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Bishop Poliding was determined to have a fine organ that could contain stops that were "full of dulcet honey" and as "loud as the ocean roars when the blasts from the East drive its waters into Bondi Bay". With the two new organs planned for St Mary's Cathedral, Polding's metaphoric vision will come to fruition.

Cathedral Organs 1835-1850

This history appeared in "Notes on the history of organs in St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney" by Gavin Tipping (a former organist). The source for the notes were from various historical accounts of music in St Mary's Cathedral by E J Lea-Scarlett (a former organist)

1835 On Sunday, September 20, 1835, a new bishop, Dr John Bede Polding, O.S.S., was solemnly installed in St Mary's. The instrument in use was a seraphine, alias metaliphone or mealiaphone, which emitted a disagreeable and scarcely organ-like sound. Bishop Polding, a great musical enthusiast, determined that St Mary's was to have a fine organ too, "full of dulcet honey and loud as the ocean roars when the blasts from the East drive its waters into Bondi Bay". Funds for the organ were to be found by using the Cathedral for the performance of what Polding refered to as 'Oratorios'. Four great Oratorios were held between 1836 and 1857, but only two (1836 and 1838) were actually used for the organ fund. At first the contract for the new organ was given to Flight and Robson for an instrument costing 800-1000 pounds. This order was not proceeded with.
1838 Final negotiations were made with Bevington and Son, Frith Street Soho, to supply and deliver at a cost of 735 pounds an organ which they took two years to despatch.
1839 Dr J A Reid was appointed "Director and Musical Composer". During his short period of office an organ previously in use in the Jesuit Church Cardiner Street, Dublin, was hired for six months, at a cost of 20 pounds. The Bishop considered it a weak and ineffective instrument.
1841 The new organ arrived on board the General Lushington in late January. It was hoped to have it installed by Easter, but it was not until June 30 that the opening 'Oratorio' to mark the new organ was held.
1848 Repairs of 100 pounds were carried out on the Bevington organ.

1850-1900

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