Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Rosary - Brooklyn, NY
Church of the Holy Rosary
(Roman Catholic)

141 Chauncey Street near Reid Street
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11233


Organ Specifications:
II/24 Reuben Midmer & Sons (c.1910)
• George Jardine & Son (1895)


The Roman Catholic parish of the Holy Rosary was organized in June 1889 to serve the English-speaking Catholics in the Eastern District. Bishop Loughlin appointed Rev. Dominic Monteverde, an Italian who was raised in England, to be the pastor. Father Monteverde celebrated the first mass on August 4, 1889, in the second floor of the frame building at 1717 Fulton Street. In September 1889, ground for a new church was purchased for $9,000, and in October the cornerstone was laid by Bishop Loughlin. The church was built of brick with stone trimmings and could accomodate about 600 persons. On October 7, 1894, the church was dedicated at 10 a.m. by Bishop McDonnell, assisted by Father Monteverde. The Rev. Matthew J. Flynn was the assistant priest and also served as the organist.
             
  Reuben Midmer & Sons organ (c.1910s) in Holy Rosary Catholic Church - Brooklyn, NY (credit: Rasaan H. Bourke)
   
  Reuben Midmer & Sons organ (c.1910s) in Holy Rosary Catholic Church - Brooklyn, NY (credit: Rasaan H. Bourke)
Reuben Midmer & Sons
Brooklyn, N.Y. (c.1910s)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 26 registers, 22 stops, 24 ranks







The present organ in Holy Rosary Church was built sometime in the 1910s by Reuben Midmer & Sons of Brooklyn. The following specifications were recorded in 1985 by Larry Trupiano of Mann & Trupiano in Brooklyn. Pipecounts below are suggested, based on similar Midmer & Sons organs of the era.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
16
  Open Diapason
61
4
  Octave
61
8
  Horn Diapason
61
4
  Flute d'Amour
61
8
  Melodia
61
2
  Super Octave
61
8
  Gamba
61
8
  Tuba
61
8
  Dulciana
61
    Chimes  
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
  Bourdon
61
4
  Flute
61
8
  Open Diapason
61
4
  Violina
61
8
  Gedeckt
61
    Dolce Cornet III ranks
183
8
  Salicional
61
8
  Oboe
61
8
  Celeste
61
8
  Vox Humana
61
8
  Aeoline
61
    Tremulant  
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
  Open Diapason
42
8
  Octave (fr. 16' Op. Diap.)
16
  Bourdon
42
8
  Flute (fr. 16' Bourdon)
16
  Gedeckt
SW
16
  Tuba (ext. GT)
12
               
Couplers
    Swell to Pedal   Swell to Swell 16', 4'
    Great to Pedal   Great to Great 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   SW Chimes
             
George Jardine & Son
New York City (1895)


The first known organ for Holy Rosary Church was built in 1895 by George Jardine & Son of New York City. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.
             
Sources:
     The Catholic Church in the United States of America: Undertaken to Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of His Holiness, Pope Pius X, Vol. III. New York: The Catholic Editing Company, 1914.
     "Church of the Holy Rosary," Brooklyn Eagle (Oct. 4, 1894:7).
     "Church of the Most Holy Rosary," The New York Times (Oct. 8, 1894:9).
     Trupiano, Larry. Specifications of Reuben Midmer & Sons organ (c.1910s).

Illustrations:
     Bourke, Rasaan H. Photos (2017) of Reuben Midmer & Sons organ case and console.
     Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection. 1946 photo of church exterior.