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.
Showing posts with label Brisbane Freethought. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brisbane Freethought. Show all posts
Sunday, January 7, 2007
Brisbane Freethought
I first read the term `freethought' in the book Radical Brisbane: an unruly history an excellent book proving both Brisbane and history are in fact quite interesting. Chapter 8 is titled Maritime Hall and is predominantly about radical union politics, specifically the Brisbane Trades and Labour Council and its successors.
However for our purposes the interesting fact was that at the time of its founding the Brisbane Trades and Labour Council met at Freethought Hall, sadly later renamed Maritime Hall (hence the title of the chapter). There is only one paragraph briefly outlining freethought and the Freethought Society in Brisbane, but I was captivated.
Freethought Hall, on the corner and between Eagle and Queen Streets, was the Brisbane headquarters of the Freethought Society. The society apparently founded in 1870 had at one time, aside from a building, an "extensive library" the fate of which I would very much like to learn, and published journals called Freedom, and, The Pilgrim, similarly seemingly lost to history.
What became of the Freethought Society is not clear, but it is a pity that it didn't continue on into the present day.
However for our purposes the interesting fact was that at the time of its founding the Brisbane Trades and Labour Council met at Freethought Hall, sadly later renamed Maritime Hall (hence the title of the chapter). There is only one paragraph briefly outlining freethought and the Freethought Society in Brisbane, but I was captivated.
Freethought Hall, on the corner and between Eagle and Queen Streets, was the Brisbane headquarters of the Freethought Society. The society apparently founded in 1870 had at one time, aside from a building, an "extensive library" the fate of which I would very much like to learn, and published journals called Freedom, and, The Pilgrim, similarly seemingly lost to history.
What became of the Freethought Society is not clear, but it is a pity that it didn't continue on into the present day.
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