Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Ida Muriel Brummitt
17th of August 1884 – 24th of October 1953
 

Ida Muriel Brummitt was born to a medical family on the 17th of August 1884, in Kooringa, Burra, about 180 km north-east of Adelaide (Jones, n.d.). Her father, Robert Brummitt, was the local doctor and her mother, Jane Brummitt (née Roach) was a nurse. She had two brothers, Robbie, and Elliott who both graduated as doctors (Peter Brummitt, 2004). The Brummitt family had an exciting life, often going on holidays. Ida was lively and played games such as soldiers and tigers with her brothers. She also kept a garden and was interested in animals (Jane Brummitt, n.d.). Ida was very bright and kind, she loved to help and give.
 
Unfortunately, Ida was a sickly child and often got fevers and illnesses, especially during the summer. As she got a older, she was sent on recovery trips to the sea, which was common at the time.
In 1888, Ida’s younger sister, Doris was born. She too was quite unhealthy and eventually died in 1889, which was tragic for the family (Jane Brummitt, 1888). Luckily, another sister, Mary Gladys was born in 1895, who was healthy and lived until old age (Jane Brummitt, 1895).
 
Ida started school at Burra Primary School, she was clever and did well in her exams (The Burra Record, page 3, 5 Jan,January 1898). However, the Burra summer often brought sickness for her (Jane Brummitt, 1989). Her family were Methodists and worked hard for the church. They often held Children’s Bazaars and fairs to raise money for different societies. Ida was incredibly involved in the 1894 fair. She helped run the stalls and in 1898 she was solely responsible for its organisation (The Burra Record, page 3, 5 Oct,October 1898). Ida was interested and charitable, receiving top marks in her 1898 exam and participating in charitable acts within her community (The Burra Record, page 3, 5 Jan,January 1898).
 
As Ida’s passion for community spirit, as well as her intelligence developed, her life became full and involved. However, later in 1898 Ida became sick again and her mother became increasingly worried for her health. She sent Ida off to Miss Thornber’s College, a boarding school in Adelaide. Ida became very homesick, and while she thrived academically, she was very distraught (Jane Brummitt, 1989). When she finished school, she spent three years training as a nurse at Adelaide Children’s Hospital. During her training she worked with the children and took them on excursions which she wrote about in the hospital papers (Ida Muriel Brummitt, 1911). Ida was a talented author, admired by those who read her work. She also studied as a non-graduating student at Adelaide University, which helped her in research toward future books and missions (Elliott Forsyth, 1994).
 
In 1900, Ida’s family decided to move to Medindie, North Adelaide (The Burra Record, n.d.). Then in 1912, she and her father went on a two-month tour of the missions in Fiji. Ida decided to write about her travels in an unpublished novel (Jones, n.d.). She was lively and genuinely excited about life and helping those around her. She often thought very deeply about interesting concepts and often suffered bouts of extreme hopelessness. She expresses in her novel, “The world was going wrong but the root of the matter I knew was in myself. I was feeling very lonely. Life ahead looked tame; ambition useless. Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly.” – Australian girl in Fiji. Despite this, Ida was enthusiastic, kind, and intelligent and desperately wanted to make her mark on the world.
 
 The opportunity came in 1914 when one of the most horrific battles in history broke out. The bloodstained fields and constant shooting spelled horror for millions across the globe. But Ida saw this as an opportunity to fulfil her ambitions. She found it difficult to enlist at first, because of an eye issue (National Archives of Australia, 1914). On the 15th of November 1915, Ida finally enlisted as an Australian Army nurse, initially working in Australia, helping returned injured soldiers and preparing equipment for the main battles. As she prepared to leave to go to the main fighting, her father suffered from a stroke and Ida decided to stay at home to care for him (Elliott Forsyth, 1994). Then later on the 10th of February 1918, Ida enlisted as a Staff Nurse with the First Australian Imperial Forces (AIF). She embarked on the HMAT Wiltshire, Sydney, a mere two days before the signing of the armistice (National Archives of Australia, 1914). Of course, when they arrived in India most of the fighting had stopped, however, during the last battles, many people were wounded. Ida served and cared for the injured and sick for the next two months. She gave vaccines, treated illnesses like the Spanish flu and smallpox. She was posted at many different hospitals like the Columba War hospital (National Archives of Australia, 1914). She planned to stay an additional year to help after the war, however, she suffered from a severe case of Typhoid fever which is a type of Salmonella infection. She got dangerously sick, so she had to return home (National Archives of Australia, 1914). After her return to Australia in 1919, Ida continued to care for her father. She was always eager to do her work and care for others, especially children (Peter Brummitt, 2004).
 
Ida married Samuel Forsyth, a widower with a 10-year-old son, Robert, and an unspecified daughter, on the 29th of March 1923. Originally from Ireland, he was a strong spirited Methodist and similarly invested in helping people. The family moved to Mount Gambier to welcome their son, Elliott Christopher on the 1st of February 1924 (Ida Muriel Forsyth, 1952). The family lived happily and busily for four years until Ida’s father died of a stroke on the 10th of January 1927 (The Burra Record, n.d.). In 1929, the pair took a 6-month tour of the British central missions. Ida was very enthusiastic about Samuel’s work and took part in everything he did (Ida Muriel Forsyth, 1952). Their family home in the Adelaide Hills was directly next to the children’s home, run by the Methodist Women’s Committee. Ida used to help care for the children and even taught them how to care for their gardens (Ida Muriel Forsyth, 1952). She was always caring and kind to these young people in need, especially as often their parents had died during the war. Throughout her lifetime, she also worked at an old age home. However, Ida’s journey did not stop here.
 
In 1929, when the Great Depression hit Australia, Ida and Samuel were devastated by the homeless masses. So, they had an idea to start their own village that could support these families, thus creating the Kuitpo colony. It was a self- sufficient area with a farm, forest, kitchens and even a school. Everyone helped each other to create their own mini city. To fund this settlement, they held fundraising events and items. For example, Ida along with her friend Mrs C. E Chapman created a Kuitpo colony cookbook which raised hundreds of pounds for Kuitpo (Ida Muriel Forsyth, 1952). Ida also organised the Pioneer ship races, which took place in 1936. It was a voting competition where twelve girls, descendants of leading pioneering families, constructed boats which represented their relatives. The event was broadcast over the radio and raised one thousand pounds for their growing colony (Ida Muriel Forsyth, 1952). Throughout the next decade they continued growing their village. Ida even wrote and published a Kuitpo newsletter which was distributed to raise money (Elliott Forsyth, 1994).
 
The pair worked for the church and dedicated their entire lives to Methodism. In 1943, during WW2, Samuel and Ida decided to speak on the 5KA and 5AU radio stations. These stations were especially for religious bodies and empowered these people to keep faith during WW2 (Ida Muriel Forsyth, 1952). Ida even started her own series, Between ourselves: a collection of broadcast talks, which were a comforting success (Elliott Forsyth, 1994).
 
In March of 1950, Ida and Samuel had spent much of their lives working for charity, which they both loved. Thus, they decided to tour America, Canada, England, and Scandinavia to understand the various methods of charity institutions, as well as to investigate the different missionary churches (Ida Muriel Forsyth, 1952). They enjoyed their trip and received a hearty welcome when they returned to Australia. Finally, after their lifetime of charity, Ida and her husband were growing old, so they decided to retire. In the following year, Ida wrote and published her husband’s biography, He came from Ireland. She decided to keep her contributions out of the text. Later her son authored an article about her, where he added; “Though very active, she maintained a low profile, and in her biography of her husband (He came from Ireland) says little about her own immense contribution to the success of his work.” – Elliott Forsyth (Elliott Forsyth, 1994)
 
Ida Muriel Forsyth died from a stroke on the 24th of October 1953 and was buried with her parents and husband at Payneham Cemetery (Peter Brummitt, 2004). Throughout her entire life she was kind, brave and never hesitated to defend and heal her country. Ida dedicated her entire life to helping others, she died never truly being recognised. However, despite the fact that Ida never received a medal, she made a heavy mark on the world and helped Australia get through the wars and Depression. The true meaning of being an ANZAC is to be loyal, brave and to defend our country in mate-ship. Ida spent her entire life proving this. She will always be an unrecorded ANZAC, but with the true ANZAC spirit.
 
Lest We Forget.
 
 
 
‌ Bibliography
Brummitt, E. (ND) Australian dictionary of evangelical biography - forsyth, Ida  (Mmuriel) (née Brummitt) (1884-1953), Australian Dictionary of Evangelical Biography - FORSYTH, Ida (Muriel) (née BRUMMITT) (1884-1953). Available at: https://sites.google.com/view/australian-dictionary-of-evang/f/forsyth-ida-muriel-n%C3%A9e-brummitt-1884-1953 [Accessed: 16 April 2023]
 
Brummitt, J., Brummitt, B. and Brummitt, P. (2004) The diary of Jane Roach/Brummitt, 1874-1900. Leabrook, S. Aust.: Bob and Peter Brummitt. State Library of South Australia. [Accessed: 16 April 2023]
 
Burra Record (1884) ‘Birth’, 19 August, pp.2-2 , Trove. Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/4742036 [Accessed: 26 March 2023]
 
Burra Record (1894) ‘A Children’s Bazaar’, 10 October, pp. 3–3. Trove. Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/4753746[Accessed: 26 March 2023]
 
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Forsyth, I.M. (1933). National waste and Kuitpo Industrial Colony. [online] Trove. Available at:  https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2685512037/view?partId=nla.obj-2685512174#page/n0/mode/1up [Accessed: 16 April 2023].
 
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Forsyth, I.M (1952),  He came from Ireland, State Library of South Australia. [Accessed: 10 April 2023]  
 
Jones, H. (n.d.). Forsyth, Ida Muriel (1884–1953). [online] Australian Dictionary of Biography. Available at: https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/forsyth-ida-muriel-12924. [Accessed: 15 March 2023]  
  
‌ Muriel, I. and William, D. (n.d.). our past President 1900 -1901 Elliott Arthur (1880 -1934) Military Service AWM, Military Service RSL Obituary Robert Douglas GP. [online] Available at: https://amasahistoricalcommittee.files.wordpress.com/2019/01/brummitt_family-1.pdf.[Accessed: 15 March 2023]  
 
memories.net. (2022). Ida Muriel BRUMMITT Memories Timeline. [online] Available at: https://memories.net/timeline/idamuriel-brummitt-96072 [Accessed 16 May 2023]. 
 
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