Queen Alexandra Home for Children

Queen Alexandra Home for Children was operated by the Methodist Church. It originally opened in 1910 at Indooroopilly, in a house known as Robgill. Within a year, the Home moved to new premises (‘Hatherton’) in the suburb of Coorparoo. From February 1937, the Home received state wards. Queen Alexandra Home closed 9 September 1960 and the children were transferred to cottage homes.

The Queen Alexandra Home for Children was originally situated at Indooroopilly, in a house named Robgill. The house was donated to the State of Queensland by the McConnel family. The home opened in 1910 and in 1911 the children and staff were transferred to a newly established home at Coorparoo. The name Queen Alexandra Home for Children was retained.

According to a government report on Charitable Institutions to which Annual Grants are Paid and their Objects, the Queen Alexandra Home for Children, Coorparoo, was established to provide a home for children who needed its shelter and provision, and to train them to be useful citizens.

The general affairs of the institution were managed by a committee of 30 ladies, with a sub-committee of 5 gentlemen, in addition to the President of the Queensland Methodist Conference. The Committee was appointed by the Methodist Conference.

Elizabeth Kingsbury was a founding member and first president of the Queen Alexander Home for orphans, neglected and poor children, at Coorparoo. An extension wing added to the building in 1919 was named the Kingsbury Wing.

The institution was financed by donations, with payment from inmates from 6/6d to 12/6 per week, but no fee was received for quite a number of children.The Government gave an annual grant of 200 pounds from Revenue.

The Queen Alexandra Home for Children was licensed under the State Children Act 1911 in 1917 and The lnfant Life Protection Act 1935.

During World War II the Queen Alexandra Home for Children temporarily relocated to Murgon whilst the military occupied their Coorparoo premises.