Rod Blackmore's Australasian Theatre Organs

The author is the longest continuous member of the Theatre Organ Society of Australia, having joined in March 1960 (within 2 months of the society’s inauguration.) An early task with which I became involved was to document details of organs remaining in theatre, and to research the details of those that had been removed. Much of the information in this series comes from that work.

The intention of this site is to provide a history of theatre pipe organs throughout Australia and New Zealand, concentrating on those most publicly recognized by their horseshoe-style consoles. These were the organs installed in the “golden era” of the 1920s and 1930s – instruments that fell into disuse and whose disposal commenced in the late 1950s. TOSA commenced not only as a body of people interested in these organs and their music, but also as a catalyst for their preservation.

It is recognized that there were earlier organs in theatres, ranging from early WurliTzers with “straight” consoles, “pit organs”, “Photoplayers”, and even locally built “concert” organs. Other historians have documented these so far as they are able, but some notable examples are also included in this series.

The format I have adopted provides some history of the theatre or other location best identified with a particular instrument, details of the organ itself and organists who performed on it, and what is known to be its remaining history. It is also pictorial, for which I thank numbers of sources additional to my own.

The site, first created in February 2006, is now as complete and accurate as information presently available to me allows. I remain grateful, however, for additional information or corrections that might be incorporated. Please write to me at: enquiries@theatreorgansaust.info

Rod Blackmore [July 2010]

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