The only girl ever to attend the Launceston Junior Technical School
Married Leo Gardiner
The 1946 Launceston Junior Technical School Technicalities magazine recorded for the Old Boys Association – “We welcome back to the Association Mrs Gardner(sic) who was the only girl to attend the Launceston Junior Technical School. Mrs Gardner (sic) was then Miss J. Littler and went through the common course of the school in 1924.
That a girl was permitted to attend the Launceston Technical School is an intriguing mystery. The school was established by the State Government in 1919 as an all boys school and to be known as the Launceston Junior Technical School. At the same time similar schools were established at Hobart, Queenstown and Zeehan.
The purpose of the schools was to train boys in trade subjects which were needed for the new developing industries and shortages of labour due to WW1.
Theories about why a girl was allowed to enrol in a boys school
Possibly her family’s standing in the community and influence may have been brought to bare. Her father Frank Littler was well known in Launceston, having been a student of the Launceston Church Grammar School and author of the 1910 book “Handbook of the Birds of Tasmania and Its Dependencies“. He was an accountant by occupation and had died in 1922.
Her maternal grandfather was Captain William Holyman, the Managing Director of Wm Holyman and Sons Ltd who had major shipping interests and probably took an interest in Joan and her family following the death of Frank. Possibly Joan’s descendants may have information but have not tried to contact the family.
Launceston Tech, my school 1956 to 1960, had a number of notables, including Tasmanian Premier Eric Reece, Lance Barnard deputy leader of the Federal Labour Party, two Rhodes scholars, several notable world sporting identities amongst others. The inventor of the Alexander tennis racquet also attended the school as a teacher.
Written by Ivan Badcock
Call out to descendent of Joan Margery Littler
We’re curious about why Joan was allowed to attend a boys school and are hoping she may have shared some of her own stories with you. If you’ve got some tales to share, please get in touch via the comments on contact page.