Adelaide Town Hall Walker & Son's mechanical action organ built 1989, South Australia
The Town Hall’s first organ was made by Hill & Son in 1875 for £2,106 ($3,800). Arriving at the town hall in 1876, it was first publicly played on 2 October 1877.
Significant redevelopments to the Town Hall saw the Hill organ replaced with the current organ, built by Walker & Sons in 1989.
At the time of its installation, it was the largest mechanical action organ built in Britain for more than 100 years.
The Hill organ now stands, magnificently restored, in the Barossa Regional Gallery [Tanunda Soldiers' Memorial Hall]. It is the oldest concert organ on the Australian mainland.
*Adelaide Town Hall Timeline
1840 Town Hall Acre No. 203 acquired for 12 shillings
1850 Council Office Building erected on part of Acre No. 203
1863 Town Hall foundation stone laid
1866 Town Hall opened
1869 Prince Alfred Chambers and Queen’s Chambers completed
1875 Eagle Chambers completed
1877 First performance on original pipe organ
1880 Gladstone Chambers completed
1882 Addition of Council Chamber and Banqueting Room
1899 Dress circle erected by auditorium
1914–1915 Town Hall additions erected and administration offices refurbished
1953–1958 Extensive changes to main entrance area, ground and first floor foyers, with access established between the town hall and its adjoining buildings
1979 Colonel Light Centre office building completed
1981 Renovation of old Methodist Meeting Hall completed
1982–1990 Restoration in four stages of the Town Hall complex and the establishment of the North and South Galleries. The installation of a new pipe organ.
*Foundation Stone
The foundation stone of the new Town Hall was laid by His Excellency the Governor on Monday afternoon in the presence of a large concourse of people. A silver trowel with suitable inscription was presented to the Governor, and a dinner was afterwards held in the Council Chamber, presided over by His Worship the Mayor. Ref: South Australian Weekly Chronicle 9-5-1863]
His Excellency, who was attired in a Windsor costume, was escorted to the platform and introduced to His Worship the Mayor (Mr T English) by Mr E W Wright, the architect.
The building thus commenced will be erected from the designs of Mr Edmund W Wright, under his superintendence and that of Mr Edward Woods, architect: and we trust that in about eighteen months the citizens will have the pleasure of seeing the great undertaking completed. £16,000 is the total estimated cost. Of this £3,200 has already been borrowed. Tenders are now being called for £6,800, making £10,000 in all and a subsequent loan of £6,000 will be effected when required.
After the proceedings outside, His Excellency the Governor and some invited guests, to the number of fifty, repaired to the Council Chamber, where a most recherche collation was provided by Mr G Aldridge of the Shades. [Ref: South Australian Advertiser 26-5-1863]
*OPENING THE ADELAIDE TOWN HALL
The great event of the past week in Adelaide has been the opening of the Town Hall.
The Town Hall was commenced about two years ago from the designs of Messrs Wright and Woods, and has been carried out in its entirety at a cost of about £20,000. We can add our testimony to that of all who have seen it that it is a building of which any community might well be proud.
At the opening dinner, provided at the expense of the Mayor of Adelaide (Mr Townsend) over 800 invited guests sat down. It was a most brilliant affair, and the good feeling and harmony which prevailed at it is evidenced by the excellent speeches made on the occasion.
But the Ball on the following Friday, at which about 900 took part, came pretty near to eclipsing the dinner, for it was if anything more brilliant. Like the Hall itself, the Dinner and Ball puts every other event of the kind ever held in the colonies, completely in the shade. [Ref: Border Watch (Mount Gambier) 30-6-1866]
Adelaide Town Hall Walker & Son's mechanical action organ built 1989, South Australia
The Town Hall’s first organ was made by Hill & Son in 1875 for £2,106 ($3,800). Arriving at the town hall in 1876, it was first publicly played on 2 October 1877.
Significant redevelopments to the Town Hall saw the Hill organ replaced with the current organ, built by Walker & Sons in 1989.
At the time of its installation, it was the largest mechanical action organ built in Britain for more than 100 years.
The Hill organ now stands, magnificently restored, in the Barossa Regional Gallery [Tanunda Soldiers' Memorial Hall]. It is the oldest concert organ on the Australian mainland.
*Adelaide Town Hall Timeline
1840 Town Hall Acre No. 203 acquired for 12 shillings
1850 Council Office Building erected on part of Acre No. 203
1863 Town Hall foundation stone laid
1866 Town Hall opened
1869 Prince Alfred Chambers and Queen’s Chambers completed
1875 Eagle Chambers completed
1877 First performance on original pipe organ
1880 Gladstone Chambers completed
1882 Addition of Council Chamber and Banqueting Room
1899 Dress circle erected by auditorium
1914–1915 Town Hall additions erected and administration offices refurbished
1953–1958 Extensive changes to main entrance area, ground and first floor foyers, with access established between the town hall and its adjoining buildings
1979 Colonel Light Centre office building completed
1981 Renovation of old Methodist Meeting Hall completed
1982–1990 Restoration in four stages of the Town Hall complex and the establishment of the North and South Galleries. The installation of a new pipe organ.
*Foundation Stone
The foundation stone of the new Town Hall was laid by His Excellency the Governor on Monday afternoon in the presence of a large concourse of people. A silver trowel with suitable inscription was presented to the Governor, and a dinner was afterwards held in the Council Chamber, presided over by His Worship the Mayor. Ref: South Australian Weekly Chronicle 9-5-1863]
His Excellency, who was attired in a Windsor costume, was escorted to the platform and introduced to His Worship the Mayor (Mr T English) by Mr E W Wright, the architect.
The building thus commenced will be erected from the designs of Mr Edmund W Wright, under his superintendence and that of Mr Edward Woods, architect: and we trust that in about eighteen months the citizens will have the pleasure of seeing the great undertaking completed. £16,000 is the total estimated cost. Of this £3,200 has already been borrowed. Tenders are now being called for £6,800, making £10,000 in all and a subsequent loan of £6,000 will be effected when required.
After the proceedings outside, His Excellency the Governor and some invited guests, to the number of fifty, repaired to the Council Chamber, where a most recherche collation was provided by Mr G Aldridge of the Shades. [Ref: South Australian Advertiser 26-5-1863]
*OPENING THE ADELAIDE TOWN HALL
The great event of the past week in Adelaide has been the opening of the Town Hall.
The Town Hall was commenced about two years ago from the designs of Messrs Wright and Woods, and has been carried out in its entirety at a cost of about £20,000. We can add our testimony to that of all who have seen it that it is a building of which any community might well be proud.
At the opening dinner, provided at the expense of the Mayor of Adelaide (Mr Townsend) over 800 invited guests sat down. It was a most brilliant affair, and the good feeling and harmony which prevailed at it is evidenced by the excellent speeches made on the occasion.
But the Ball on the following Friday, at which about 900 took part, came pretty near to eclipsing the dinner, for it was if anything more brilliant. Like the Hall itself, the Dinner and Ball puts every other event of the kind ever held in the colonies, completely in the shade. [Ref: Border Watch (Mount Gambier) 30-6-1866]