| Name of institution |
Queen's Hall |
| Type of institution |
Auditorium |
| Street Address |
William Street |
| City |
Perth |
| State |
Western Australia |
| Postcode |
6000
|
| Country |
Australia |
| Name of building |
Auditorium |
| Name of room |
|
| Dates of the building |
1899 |
| Architect’s and builder’s names |
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| Special architectural features |
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| Special fittings |
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| Other location information |
On this site in William Street, Perth, the Queen’s Hall was built in 1899 for the owners, the Wesley Methodist Church.
(opened 19 April, 1899) Among the early artists to appear there
were Dame Nellie Melba and Clara Butt. With the advent of film, Queen's
Hall became the venue for Vic's Pictures.
In 1927 Hoyts Theatres Ltd negotiated with the church to rebuild on the
site and lease it, transforming it into the Regent Theatre, complete
with chandeliers imported from Italy and a Wurlitzer organ. The theatre
was not as large nor as opulent as the Regent theatres that were Hoyts
flagships in the other Australian capitals. The Perth Regent was
designed by architects Bohringer, Taylor and Johnson and opened on 9th
September 1927. The opening film was "Three Bad Men" with George
O'Brien and Olive Borden.
In 1928, many professional musicians who had supported the silent
movies found themselves out of work, and under the direction of Harold
Newton, formed the Perth Symphony Orchestra. The first performance by
this group of professional players was given in the Queen's Hall. The
program included Dvorak's New World Symphony. By 1930, the orchestra
not only gave concerts in the Queen's Hall but also presented ten
subscription concerts in the Town Hall. Many of these concerts were
broadcast over the radio station 6WF. In 1950 this group became
known by the present name: the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.
In 1938 Hoyts took over management of the larger Perth
Ambassador’s Theatre from Union Theatres Ltd,.
the lease of the Regent was transferred to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and it
was thereafter known as the Perth Metro Theatre.
Under this management the theatre was refurbished both internally and
externally in modern art deco style designed by architects Baxter, Cox
& Leighton. |
| Name of contact |
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| Mailing Address |
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| Telephone |
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| Email |
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| Other contact information |
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| . |
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| Previous organ(s) |
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| Date of previous organ |
None |
| Detail of previous organ |
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| Dates when key work has been undertaken |
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| Dates of any moves that have taken place |
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| Variations from original design of organ |
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Information on previous organ |
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Information about comparable instruments to previous organ |
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| . |
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| Present organ |
|
| Type of installation |
|
| Case description |
|
| Placement in room |
|
| Builder's name |
Bishop & Son, London
and Ipswich, |
| Opus number |
|
| Date of completion/installation |
1875, installed this auditorium 1908 |
| Construction materials |
|
| Number of manuals |
Two (2) |
| Key compasses |
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| Number of keys |
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| Key material |
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| Pedal compass |
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| Number of pedals |
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| Pedalboard type |
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| Pedalboard material |
|
| Type of chests |
|
| Type of key action |
Electro-magnetic |
| Type of stop action |
Electro-magnetic to slider chests |
| Couplers |
Seven (7) |
| Tremulants |
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| Accessories |
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| Console type |
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| Stop label material |
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| Placement |
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| General design |
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| Playing aids |
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| Divisions |
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| Wind pressures |
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| Stop list |
| GREAT |
|
|
|
|
8' |
|
|
|
8' |
|
|
|
4' |
|
|
|
2-2/3' |
|
|
|
2' |
|
|
|
1-3/5' |
|
|
|
IV |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| SWELL |
|
|
|
|
8' |
|
|
|
8' |
|
|
|
4' |
|
|
|
4' |
|
|
|
2' |
|
|
|
III |
|
|
| Cornopean |
8' |
|
|
|
|
|
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| CHOIR |
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| PEDAL |
|
|
|
|
16' |
|
|
|
16' |
|
|
|
8' |
|
|
|
8' |
|
|
|
4' |
|
|
|
16' |
|
|
|
4' |
|
|
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|
|
|
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| Total number of stops |
22 |
| Total number of ranks |
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| Total number of pipes |
|
| Dates when key work has been undertaken on current
organ |
|
| Dates of any moves that have taken place to current
organ |
Organ installed 1875 at Wesley Church, Perth.
In 1908 the organ was
moved next door to Queens Hall, William Street, Perth (later Metro Theatre).
In 1926 the organ was relocated by W L Roberts Ltd,
Adelaide, to Wesley Methodist Church, Claremont (job no 96).
Rebuilt in 1955 by J.E. Dodd & Sons Gunstar Organ Works, Adelaide.
Electro-pneumatic action and new console installed; swell
Cornopean and Dulciana extended to Ped. 16'.
In 1984 Hale School Assembly Hall, Hale Road, Wembley Downs, became the organ’s
next and current home. Installed byF.J. Larner & Co. with tonal alterations. Third manual prepared for.
|
| Information on current organ |
The first pipe organ to be installed in Western
Australia was this 1875 instrument for Wesley Church, Perth.
This organ served Wesley Church for over 30 years in its
original location.
|
| Comparable instruments to current
organ |
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| Current status |
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| Assessment of organ |
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| Other organs by this builder |
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| Photographs |
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| Technical documents |
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| General documents |
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| . |
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| Supporting information |
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| . |
|
| Document control |
Original entries J R Elms, OAM,
Gazetteer of Western Australian Pipe Organs, 1971, 1999,2003 and 2004.
This entry D B Duncan 19 January 2009.
Historical photos sourced by Dr A Gardner, 22 March 2016
|
