BRENNAN, ANNA TERESA (1879-1962), lawyer, was born on 2 September 1879 at Emu
Creek, Victoria, thirteenth child of Michael Brennan, farmer, and his wife Mary,
née Maher. Anna was born into a household devoutly Catholic and intellectually
stimulating, conducive to social conscience and individual achievement. Several of
her brothers enjoyed distinguished careers, notably Thomas and Frank in both law
and politics, and William in journalism. She attended the co-educational St
Andrew's College, Bendigo, and in 1903 continued to drive daily by buggy to a
coaching college some ten miles distant. Her brothers encouraged her to take up a
profession, and as each in turn was supported financially by the others throughout
his studies, so was she. She entered the University of Melbourne in 1904 to study
medicine but 'was ploughed', being 'too nervous to do the dissections'. In 1906
she began a law course and graduated in 1909. In 1904 she had joined the Princess
Ida Club for women students, held office in 1907-09 and remained on the committee
until 1913; she represented the club on the National Council of Women in 1912.
View the full record at
Australian Dictionary of Biography Online
Anna Brennan, member of a talented Victorian family, was a devout Catholic who actively pursued the cause of women's equality throughout her life. She was the first woman to graduate in law at the University of Melbourne in 1909 and practised as a solicitor in her brother's legal firm for fifty years. She was a foundation member of the Lyceum Club in 1912 and president from 1940-41.The Victorian Legal Women's Association was established in 1931 with Brennan serving as president. A founding committee member of the Catholic Women's Social Guild in 1916, later the Catholic Women's League, she served as president from 1918-1920. She joined the Victorian branch of St Joan's International Alliance, holding the office of president from 1938-1945 and again in 1948 until her death in 1962.
Anna Brennan was the thirteenth child of Michael Brennan, farmer and his wife Mary nee Maher. She commenced medical studies at the University of Melbourne in 1904, but was not permitted to continue as she was 'too nervous to do the dissections'. She commenced the law course in 1906, graduating in 1909. At the university she became a member of the Princess Ida Club for women students, was an office bearer from 1907-1909 and remained a committee member until 1913. She represented the Princess Ida Club on the national Council of Women in 1912
She became a partner in her brother Frank's firm, specialising in the matrimonial field and campaigned for more equitable laws in relation to divorce. She was the second woman in Victoria to be admitted to practice.
Her commitment to her Catholic faith was evident in her involvement with the Catholic Women's Social Guild, lecturing and writing for its publications Women's Social Work and its successor Horizon.
Joan of Arc was an inspiration to her and she joined the forerunner of the St Joan's International Alliance, the Catholic Women's Suffrage Society in London. She was an inaugural member of the Victorian chapter of the St Joans' International Alliance when it was established in 1936 and was president from 1938-45 and 1948-62.
View the full record at
Australian Women's Register