The Annie Joy Case

Between August 1887 and April 1888, Thomas Allen had to deal with the case of 10-year-old Annie Joy whose "foster-mother" refused to allow her to be disciplined by the school.

In a letter of 9 Sep 1887 (104 KB), Thomas Allen sets out his case to the Education Office.

In a letter of 27 Jan 1888 (page 1 [166 KB] and page 2 [128 KB]), the father B. Joy asks the Minister for Education in Brisbane to intervene so he will no longer have to send his daughter to school in Herberton. We learn elsewhere that Ben Joy was one of five blacksmiths in the town, so there is some doubt whether he wrote his letters himself. His wife was illiterate.

On 9 Mar 1888, B. Joy writes (189 KB) to the Department of Public Instruction offering to command his daughter to obey the school rules. (Annie's obedience had never been the question.)

On 13 Apr 1888 (82 KB), Thomas Allen informs the Education Office that Annie Joy has been readmitted on the conditions specified in the Education Office's memo of 26 March. We do not know what those conditions were.