The Scottish Mothers' Union (SMU) had its origins in meetings addressed in 1888 by Mrs Mary Summer, who had founded the [English] Mothers' Union (1876), and the first branch was established at Dunblane in August 1890. The SMU adopted the 'Three Central Objects' of the Mothers' Union the 'first principle' of which was the sanctity of marriage. It was a Christian inter-denominational organisation organised on a county basis in Scotland and having at its height many affiliated overseas branches in the commonwealth and overseas. The SMU was dissolved in 1983, most of its active branches affiliating to the Mothers' Union. Further information on the history and organisation of the SMU may be found in Acc.9008/29 and other files in that section (25-30) of the collection.