Vegetarian Society
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The Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom (VSUK) is a British registered charity. It campaigns for dietary changes, licenses Vegetarian Society Approved trademarks for vegetarian and vegan products, runs a cookery school and lottery, and organises National Vegetarian Week in the UK.
In the 19th century, various groups in Britain promoted meat-free diets, leading to the formation of the Vegetarian Society in 1847, which later split into the Manchester and London Vegetarian Societies in 1888 before reuniting in 1969, registering as a charity, and continued advocating for vegetarianism through public education and influencing food producers.
Focus areas and activities
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The Vegetarian Society campaigns to encourage dietary changes, reduce meat consumption, and assist policymakers in developing a more compassionate food system.<ref name="VegetarianSocietyAnnualReport">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1969, the Society introduced the Vegetarian Society Approved trademark.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It launched a Vegetarian Society Approved vegan trademark in 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The trademarks are licensed to companies to display on products which contain only vegetarian or vegan ingredients, and also that nothing non-vegetarian or non-vegan was used during the production process. These trademarks can be seen on products in shops and supermarkets and also on dishes in restaurants.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2022 McDonald's launched their McPlant burger across the UK which is accredited with the Vegetarian Society Approved vegan trademark.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
National Vegetarian Week is the charity's flagship event.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It started in 1992 as a single day and was expanded into a full week.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Vegetarian Society Cookery School runs leisure classes in vegetarian and vegan cooking. It collaborates with various charities and community groups to provide tailored cookery courses. The school offers training for professional chefs and individuals seeking new careers in the food sector through its Professional Chef's Diploma program.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
History
19th century
Template:See also In the 19th century, a number of groups in Britain actively promoted and followed meat-free diets. Key groups involved in the formation of the Vegetarian Society were members of the Bible Christian Church, supporters of the Concordium, and readers of the Truth-Tester journal.<ref name="ivuvs">Template:Cite web</ref>
Bible Christian Church
The Bible Christian Church was founded in 1809 in Salford by Reverend William Cowherd after a split from the Swedenborgians. One distinctive feature of the Bible Christians was a belief in a meat-free diet, or ovo-lacto vegetarianism, as a form of temperance.<ref name="thesis">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Concordium (Alcott House)
The Concordium was a boarding school near London on Ham Common, Richmond, Surrey, which opened in 1838. Pupils at the school followed a diet completely free of animal products, known today as a vegan diet. The Concordium was also called Alcott House, in honour of American education and food reform advocate Amos Bronson Alcott.<ref name="ivuvs" /> In 1843, members of Alcott House created the British and Foreign Society for the Promotion of Humanity and Abstinence from Animal Food, led by Sophia Chichester, a wealthy benefactor of Alcott House.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Truth-Tester and Physiological Conference, 1847
The Truth-Tester was a journal which published material supporting the temperance movement. In 1846 the editorship was taken over by William Horsell, operator of the Northwood Villa Hydropathic Institute in Ramsgate. Horsell gradually steered the Truth-Tester towards promotion of the "Vegetable Diet". In early 1847 a letter to the Truth-Tester proposed the formation of a Vegetarian Society. In response to this letter, William Oldham held what he called a "physiological conference" in July 1847 at the Concordium. Up to 130 attended, including Bible Christian James Simpson, who presented a speech. The conference passed a number of resolutions, including a resolution to reconvene at the end of September.<ref name="ivuvs" />
Ramsgate Conference, 1847
On 30 September 1847 the meeting which had been planned at the Physiological Conference took place at Northwood Villa Hydropathic Institute in Ramsgate.<ref name="vseh">Template:Cite web</ref> Joseph Brotherton, MP for Salford, and a Bible Christian chaired. James Simpson was elected president of the society, Concordist William Oldham elected treasurer, and Truth-Tester editor William Horsell elected secretary.<ref>Spencer, Colin. Vegetarianism: A History. Four Walls Eight Windows, 2000. pp. 238–246.</ref> The name "Vegetarian Society" was chosen for the new organisation by a unanimous vote.<ref name="vseh" />
After Ramsgate
The Vegetarian Society's first full public meeting was held in Manchester the following year, attracting 265 members aged 14 to 76, with 232 attending the dinner following the meeting.<ref name="vseh" /> By 1853, it had 889 members.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1849, members in London met and resolved to promote vegetarianism in the capital. In September, they launched The Vegetarian Messenger, priced at one penny, with a monthly circulation of almost 5,000 copies.<ref name="vseh" /> The society made publications available on the subject, sometimes with accompanying lectures.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
Following the deaths of Simpson, Brotherton, and their American colleague Alcott, the vegetarian movement experienced a sharp decline. Membership numbers fell significantly during the 1860s and 1870s, with only 125 members remaining by 1870.<ref name="Spencer" />
London Food Reform Society
The London Food Reform Society (LFRS), founded in 1875 with the help of Martin Nunn, an advocate of cooperation and industrial reform, held free bi-monthly lectures and debates at Franklin Hall, attracting increasing audiences due to support from eager young men and notable food reformers.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite book</ref> John E. B. Mayor served as its president and was succeeded by W. J. Monk, when Mayor became president of the Vegetarian Society.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The LFRS's Food Reform Magazine subtly criticised the Vegetarian Society in Manchester for not being supportive enough. While Manchester believed its organisation was sufficient, London vegetarians, often recent converts, disagreed and considered relocating the national offices to London.<ref name=":2" />
Debates in 1882 and 1883 on expanding to a national scope faced criticism due to potential hostility and funding issues. The LFRS briefly renamed itself the National Food Reform Society until October 1885 when the Vegetarian Society paid its debts and made it an auxiliary in London. This led to the loss of the LFRS's subscription list interest, office closure, and establishment of an independent auxiliary.<ref name=":2" /> In 1888 the auxiliary regained its independence as the London Vegetarian Society.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Dietary policy debates and growth
From its inception, the Vegetarian Society was significantly influenced by members of the Bible Christian Church in Salford, who supported the inclusion of eggs, dairy products, and honey in the vegetarian diet based on biblical teachings. The Church did not advocate for the reduction or elimination of these animal-derived products.<ref name="Henry S. Salt IVU"/>
In the early 1850s, the London Vegetarian Association (LVA) was established as a local branch of the Vegetarian Society and became associated with a form of vegetarianism that excluded animal products such as eggs and dairy. Led by William Horsell, a former secretary of the national Society, the LVA was influenced by the Alcott House community, which had promoted a plant-based diet. This approach differed from the ovo-lacto vegetarianism supported by many Society members in Manchester, including those affiliated with the Bible Christian Church. In 1856, Horsell was replaced by a secretary more aligned with the national leadership, and the LVA appears to have declined shortly thereafter. The group is considered an early example of differing views within the British vegetarian movement regarding the inclusion of animal-derived foods.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Henry Stephens Salt argued in his 1886 work A Plea for Vegetarianism that the primary aim of vegetarians should be the abolition of flesh-meat, while also acknowledging that dairy products and eggs were unnecessary and could be dispensed with in the future. Salt emphasised a focus on avoiding unhealthy, expensive, and unwholesome foods, rather than solely eliminating animal products.<ref name="Henry S. Salt IVU">Template:Cite web</ref>
Francis William Newman served as president of the Vegetarian Society from 1873 to 1883.<ref name="Puskar-Pasewicz">Template:Cite book</ref> He made an associate membership possible for people who were not completely vegetarian, such as those who ate chicken or fish.<ref name="Spencer" /> Newman was critical of raw food vegetarianism which he rejected as fanatical.<ref name="Spencer" /> He believed that abstinence from meat, fish and fowl should be the only thing the Society advocates and that it should not be associated with other reform ideas.<ref name="Spencer" /><ref name="Hsin-Yi 2013">Template:Cite journal</ref> He was also against the abandonment of salt and seasonings.<ref name="Spencer" />
Under Newman's presidency the Society flourished as income, associates and members increased.<ref name="Hsin-Yi 2013" /> From 1875 to 1896 membership for the Society rose to 2,159 and associate membership 1,785.<ref name="Spencer" /> Around 1897 its membership was about 5,000.<ref>Thomas, Keith (1984) Man and the Natural World. Changing Attitudes in England 1500–1800, p. 297.</ref> In regard to the associate membership, Newman commented:<ref name="Hsin-Yi 2013" />
Manchester and London Vegetarian Societies
Relations between the Society in Manchester and the London branch were strained due to differing definitions of vegetarianism<ref name="Puskar-Pasewicz" /> and conflicts over required approval of "advanced" literature by the Society.<ref name=":2" /> In 1888, the London branch split, forming the London Vegetarian Society (LVS),<ref name="Spencer">Template:Cite book</ref> also known as the London Vegetarian Association.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After this, the Vegetarian Society was often referred to as the Manchester Vegetarian Society (MVS).<ref name="Puskar-Pasewicz" />
The first President of the LVS was raw food advocate Arnold Hills, and other members included Thomas Allinson and Mahatma Gandhi.<ref name="Puskar-Pasewicz" /> Members of the LVS were considered more radical than the MVS.<ref name="Spencer" />
The newly independent society's ambitions were laid out in its journal, The Vegetarian, funded by Arnold Hills. Despite challenges, optimism prevailed with plans for a Charing Cross Vegetarian Hotel and Restaurant. Several branches existed, attracting new members in Oxford, Nottingham, Brighton, Guildford, and Reading. In 1889, the LVS and Vegetarian offices moved to the Congregational Memorial Hall, becoming a hub for reform activities.<ref name=":2" /> The movement's growth led to specialist societies for children, athletes, and others, with vegetarian restaurants serving as meeting places. In 1889, the LVS created a national Vegetarian Federal Union, despite controversy from the MVS. By 1901, 21 societies had been established, coordinated from 1895 by the LVS.<ref name=":2" />
20th century
In 1907, James Christopher Street, J. Stenson Hooker, Ernest Nyssens and Eustace Miles were speakers at the 60th Anniversary of the Vegetarian Society in Manchester.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1920, the MVS hosted a summer school at Arnold House, Llanddulas, attracting around 70 attendees each week. Both societies organised holidays and outings for vegetarians, with the MVS's May meetings remaining popular annual events well after World War II.<ref name=":4" />
World War I was a challenging period for vegetarians; no allowance was made for vegetarians in the armed forces.<ref name=":4" />
During World War II, the Committee of Vegetarian Interests was established, comprising members from the two Vegetarian Societies, health food manufacturers, and retailers, to negotiate with the Ministry of Food.<ref name=":4" /> During WWII, the blockade of the UK lead to food shortages, and the government became intimately involved in the diet of the civilian population. Food was rationed, with ration coupons becoming a second currency needed to buy all rationed goods.<ref name="veg"/> Vegetarians were well-catered for. Anyone who registered as vegetarian with their local Food Office got special ration books. These had no meat ration; instead, there were more ration coupons for cheese, eggs, and nuts. There were about 100,000 people officially registered as vegetarians in the UK during WWII.<ref name="veg">Template:Cite news</ref>
Meat rations during the war were very small (in order to increase the food supply; see trophic level). Many meals had to be vegetarian, and the government promoted vegetarian recipes. The whole population ate much more cereals and vegetables, and much less meat. Many retained wartime eating habits after the war. There was also great public interest in nutrition and diets, and the effects of eating less meat.<ref name="veg"/>
The 1950s saw a significant rise in the popularity of vegetarian cuisine. Walter Fleiss, who owned the well-known Vega restaurant near Leicester Square in London, successfully lobbied for the inclusion of a vegetarian category in the Salon Culinaire Food Competition. Sponsored by the Society, this event and subsequent ones brought vegetarianism into mainstream awareness.<ref name=":4" />
Founding of The Vegan Society
The inclusion of eggs and dairy in a vegetarian diet was a long-standing topic of debate within the Society. In 1944, Donald Watson, a member of the LVS, suggested creating a separate group for those adhering to a dairy- and egg-free diet. This led to the establishment of The Vegan Society.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>
Reunification
In the 1950s and 1960s, former rivalries were put aside as the MVS and LVS started working together, with many calling for unification. In 1958, their magazines combined to become The British Vegetarian.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref> They reunited in 1969, forming the Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom.<ref name="Puskar-Pasewicz" /> Their headquarters were established at Parkdale, Altrincham, Greater Manchester.<ref name=":1" /> The organisation became a registered charity in September of that year.<ref name="VegetarianSocietyAnnualReport" />
Advocacy efforts
In the 1950s, Frank Wokes founded the Vegetarian Nutritional Research Centre in Watford, working closely with the Society to promote research on vegetarian nutrition and health. The centre was eventually absorbed by the Society, leading to extensive research efforts, with results published in major journals, magazines, and newspapers.<ref name=":4" />
In 1969, the Society introduced its seedling logo.<ref name=":5">Template:Cite journal</ref> In 1986, they introduced a scheme allowing manufacturers to use their logo on foods that met their strict vegetarian guidelines.<ref name=":4" /> Their accreditation criteria states that the food must be: free from animal flesh, slaughterhouse byproducts, and cross-contamination with non-vegetarian products; not tested on animals; only GMO-free and free-range eggs (with specific humane standards) are used.<ref name=":5" /> This initiative led to the widespread use of vegetarian symbols on food packaging.<ref name=":4" />
In 1982, The Vegetarian Society launched The Cordon Vert Cookery School, a leading vegetarian culinary academy. In 1991, the Society hosted the first National Vegetarian Week, an event that has been held nearly every year since, gaining significant media attention and attracting many to vegetarianism. Vegfest, introduced in 1997, is an annual celebration in central Manchester, drawing thousands of attendees.<ref name=":4" />
In 1995, the Society produced the documentary Devour the Earth, written by Tony Wardle and narrated by Paul McCartney.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> McCartney became a patron of the society in the same year.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
21st century
The Vegetarian Society Awards were inaugurated in 2001 to acknowledge businesses and services that cater to the UK's population of vegetarians. The first ceremony took place at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, with later events at The Waldorf Hotel and The Magic Circle headquarters. These early events, open to members and the public, included fundraising activities such as celebrity auctions and raffles, with prizes donated by vegetarian-friendly companies, to support the Society's educational initiatives.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2003, the Society launched a "Fishconception" campaign after a survey revealed that many restaurants, canteens, and hospitals mistakenly believed that vegetarians eat fish. The campaign aimed to correct this misconception and guide the catering industry on vegetarian standards.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2017, the Vegetarian Society launched Veggie Lotto, the first vegetarian and vegan lottery in the UK. Tickets are priced at £1, with 50p allocated to the society. Funds raised support training for caterers, free courses for community groups and vulnerable individuals, and the promotion of vegetarian and vegan food.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Historian Ina Zweiniger-Bargielowska has noted that "against the background of growing concern about the environment, animal rights, and food safety the society has flourished in recent decades."<ref>Zweiniger-Bargielowska, Ina. (2010). Managing the Body: Beauty, Health, and Fitness in Britain 1880-1939. Oxford University Press. p. 337. Template:ISBN</ref>
In 2024, the Vegetarian Society announced a rebrand.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It has a new logo, rebranded magazine and website.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the same year, the Society moved its head office to Ancoats, Manchester.<ref name="Whelan2024">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2025, the Vegetarian Society opened COOK in the former Ancoats electricity sub-station to serve as a cooking centre, supper club, and event space.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Publications
The Vegetarian Society has published a number of periodicals since its founding. Its earliest publication was William Horsell's The Vegetarian Advocate (1848–1850).<ref name=":6" /> Due to doctrinal differences, this was superseded by James Simpson's The Vegetarian Messenger (1849–1860), which was succeeded by The Dietetic Reformer and Vegetarian Messenger (1861–1897; known as the The Vegetarian Messenger from 1887), this was followed by The Vegetarian Messenger and Health Review (1898–1952), The Vegetarian (1953–1958), and The British Vegetarian (1959–1971).<ref name=":6">Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
During the 1870s and 1880s, contributors to The Dietetic Reformer and Vegetarian Messenger often integrated the concept of biological evolution into their arguments, interpreting it through a teleological lens to support vegetarian ideals.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Prominent women such as Dr. Anna Kingsford (1846–1888), Dr. Frances Hoggan (1843–1927), Annie Besant (1847–1933), Chandos Leigh Hunt Wallace (1854–1927), and Beatrice Lindsay gave popular lectures on vegetarianism, and their names and contributions appeared regularly in the pages of the Vegetarian Messenger. In 1885, Lindsay, a graduate of Girton College, Cambridge, became the first woman to edit the Society's journal, then titled the Dietetic Reformer and Vegetarian Messenger.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
The Society's current membership magazine, titled The Pod (formerly The Vegetarian), is published three times a year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Presidents
| 1847–1859 | James Simpson<ref name="Gregory 2002">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| 1859–1870 | William Harvey<ref name="Gregory 2002"/> |
| 1870–1873 | James Haughton<ref name="Gregory 2002"/> |
| 1873–1884 | Francis William Newman<ref name="Gregory 2002"/> |
| 1884–1910 | John E. B. Mayor<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> |
| 1911–1914 | William E. A. Axon<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> |
| 1914–1933 | Ernest Bell<ref>Venn, John Archibald. (2011). Alumni Cantabrigienses: A Biographical List of All Known Students, Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge, from the Earliest Times to 1900. Cambridge University Press. p. 220. Template:ISBN</ref> |
| 1937–1942 | Peter Freeman<ref>Wilson, David A. H. (2015). The Welfare of Performing Animals: A Historical Perspective. Springer. p. 99. Template:ISBN</ref> |
| 1938–1959 | W. A. Sibly<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> |
| 1960–1987 | Gordon Latto<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 1987–1989 | Isobel Wilson<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> |
| 1996–1999 | Kathy Silk<ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 1999–2005 | Maxwell G. Lee<ref name=":3"/><ref>Template:Cite news Template:Subscription required</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
Patrons
The Vegetarian Society has had several notable patrons. Rose Elliot, who became a patron in 2002, is an author of over fifty vegetarian cookbooks and received an MBE in 1999. Actor Jerome Flynn became a patron after adopting a vegetarian lifestyle at 18. Musician Paul McCartney and his late wife Linda became patrons in 1995. Fashion designer Stella McCartney and photographer Mary McCartney joined their parents as patrons. Television presenter Wendy Turner-Webster, a vegan, became a patron in 2004, promoting an animal-free diet.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
See also
- European Vegetarian Union
- International Vegetarian Union
- Linda McCartney Foods
- List of animal rights groups
- List of vegetarian and vegan organizations
- North American Vegetarian Society
- Veganism
- Vegetarian Society (Singapore)
References
Further reading
- James Gregory, Of Victorians and Vegetarians: The Vegetarian Movement in Nineteenth-century Britain. London: Tauris Academic Studies, 2006. Template:ISBN
External links
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