SHELLEY, Nancy Jean

Family Name:

Shelley

Given Names:

Nancy Jean

Gender:

Female

Birth-Date:

1 March 1926

Death-Date:

28 September 2010

Marital Status:

Married, Separated

Age Range:

50s-80s

Location:

VIC North Carlton, United Kingdom, Canberra, Blue Mountains, NSW.

Occupation:

Teacher, Singer

Primary Motivation:

Peace, non-violence, anti-militarism especially nuclear armament

Reason for Court Appearance:

Court Name and Location:

Court Hearing Date:

Court Outcome:

Military Event:

Anti-nuclear armament and nuclear power

Further Information:

Nancy Jean Shelley was born in North Carlton, an inner suburb of Melbourne on 1 March 1926. She was educated at Princes Hill state school, Presbyterian Ladies College (PLC) and Melbourne University. She was dux of PLC in 1943. She graduated from University with a Bachelor of Arts, with a major in Mathematics. She married in December 1947 but separated during 1952. She travelled to the United Kingdom (UK) where she taught at the secondary level. She also had teaching lessons with Elena Gerhardt and gave a number of recitals. She also played the piano, violin and recorder. She returned to Australia during 1963 and resumed her teaching career. From 1973 to 1977 she was employed at La Trobe University in Melbourne as a Senior Teacher and Research Fellow. She then moved to Canberra TAFE in 1978-1979. Nancy joined the Society of Friends (Quakers) in the early 60s when in the UK. She then joined other friends’ meetings when she returned to Australia.

The Quakers are what are often referred to as an historic peace church. One that opposes all war and militarism, that is pacifism. So, it is not surprising that Nancy should be a peace activist. She also worked for gender equality and indigenous rights. Over many decades, especially during the 1980s and 1990s, she wrote many letters to politicians advocated for peace and against militarism, especially nuclear armaments. Jackie Perkins quoted Nancy in her peace testimony that, peace means casting out fear with love, and through love finding our way to other hearts at a point in them beyond weakness and strength; peace is loving our enemies, and thereby changing the relationship.

During the 1980s it was a time of protest demonstration against nuclear power and nuclear armaments. Nancy was very active in this and other causes. She spoke to politicians and the military. She recognised that peace requires action, not passivity, and that the concept of peace is overcoming all forms of violence, not simply the absence of war. During 1982 Nancy attended the second United Nations Special Session on Disarmament in New York, on behalf of the Program for Peace Committee based in Canberra. She attended numerous meetings and rallies for peace and against all forms of violence. She attended the Women’s Peace Camp at Pine Gap. She wrote a background paper during 1988 for the National Council of Churches in Australia, on the war and violence in Shri Lanka. Her work was recognised with an award of the Order of Australia in 1989.

During 1990 she edited a document called, Whither Australia? A Response to Australia’s Current Defence Policy. It was a contribution to the debate over a newly militarized policy for Australia. She was especially disturbed by a blurring of the boundaries between militarism and humanitarian aid. During November 1991 the nation’s capital hosted the Australian International Defence Equipment Exhibition (AIDEX). Not surprisingly it attracted criticism and opposition. Nancy believed that the media did not give balance to the opposition views which left people feeling impotent and bewildered. As a response she interviewed and recorded many of their stories. This was published in Piecing it Together: Hearing the Stories and AIDEX 91’.

The theme of peace and Australia‘s role the World Trade Organisation was explored by her in the 1997 booklet. The Future: Where are we being taken? Is it where we want to go? In another publication Nancy combined her two great passions peace and mathematics, My Journey through Mathematics with Peace. During this time, Nancy was active in the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. During 2003 she was acknowledged as a Citizen of Humanity by the National Committee on Human Rights Education. Roderic Pitty also wrote a chapter on her in the book Global Citizens: Australian Activists for Change.

Nancy passed away on 28 September 2010. Her great legacy lives on, not the least in the Nancy Shelley Bequest Fund which was established in 2013. Individuals and organisation can apply for funds towards projects or activities dear to her heart. In particular, peace, indigenous concerns, women’s education and leadership, especially in the fields in music and mathematics.

Confirmatory Sources:

Jackie Perkins, The Testimony to the Grace of God in the life of Nancy Shelley of Blue Mountains Local Meeting, 5 February 2011. https://www.quakersaustralia.info/resources/quaker-biographies accessed 5 February 2024.

Pitty, R. (2008). Nancy Shelley: Empowerment through Peace Education. In Geoffrey Stokes, Roderic Pitty and Gary Smith (eds), Global Citizens, Australian Activists for Change, (pp. 80 – 99). Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.

https://australianfriend.org/the-nancy-shelley-bequest-fund-journey-a-reflection-on-our-first-three-years/ accessed 5 February 2024.

Nancy Shelley

Courtesy: The Australian Friend, 3 December 2017.