Agency Details

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Agency ID11372
TitleDiamantina Reformatory School for Boys
Agency TypeEducation Provider
Start Date 1/10/1899
End Date 5/5/1900
Date NotesN/A
Abstract

Reformatory confinement for boys under the age of 18 years

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Series

Controlling Agencies

Agency IDTitleFromTo
123Home Secretary's Office 1/10/1899 5/5/1900
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Controlled Agencies

Details of controlled agencies do not exist or are unavailable.
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Previous Agencies

Subsequent Agencies

Related Agencies

Agency IDTitleRelationship
6459Wilson Youth Hospital SchoolAttended by school-aged boys
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Finding Aids

This agency has no finding aids.
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Publication Notes
This agency has no publication notes.
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Remarks

Information Sources

Queensland Blue Books, 1899, p. 55
Queensland Blue Books, 1900, p. 59
Queensland Government Gazette, 7 Oct 1899, Vol. XXII, No. 103, p. 855
Queensland Government Gazette, 12 May 1900, Vol. LXXIII, No. 133, p. 1330
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Legislation

Establishing Industrial and Reformatory Schools Act 1865
Abolishing N/A
Administered Industrial and Reformatory Schools Act 1865
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Description
ESTABLISHMENT:
On 1 October 1900 the Diamantina Reformatory School for Boys was opened at South Brisbane. The boys from the Reformatory School at Lytton were moved to Diamantina.

FUNCTIONS:
Industrial and reformatory schools were established for the purpose of segregating neglected and convicted juveniles from the poor influence of adult prisoners, so as to better promote their reformation and rehabilitation.

Boys under the age of 18 years were sentenced to a term of confinement at the reformatory by various Courts. It appears that some boys were transferred to orphanages before the expiration of their sentences. Parents of neglected and convicted inmates were required to contribute financially to the maintenance of their sons whilst in the reformatory.

As part of their education and rehabilitation, trustworthy boys could be put out to service in various trades, such as farm work. Boys contracted out as farm hands to local farmers were paid wages. Wages were banked and the accumulated amount paid to the boys in instalments between the ages of 18 and 21 years.

ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE:
The Reformatory was under the supervision of a Superintendent and a Visiting Justice. The former was responsible for admissions, discharges, internal discipline and the general administration of the reformatory. The Visiting Justice was responsible for ensuring institutional regulations were adhered to, inspecting boys to ensure they were properly cared for, the investigation of complaints, and magisterial inquiries into the deaths of inmates. Both the Visiting Justice and the Superintendent reported directly to the Home Secretary.

A medical officer and school teacher also visited the reformatory to look after the health and education of the inmates. Teachers were appointed by the Public Instruction Department.

ABOLITION:
The Diamantina Reformatory School for Boys was moved to Westbrook, near Toowoomba, on 5 May 1900.

PORTFOLIO CONTROLLING:
Home Secretary, 1 Oct 1899 - 5 May 1900
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Preferred Citation

Queensland State Archives Agency ID11372, Diamantina Reformatory School for Boys
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Last updated 9 September 2016
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia (CC BY 3.0) ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/ )
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