The Aboriginal Girls Home was situated in a house at West End, in the vicinity of Victoria and Kurilpa streets. It acted as a receiving depot for Aboriginal domestic servants from all over Queensland. Any single girl or woman travelling through Brisbane, visiting for medical attention or merely between domestic service stints was forced to stay there. Under the Aboriginal Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act 1897, the Aboriginal Girls Home was classified as a 'reserve' in 1904 and was therefore governed by the provisions of the Act.
Frances Meston managed the Aboriginal Girls Home at West End, having been appointed Protector of Aborigines (Female) in 1899. She was the wife of Archibald Meston, Southern Protector of Aborigines. The Protectress supervised girls sent to work as domestics in and around Brisbane. Mrs Meston was succeeded in this role by Mary Easter Frew in 1900.
On 25 March 1904 Mary Frew was appointed Superintendent of the Aboriginal Girls Home. Following complaints made by the girls, a full enquiry determined that Frew had misappropriated funds belonging to Aboriginal workers. She resigned in May 1905.
Prepared by: Lee Butterworth
Created: 13 December 2011, Last modified: 5 September 2017