Scottish Vegetarian Society
1930s advert for the Society | |
| Abbreviation | SVS |
|---|---|
| Successor | Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom, Glasgow branch |
| Formation | 23 November 1892 |
| Founder | Joseph Knight |
| Dissolved | 1980s |
| Purpose | Promoting vegetarianism in Scotland |
| Headquarters |
|
| Location |
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Region | Scotland |
| Membership | c. 300 (1933) |
President |
|
Key people | John Barclay (secretary and treasurer) |
Main organ | Health, Food and Cookery (from 1903) |
| Affiliations |
|
The Scottish Vegetarian Society (SVS) was a vegetarian organisation based in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1892 through the efforts of Joseph Knight of the Manchester Vegetarian Society, it held social events and lectures and promoted food reform. The Society was led for many years by H. S. Bathgate and later by Dugald Semple, and published the magazine Health, Food and Cookery from 1903. In the 1980s it became the Glasgow branch of the Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom.
History
Formation and early years
Through the efforts of Joseph Knight of the Manchester Vegetarian Society, the Scottish Vegetarian Society was formed on 23 November 1892 in Glasgow at the Garden Vegetarian Restaurant.[1]: 197 [2]
The Society was established on a foundation that required all officers to be vegetarians, and its first chairman was H. S. Bathgate, who also served as its first president until 1929, when he became honorary president.[2][3]
The group held its first banquet in 1893 and regularly hosted gatherings that featured meals, music, and lectures promoting vegetarianism.[2]
Membership, officers and premises
In its inaugural year, the Society had 19 members; by 1896, membership had risen to 70, and by 1933 it had still not surpassed 300.[1]: 197 [3]
The Society's first secretary and treasurer was John Barclay, a vegetarian athlete. He was associated with the Vegetarian Cycling and Athletic Club. In 1897, at the annual meeting of the Society in Glasgow, held before his departure for Jamaica, Barclay was presented with a travelling trunk in recognition of his efforts to promote vegetarianism.[4]
In 1898, the committee was subdivided into social, literary, financial and ladies' committees.[1]: 314
The Society was headquartered in the Athenaeum building on Buchanan Street, Glasgow.[1]: 197 In 1896, addresses associated with the Society included 150 Hope Street and 18 Kew Gardens, Kelvinside. As of 1897, the Society's head office was located at 6 Jamaica Street, Glasgow.[4]
Activities and affiliations
Throughout its history, the Society was actively involved in food reform advocacy. It supported the first meeting of the International Vegetarian Union in 1908 and hosted successful "At Home" events and cookery lectures in Glasgow.[2][3]
Dugald Semple, a key figure in the Society, who from 1933 served as president of the Society, became an advocate for simple living and gave lectures on vegetarianism.[2][3]
By 1912, the Society had formally affiliated with the Manchester Vegetarian Society, along with other local Scottish societies in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Dundee.[2]
During World War I, Semple helped promote meat substitutes to cope with rationing. He also represented Scotland at international vegetarian congresses, advocating for the connection between vegetarianism and peace.[2]
Later years
The Society continued its advocacy post-war and maintained its presence in the vegetarian movement through participation in various congresses and ongoing promotion of vegetarian principles.[2]
In the 1980s, the Society became the Glasgow branch of the Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom.[3] Since then, a new Scottish Vegetarian Association was formed.[2]
Publications
In 1903, the Society launched its magazine Health, Food and Cookery which was edited by Charles A. Hall.[5]
References
- ^ a b c d Gregory, James Richard Thomas Elliott (May 2002). The Vegetarian Movement in Britain c.1840–1901: A Study of Its Development, Personnel and Wider Connections (PDF) (PhD thesis). Vol. 1. University of Southampton. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "History of the Scottish Vegetarian Society". International Vegetarian Union. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Leneman, Leah (Winter 1999). "The Lost Society". The Vegetarian – via International Vegetarian Union.
- ^ a b "Departure of the Vegetarian Athlete to Jamaica". Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald. 22 October 1897. p. 9. Retrieved 27 January 2026 – via Findmypast.
- ^ "Editorial Notes" (PDF). The Herald of the Golden Age. 8 (2): 20–24. 1903.