The British Spiritualists’ National Union (SNU) is one of the largest Spiritualist organizations in the world and is the recognized national body of Spiritualism in the United Kingdom. It was founded in July, 1890, in Manchester, England, as the Spiritualists’ National Federation. It was founded by Emma Hardinge Britten, who had started Two Worlds magazine three years earlier. The Union has been legally recognized by the British Home Office as an appointing body for Spiritualist Ministers since 1939. In 1948, the SNU merged with the British Lyceum Union. This had been founded in 1890 for the Spiritualist education of youth and children.
The Union is made up of affiliated Churches, individual members, and Mission Churches. The basis of the “Seven Principles of Spiritualism” adopted by the Union as its religious philosophy was communicated in 1871 by Robert Owen, through Emma Hardinge Britten’s mediumship. The first President was W. Johnson, though in 1891—when it was still the Spiritualists’ National Federation—the President was J. B. M’Indoe with Hannen Swaffer named Honorary President.
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