Smith, Shirley (1924-1998), widely known by the nickname Mum Shirl, was an Australian social worker and activist. She is most famous for her work with prisoners, children, and Indigenous (native) people.
Colleen Shirley Perry was born on Nov. 22, 1924, in West Cowra, New South Wales. Perry was a member of the Wiradjuri people, the largest Aboriginal group in central New South Wales. She was born with epilepsy, though her condition was not understood and went untreated for many years. Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain characterized by sudden attacks, or seizures. Perry was raised by her grandparents. Perry’s struggles with epilepsy prevented her from completing her education, and she left school with little ability to read or write. At age 16, she met the Australian boxer Cecil Hazil, known professionally as Darcy Smith, and married him a short time later.
Smith’s first experience with the prison system came in the mid-1930’s, when her younger brother George Lawrence was sent to Long Bay Prison in Sydney. She routinely visited him and petitioned for his release. After Lawrence was released, Smith continued to visit the prison. Due to restrictions that only allowed family members to visit inmates, Smith regularly claimed to be the mother of whomever she was visiting at the time. This habit led to the nickname that she was known by for most of her life, Mum Shirl. Smith became a volunteer social worker for the prisons. Her support was so important that she was granted full access to all New South Wales prisons.
Smith later became involved in many other causes. Smith fostered more than 60 children over her lifetime. She cared for people experiencing addiction and homelessness, often bringing them into her own house. A devout Catholic, Smith worked with and advised the Archdiocese of Sydney on Aboriginal matters. Local police and the Child Welfare Department also relied on Smith’s assistance with the Aboriginal community.
In the 1970’s, several prominent Aboriginal organizations were founded with Smith’s help. These organizations included the Aboriginal Legal Service, the Aboriginal Medical Service, the Aboriginal Housing Company, and the Aboriginal Black Theatre. She became more active in politics during this period, advocating for better treatment of and land rights for Aboriginal peoples.
In 1977, Smith was inducted as a member of the Order of the British Empire. She collaborated with a ghostwriter on her 1981 memoir, Mum Shirl: An Autobiography. She received the Order of Australia in 1985 for her service to the Aboriginal community. Smith died on April 28, 1998.
