Brennan, Anna Teresa (1879-1962)

Field of activity
Lawyer; Catholic lay leader; social reformer; solicitor; women's activist
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-754053

Biographies

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

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Resources for Anna Teresa Brennan

Selected resources (11)

Australian Dictionary of Biography Online

  1. 'Brennan, Anna Teresa (1879 - 1962)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 7, p. 395.
    Ruth Campbell, Margaret Morgen
    [1979]
    Published: Melbourne University Press

Australian Women's Register

  1. Tributes to a Medical Missionary Pioneer: Dr Mary Glowrey (Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart) - First C.W.S.G. PresidentThe Horizon July 4; 11 : Tributes to a Medical Missionary Pioneer: Dr Mary Glowrey (Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart) - First C.W.S.G. President
    Brennan, Anna T
    [1957]
  2. Anna Brennan…the Valiant WomanThe Horizon February 3 : Anna Brennan…the Valiant Woman
    Blackall, Alice
    [1963]
  3. Brennan, Anna Teresa (1879-1962)Australian Dictionary of Biography Online 07 : Brennan, Anna Teresa (1879-1962)
    Campbell, Ruth and Morgan, Margaret
    [2006]
    Published: Australian National University
    Series: http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A070404b.htm
  4. Horizon in retrospect, 1916-1986
    [1985]
    Published: Catholic Women's League Committee
  5. The Lyceum Club, Melbourne 1912-1962.
    Gillison, Joan
    [1962]
    Published: The Lyceum Club
  6. 200 Australian Women: A Redress Anthology
    Radi, Heather
    [1988]
    Published: Women's Redress Press
  7. The University of Melbourne Archives: Princess Ida Club (1888 - 1915)
    Minute book containing club rules and reports of meetings July 1888 - April 1894; correspondence 1914-1915.
    88/168
  8. The University of Melbourne Archives: Princess Ida Club (1895 - 1915)
    Minutes 1897-1915; reports 1895-1912; club notices 1897-1907; correspondence 1896-1915; membership lists; rules
    63/30
  9. Women's Library: Records of the St Joan's International Alliance (1911 - 1994)
    St Joan's Social and Political Alliance: minutes of the committee and annual general meeting (1911-1952, 1958-1976); Annual General meeting report (1912, 1913, 1915, 1946) and attendance sheets (1946), agendas and draft minutes (1966- 1979), agendas and other papers (1980-3, 1988-90); Accounts: annual (1967-1983), cash book (1958-1973), petty cash book (1955-1973, 1980-1983), miscellaneous accounts ([1945], 1981-1983); membership mailing lists c1950-1990; biographical notes on members (1940-1984); notices of meetings and circulars; reports of meetings including northern branch (1973-1983), minutes and agendas of Merseyside branch (1959-1961); notes of arrangements for the papal visit and press realease; newsletters, publicity leaflets, booklets, sample stationery; newspapers, menus, ephemera. St Joan's International Alliance: Council meetings minutes, programmes, reports, papers, accounts, correspondence, resolutions (1968-1991); reports, correspondence and papers of committee and other meetings (1965-1966, 1978, 1981-1984, 1985, 1987-9); copies of constitutions, by-laws and papers on amendments (c.1970-1982); newsletters, leaflets; correspondence files of officials (1969-1985); general correspondence.St Joan's Quincentenary Appeal, booklet, and autograph volumes; awards certificates etc.
    GB 0106 2/SJA
  10. State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection: Papers and history of the Lyceum Club (1970 - 1975)
    "Not a grey hair among us", a brief history of the foundation and development of the Lyceum Club of Melbourne in the years 1912-1959, a talk given to "The Catalysts", Lyceum Club, 15 September 1970, by Joan Gillison. Also, notes and correspondence of Joan Gillison, 1970-1975, relating to the Lyceum Club.
    MS 9182

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  2. Brennan, Keith Gabriel (1915-1985)
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  1. Website: 200 Australian Women
    www.200australianwomen.com
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  3. Website: Australian Women's Archives Project
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  1. Historical Faculty Files
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  4. Executive Changes
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  1. A LADY BARRISTER SUCCESSFUL MELBOURNE LADY. MELBOURNE, August 1.
    The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933) Wednesday 2 August 1911 p 5 Article
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