retains its original sound. The original mechanical key, stop and combination actions have been preserved. The combination action is very advanced in design for its time. All of the original wind supply is present, including the hand-blowing apparatus.

    The maker

    The English organbuilding form of William Hill (later to become Hill & Son) represents the high point of nineteenth century English organbuilding. William Hill was born in Spilsby, Lincs., in 1789, where there is a memorial window to him in the church. In 1825 he was taken into partnership by Thomas Elliot. Upon the death of Elliot in 1832, Hill remained alone until 1837, when he was joined by Frederick Davison, who left the next year to become a partner of John Gray. The form was then known as W Hill & Son, and from its workshops came many fine and notable organs. On the death of William Hill in 1871 his eldest sone, Thomas, sustained and increased the reputation of the firm.

    References

    John Stiller, 'Summary Report of Pipe Organs Documented in Victoria.', Organ Historical Trust of Australia, August 1978 - June 1980.

    Detailed report on the organ by John Stiller, Research Officer of Organ Historical Trust of Australia, 'Detailed Documentation of Pipe Organ Built by William Hill 1858', May 1979, in Heritage Victoria File no 6000531.

    Assessment Against Criteria

    HILL PIPE ORGAN - ST PETER'S LUTHERAN CHURCH - Assessment Against Criteria

    a. The historical importance, association with or relationship to Victoria's history of the place or object

    This Hill pipe organ is the earliest substantial chamber organ in Victoria to survive.

    b. The importance of a place or object in demonstrating rarity or uniqueness

    This Hill pipe organ is the oldest extant William Hill organ in Australia, and is an extremely rare, if not unique, example in the world of a Hill chamber organ of the period. Its significance is increased by the retention of its original mahogany case, pipework and mechanism.

    c. The place or object's potential to educate, illustrate or provide further scientific investigation in relation to Victoria's cultural heritage

    d. The importance of a place or object in exhibiting the principal characteristics or the representative nature of a place or object as part of a class or type of places or objects

    e. The importance of the place or object in exhibiting good design or aesthetic characteristics and/or in exhibiting a richness, diversity or unusual integration of features

    f. The importance of the place or object in demonstrating or being associated with scientific or technical innovations or achievements

    g. The importance of the place or object in demonstrating social or cultural associations

    h. Any other matter which the Council deems relevant to the determination of cultural heritage significance

    Plaque Citation

    HILL PIPE ORGAN - ST PETER'S LUTHERAN CHURCH - Plaque Citation

    Made in London in 1858 by the prominent maker W Hill & Son for a private Melbourne residence, this is the oldest substantial chamber organ in Victoria and the oldest Hill organ in Australia.

    Permit Exemptions

    HILL PIPE ORGAN - ST PETER'S LUTHERAN CHURCH - Permit Exemptions

    General Exemptions:

    General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.

    Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.

    Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.

    Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions.

    Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.

    Specific Exemptions:

    General Conditions: 1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object. General Conditions: 2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon as possible. General Conditions: 3. If there is a conservation policy and plan endorsed by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it. Note: The existence of a Conservation Management Plan or a Heritage Action Plan endorsed by the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria provides guidance for the management of the heritage values associated with the site. It may not be necessary to obtain a heritage permit for certain works specified in the management plan. General Conditions: 4. Nothing in this determination prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.

    Minor Works : Note: Any Minor Works that in the opinion of the Executive Director will not adversely affect the heritage significance of the place may be exempt from the permit requirements of the Heritage Act. A person proposing to undertake minor works may submit a proposal to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is satisfied that the proposed works will not adversely affect the heritage values of the site, the applicant may be exempted from the requirement to obtain a heritage permit. If an applicant is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that the permits co-ordinator be contacted.

    Routine maintenance: Pipe Organs require regular servicing particularly tuning and attendance to action problems. Such procedures usually take place monthly, quarterly, half yearly or annually. Such activities would not impact in any way on the heritage status of the instrument provided they are carried out by appropriate firms, and would not require a permit.

    Permit Exemption Policy

    HILL PIPE ORGAN - ST PETER'S LUTHERAN CHURCH - Permit Exemption Policy

    All conservation, maintenance and repair works should be carried out in accordance with the standards outlined in the document produced by the NSW Heritage Office in consultation with the Organ Historical Trust of Australia, Pipe Organ Conservation and Maintenance Guide, specifically points numbered 1, 2 and 3. All other works require a permit. The preparation of a Conservation Management Plan is encouraged.

    1. Cleaning and overhaul: This should ideally take place around every ten to fifteen years depending on the location of the organ. If pipework is removed from an organ for cleaning, it should never receive any revoicing or alteration.

    2. Restoration: This work should always be carried out in association with an approved independent professional consultant who would develop a schedule for the work and nominate accredited organbuilders from whom quotations can be sought. The consultant can assist with the obtaining of relevant permits from Heritage Victoria, liaise with the custodian of the instrument (and Heritage Victoria) as the work proceeds, and sign off the work when it is completed according to the original schedule, write a report and authorize final payments. All work should conform with the Conservation and Maintenance Guide noted above.

    3. Other work may be necessary from time to time, such as renewal of electric blowing plants, releathering of reservoirs, etc. Permits should be sought for such work to ensure that they comply with heritage standards.

    4. Activities involving alteration to instruments (such as changes to action, pipework and case decoration) would, in most instances, fall outside what is permissible.

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• Public contributions

  Tours involving this place See all tours

  Horsham & Stawell Heritage Tour

  03/01/12

  Horsham Town Hall - Horsham Theatre - Former Wimmera Stock Bazaar - Central Park - Diamond House - Hill Pipe Organ - St Peter's Lutheran Church - Stawell Court House - Commonwealth Memorial - Former Pleasant Creek Court House - Former Police Superintendent's Residence - Former Literary & Scientific Institute