Pipe Organ once in Freemasons Hall Collins Street Melbourne

The organ (right) was built in 1888 by Fincham & Hobday and exhibited in the Melbourne Centennial International Exhibition 1888 where it was awarded a First Order of Merit. It had 3 manuals, 42 speaking stops, tubular-pneumatic action.

In January 1890 it was installed at Freemasons Hall, Collins Street, Melbourne. Following extensive alterations to the Hall, the instrument was sold in 1905 to Ebenezer Vickery MLC for installation in the Lyceum Hall. Records suggest Vickery later donated the Hall to the Central Methodist Mission in 1908. The organ was later removed circa 1929. Parts were used for other organs built by C.W. Leggo and S.T. Noad.

This was the third largest organ built in 19^th century Australia – the two that were larger were at the Exhibition Building, Melbourne (1880) and at the Australian Church, Melbourne (1890) both by the Fincham firm. It was a remarkable example of late nineteenth-century organ building in conservative Romantic style. While its sound is now beyond recall, the specification, with its well-developed Diapason ensemble (including the Pedal division with Principals at 8', 5-1/3' and 4' pitches) clearly reflects the classical outlook of conservative English builders like Hill & Son, who, in turn, had been influenced by the North German eighteenth-century organ.