Central Office

MU/CO

Central Office

1886-1989

The role of the central office was not formally recognised until the end of the twentieth century. In 1994 the constitution incorporated it into the administrative structure of the organisation as part of the new Central and Financial Services Unit. Yet from 1896 there was a central secretary whose task was to provide the administrative backup for the organisation. As the organisation grew at home and throughout the world, more office space and support staff were required. The central office was responsible for: carrying out the business in connection with the Central Council and Executive Committee; correspondence from dioceses; and the organisation of the annual meeting and elections. The central office also undertook the administrative work of the President. Many of the presidents' correspondence files were kept separate from those which were created in the course of the general administrative business of the office (see MU/CO/PRES). This was so even though it was not until the presidency of Rachel Nugee that the Central President had her own secretary. In the case of Mary Sumner (see MU/CO/PRES/5 and 6) her correspondence was undertaken by herself or her own private secretary, not by MU employees. Much of the material among the Central Office files relates to central constitutional reform of the Mothers' Union. The first significant period of reform took place around 1910-1912, when the society was advised to seek Incorporation; the Mothers' Union was duly incorporated under the Companies Consolidation Act (1908) in 1912. In 1924 the decision was taken to apply for a royal charter, which necessitated a revision of the bye-laws and constitution. The Mothers' Union (Incorporated) was liquidised and was incorporated anew under royal charter in 1926. A third spell of reform occurred in the early 1970s following the Bishop of Willesden's Commission on the Objects and Policy of the Mothers' Union, whose report 'New Dimensions' was published in 1972. As a result of these constitutional changes, a supplemental royal charter was granted in 1974. [V. Lancaster, 'A Short History of the Mothers' Union'; MU/CO].

13 volumes, 287 files