St Peter’s Anglican Church

Mary Sumner - August 9

Founder of the Mothers’ Union

It was in 1886, only one year after the Mothers’ Union had become organised on a diocesan basis in Winchester, England, that the Mothers’ Union in New Zealand began in the parish of Avonside, Christchurch. The vicar, Canon W. Pascoe, encouraged his wife to call a meeting of women to form a branch, the first formed outside England. By 1893 the Mothers’ Union was firmly established in New Zealand.

Mary Heywood was born on the last day of 1828. She was educated at home and married George Sumner in 1848. After a year in Crawley they moved to the rectory at Alresford, Hampshire. They had three children and entered fully into village life. Her own happy family life was significant for her idea of a Mothers’ Union. The nineteenth century was an era of societies, and the Sumners began several organisations in Alresford for the improvement of society. In 1876 Mary gathered together young women from the village for weekly classes in the rectory. She was determined to gather women from different social backgrounds, many of whom were unaware of the significance of baptism and were experiencing difficulties in teaching their children the Christian faith. Those attending the first meeting were invited to sign a card outlining a commitment to Christian parenthood. Read more...