The Australian Women's Register

The first Mothers’ Union was formed in 1876 by Mary Sumner in Old Aylesford, in the south England. By 1885 it was a diocesan organisation in Winchester and quickly spread across England and then internationally as women migrated. In 1896 a Central Council was formed and in 1925 central headquarters were established in London. The Union received a Royal Charter in 1926 – the first granted to a religious and a women’s organisation. Until the 1970s, divorced women were excluded from membership.

The first Australian Mothers’ Union was formed in Cullenswood, Tasmania, in 1892, closely followed in South Australian 1895 when introduced by Lady Victoria Buxton and Dorothy Harmer – the wives of the Governor and the Anglican Bishop. Within five years there were 49 branches with 1,350 members across the state. By 1904, Unions had been established in all Australian states. In the early 1900s, the Union frequently co-operated with other Christian women’s organisations, and sometimes the National Councils of Women, in campaigns for political and social reforms. Early activities included, for example, campaigns for the provision of sex education for children, censorship of films and the Bush Nursing Service. Its national journal, Mothers in Australia (from 1945 Mianza and from 1960 Mia, Mia) was established in 1917. The Union’s literature includes reams of advice about child rearing. While promoting Christian women’s influence in the wider society, the Union did not support the idea of working women.

In 1974 Australia became the first overseas province to be granted autonomy. The Union changed its name to MU Australia in ??
In 2004, its objective were:
1. To uphold Christ’s teaching on the nature of marriage and to promote its understanding
2. To encourage parents to bring up their children in the faith and life of the Church;
3. To maintain a world wide fellowship of Christians united in prayer, worship, and service;
4. To promote conditions in society favourable to stable family life and the protection of children;
5. To help those whose family life has met with adversity.

In 2004 it claimed some 10,000 members and maintained 7 Departments: Education; Overseas and Northern Outreach; Promotion and Development; Prayer and Spirituality; Publication; Social Responsibility; Mia Mia (the newsletter of MU Australia). It also continues to work with Caritas groups (a previously semi-autonomous organisation within the church, organised at a parish level, and not to be confused with the Catholic aid organisation of the same name) to provide support for ‘lonely people.’ In 2004 the Worldwide Union had more than three million members in 71 countries-making it the largest voluntary worldwide women’s organisation.

Archival note:
While several archival collections relating to Mothers’ Union groups in Australia have been identified, many more undoubtedly exist in various local parish and Diocesan records which are currently unlisted. For a list of Anglican archives (incomplete) see:
http://www.anglican.org.au/community.cfm?SID=16&SSID=96&PID=154