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Queensland - Organisation

Aboriginal Girls Home (1899 - 1906)

From
1899
To
1906
Categories
Government-run and Home
Alternative Names
  • Reserve for Aboriginal Girls (Also known as)

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.

Details

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.

Location

1899 - 1906
Location - The Aboriginal Girls Home was situated in West End.. Location: West End

Publications

Resources

  • Dawn and New Dawn 1952-1975: A magazine for Aboriginal People of New South Wales, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, 2004. Details

Online Resources

Prepared by: Lee Butterworth