The Mothers’ Union was founded in 1876 by Mary Sumner in Old Alresford. At first, it was a small local group created to help families teach Christian values at home. By the end of the 1800s, it had grown into a national organisation, and in 1926 it received a Royal Charter. Its early focus was supporting family life and helping parents raise children with strong moral guidance, all organised through local church groups.
When the Second World War began, the Mothers’ Union had to adapt quickly. Instead of focusing only on spiritual support, it became heavily involved in practical community work. Members helped welcome and settle evacuee children who had been moved from cities to the countryside. They also set up community kitchens and supported the “Make‑do and Mend” campaign, which encouraged people to repair clothes during wartime shortages.
The 1940s were also the decade when the Mothers’ Union became more active in national politics. Their campaigning helped influence the Family Allowances Act of 1945, which made sure that child benefit payments were given directly to mothers. This was a major step forward for women’s financial independence.
By the end of the decade, the Mothers’ Union had become both a faith‑based community and a powerful social network that could help shape national policy.