Brisbane Freethought Association

There is mention of a Brisbane Freethought Association in Civilising the City: Literary Societies and Clubs in Brisbane during the 1880s and 1890s, a thesis by Leanne Day. Presumably this is the same or at least related to the Freethought Society mentioned by John Kellett in his section of Radical Brisbane.

Day outlines how the freethinkers were excluded from the debating federation which was dominated by christians. The Freethought Association was also denied the use of the mail by the Postmaster General because they would be distributing blasphemy (probably accurate) and sedition (probably less accurate).

Day also surmises that the Association was exclusively for men, which if true (the evidence is strong but there is some room for doubt) is something of a disappointment. Afterall, Ingersoll was a strong advocate of women's rights. Another disappointment is that Day doesn't mention what happened to the BFA. Presumably the end of a voluntary group is never as well documented as the beginning.