M U Australia. (1892-)

Function
Social support organisation
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-636237

Biographies

M U Australia (known for most of its history as the Mothers' Union) is part of the worldwide Mothers’ Union which is an organisation within the Anglican Church. First established in England in 1876, its early objectives were: 1. To awaken in all mothers a sense of their great responsibility in the training of their boys and girls—the fathers and mothers of the future. 2. To organise in every place a band of mothers who will unite and prayer and seek by their example to lead their families in purity and holiness in life. The first Australian Mothers’ Union was formed in Cullenswood, Tasmania, in 1892. The movement spread quickly across the country, becoming a major organisation both for Anglican women and within the broader women's movement in the years up to 1960. Apart from Christian outreach, the Union has been involved in wide range of social and political reform activities, mostly relating to the welfare of women and children, as well as charitable work.

The first Mothers' Union was formed in 1876 by Mary Sumner in Old Arlesford, 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 intorduced 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

View the full record at Australian Women's Register

Related people and organisations

Resources for M U Australia.

Selected resources (40)

Australian Women's Register

  1. Mia-miaThe Mothers' Union Magazine/The magazine of the Mothers' Union in Australia : Mia-mia
    [1960-]
    Published: Mothers' Union
  2. Homes are divine workshopsWomen, class and history: feminist perspectives on Australia, 1788-1978 Elizabeth Windschuttle 173-191 : Homes are divine workshops
    Willis, Sabine
    [1980]
    Published: Fontana/Collins
  3. Militant Mothers: Faith, Power and Identity: The Mother's Union in Sydney, 1896-1950Women's History Review 9 1 35-53 : Militant Mothers: Faith, Power and Identity: The Mother's Union in Sydney, 1896-1950
    O'Brien, Anne
    [2000]
  4. Education for life : the 2nd Mary Sumner lecture / [Helen Granowski]
    Granowski, Helen Barbara
    [1985]
    Published: Anglican Church of Australia. Diocese of Melbourne. Mothers' Union.
  5. Woman, save the world: an Anglican response to late nineteenth century domestic violenceLucas 17 47-66 : Woman, save the world: an Anglican response to late nineteenth century domestic violence
    Gray, John
    [1994]
  6. In Pursuit of True Anglican Womanhood in Victoria, 1880-1914Women's History Review 2 3 331-347 : In Pursuit of True Anglican Womanhood in Victoria, 1880-1914
    Grimshaw, Patricia
    [1993]
  7. The on-going story of the Mothers' Union in the Diocese of Sydney since 1896
    Oates, Lorna and Jackson, Sally
    [1996]
    Published: Mothers' Union in the Diocese of Sydney
  8. Annual report / The Mothers' Union, Diocese of Sydney
    The Mothers' Union, Diocese of Sydney
    [1895]
    Published: The Mothers' Union, Diocese of Sydney
  9. A history of the Mothers' Union in Australia
    Matheson, Avis
    [1992]
    Published: Mothers' Union in Australia
  10. Mary Sumner and the Mothers' Union: A brief account of the story
    Lee, Erna
    [1995]
    Published: Mothers' Union in Australia
  11. Members of the Robe Mothers' UnionSA Memory: South Australia Past and Present, For the Future State Library of South Australia : Members of the Robe Mothers' Union
    [2006]
    Published: Government of South Australia
    Series: http://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?c=465
  12. Yesterday's tomorrow : where goes the family
    Murray, Kemeri
    [1979]
    Published: Mothers' Union, Diocese of Melbourne
  13. Helpmeets and heroines : women and the history of Australian evangelicalism
    Piggin, Stuart
    [1988]
    Published: Mothers' Union of Wollongong
  14. Hearts, hands and voices: Celebrating the Mothers' Union, Diocese of Perth, Western Australia centenary, 1898-1998: The history
    Howard-Wright, Miriam
    [1999]
    Published: Hawthorn Press
  15. The inaugural meeting of the Australian Central Council of the Mothers' Union
    Mothers' Union, Australian Central Council
    [1926]
    Published: Mothers' Union, Australian Central Council
  16. The Mothers' Union in Australia [a brief record, 1892-1964.
    Powell, Gladys Muriel
    [1964]
    Published: Mothers' Union
  17. The Mothers' Union jubilee book, 1898-1948
    [1948]
    Published: Western Australia, Dioceses of Perth, North-West, Bunbury
  18. The Mothers' Union jubilee book : Diocese of Adelaide, South Australia, 1895-1945
    [1945]
    Published: Diocese of Adelaide, Mothers' Union,
  19. The Mothers' Union jubilee book: Diocese of Melbourne, Victoria, 1896-1946
    [1946]
    Published: Diocese of Melbourne, Mothers' Union
  20. [Conference report] / Australian Commonwealth Council, Mothers' Union
    Mothers' Union. Australian Commonwealth Council.
    [1940]
    Published: Mothers' Union. Australian Commonwealth Council
  21. Anglicanism and Gender IssuesAnglicanism in Australia: A History Kaye, Bruce, et al. : Anglicanism and Gender Issues
    O'Brien, Anne
    [2002]
    Published: Melbourne University Press
  22. The history of the Mothers' Union in the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn, 1895-1995
    Taber, Stella
    [1995]
    Published: Mothers' Union in the Diocese of Canberra
  23. Sex education debates and the modest mother in Australia, 1890s to the 1930sWomen's History Review [Great Britain] 8 2 311-327 : Sex education debates and the modest mother in Australia, 1890s to the 1930s
    Warne, Ellen
    [1999]
  24. Prowlers in the darkened cinema: Australian church women's associations and the arrival of the motion picture in Australia.Journal of Interdisciplinary Gender Studies 5 1 78-97 : Prowlers in the darkened cinema: Australian church women's associations and the arrival of the motion picture in Australia.
    Warne, Ellen
    [2000]
  25. Records and Archives Centre, Anglican Diocese of Brisbane: Mothers' Union, Diocese of Brisbane
    The large collection of archives of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane includes records of numerous local Mother's Unions. The collection is fully listed and indexed and Mother's Union records will be found under M U Australia. The listing and index is available online at: http://www.anglicanbrisbane.gil.com.au/thediocese/archives/HDMS-HTML/HDMS.htm
  26. Archives Office of Tasmania: Mothers' Union, St Paul’s Anglican Church, Dover (1926 - 1949)
    Minutes, 1926-1949.
    NS 1212/6 and NS 1512/14
  27. Archives Office of Tasmania: Mothers’ Union, St John’s Church, New Town (1918 - 1966)
    Minutes, 1918-1942, 1956-1966.
    NS 656/58-60
  28. Archives Office of Tasmania: Mothers’ Union, St John the Baptist Church, Hobart (1905 - 1973)
    Minutes, 1905-1935, 1944-1973; reports, 1951-1960; annual reports, 1970-71 and 1971-72.
    NS 1241/53-55, 67
  29. Archives Office of Tasmania: Mothers’ Union, St Mary’s Church of England, Moonah (1918 - 1990)
    Minutes, 1918-1990
    NS 1253/67-73
  30. Archives Office of Tasmania: Mothers' Union St Wilfrid’s Church (1959 - 1993)
    Minutes, 1959-1993; cash books, 1961-1993.
    NS 1666/54-58
  31. Archives Office of Tasmania: Mothers' Union, St Peter’s Anglican Church, Geeveston (1914 - 1989)
    Minutes, 1914-1929; Minutes 1929-1990; financial records, 1914-1977; miscellaneous newsletters and history of the Union, 1971, 1974-1976, 1987-1989; The Mothers’ Union Prayer Book; scrapbook, 1985-1989; Mama Mia, The Official Organ of the Mothers’ Union in Australia and Tasmania, August 1989.
    NS 1212/4 and 1512/1-13
  32. Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales: Mothers' Union, Saint Augustine's Church (Stanmore, N.S.W) (1936 - 1951)
    Minute book (Non-official), 14 May 1935-6 June 1950; miscellaneous papers, 1946; Ledger, 2 June 1936-June 1951.
    ML MSS 6238/40/1 and ML MSS 6238/42/3
  33. Charles Sturt University Regional Archives: Coolamon Mothers' Union, St. Andrew's Parish (1947 - 1985)
    Records, 1947-1985.
    RW1535
  34. Anglican Diocese of Melbourne: Mothers' Union, Anglican Diocese of Melbourne (1896 - 1975?)
    Hodings include:annual reports, including branch reports, 1896-1975; The Leaflet (the magazine of the Mothers’ Union) 1924-1934; published histories.
  35. Archives Rare Books and Special Collections Unit, Auchmuty Library, University of Newcastle: Mothers' Union, Raymond Terrace Parish
    Minute book, 1939 - 1952.
    B9677-B9678
  36. Archives Rare Books and Special Collections Unit, Auchmuty Library, University of Newcastle: Mothers' Union, St James' Parish Wickham (1904 - 1960)
    Miscellaneous papers.
    A7747(iv)
  37. Anglican Church Diocese of Grafton: Mothers' Union, Parish of Casino, Anglican Church of Australia (1941 - 1973)
    Minutes, 1941 1973.
  38. Anglican Church Diocese of Grafton: Cathedral Mothers Union, Grafton Cathedral Parish, Anglican Church of Australia (1946 - 1986)
    Minutes, 1946-1981.
  39. Anglican Church Diocese of Grafton: South Lismore Mothers Union, Parish of Lismore, Anglican Church of Australia (1937 - 1957)
    Minutes, 1937 - 1957
  40. Archives Office of Tasmania: Mothers’ Union, Church of St Barnabus, Scottsdale (1948 - 1981)
    Minutes, 1948-1951, 1973-1981.
    NS 1703/53-55

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