Brookfield School (part)

Mrs Laws, who ran a small school in her husband's barn, initially provided education at Brookfield.  However when Bible Christians arrived at Brookfield, a public subscription to construct a hall that would ‘function as a meeting place for the community, as a school house during the week and as a place of worship for the Bible Christians’ was undertaken.1

Upon completion of the hall (c1871) a letter was sent to the Inspector of Schools requesting a teacher, as it was claimed there were 40 to 50 students of school age attending the school.  A teacher was supplied but as this was a non-vested school it was disadvantaged from the start as the salary offered teachers was poor and it was difficult to attract and retain good ones.

In April 1873, Thomas Shield, Secretary, Local Patrons, requested a National School in place of the non-vested one.  He stated that the community could provide at least £60 towards a school.  The letter met with success and the subject building was opened on 30 June 1874.

A teacher's residence was also constructed but was removed in 1932 and a new residence built.  The original teacher’s residence was tendered for £10 and remains as part of the Brookfield General Store.

The local community has remained attached to the original school building. Within the school building a plaque is attached which states:

On the evening of December 9th 1974 people gathered here to celebrate and remember that this building was erected 100 years ago in 1874.

Brookfield State School
Parents and Citizens Association

The community was also instrumental in retaining its external appearance and while it underwent minor alterations in 1982, the building was converted for use as school library.

1. Libby Wager, Different Tracks, Brookfield: Kenmore-Brookfield Parish of the Uniting church in Australia, 1998, p.59

2. Certificates of Title.

3. Forrest, Ruth, Brookfield State School 1871 – 1996 Celebrating 125 Years, Queensland: 125th Anniversary Committee, Brookfield State School, Brookfield, 1996

4. John Oxley Library Photograph Collection

5. Meadows, Jane. Brisbane's Western Suburbs: Our Heritage in Focus. (Brisbane: State Library of Queensland Foundation. 1994)

6. Post Office Directories.

7. Wager, Libby. Historic Brookfield. (Pullenvale: Pullenvale Field Study Centre. 1988)

8. Wager, Libby. Different Tracks. (Brookfield: Kenmore-Brookfield Parish of the Uniting church in Australia. 1998)