Annie Sullivan, Aged 9, Orphan School Apprentice, June 1861 memo from the Secretary of The Queen's Orphan Asylum at New Town, Hobart, to Doctor T.C. Smart asking him about Annie Sullivan 'an Orphan School Apprentice, the Guardians would be glad if Dr. Smart will kindly furnish them with a certificate as to the state of her health, and if..her disease (is) of such a nature as to render her unfit to complete her apprenticeship. The Annie Sullivan discussed in the letter may be the orphan, Anna Sullivan, orphan number 5194 of The Queen's Orphan School. She was admitted at 9 years old, as her mother Mary Ann had passed away in 1873. She was discharged on 10 April 1880 to Sarah McConnell, of Captain Fleetwood's employment. The Queen's Orphan Asylum opened as the King's Orphan Asylum in New Town in 1833. It was the first purpose built institution for orphaned, destitute and neglected children in Van Diemen's Land. In 1839 the Colonial Times reported: 'Everyone knows how pleasing an appearance the exterior of the building exhibits, we wish we could say as much of the interior, but we cannot do, as the majority of the apartments allotted to the use of the children are cold comfortless'We have seen many assemblages of children in our time..but never did we see two hundred human beings, that exhibited so squalid an appearance, as did the majority of the Queen's Orphans.' In its early years the majority of children at the school were born to convict women. The asylum also housed some Aboriginal Children.