International Vegetarian Union - History of Vegetarianism

International Vegetarian Union (IVU)

History of The Vegetarian Society
1847-1969

Joseph Brotherton, chaired the first meeting

James Simpson, first President of the Society

Cartoon from Punch magazine, 1852
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Some leaders of the Vegetarian Society in 1874.
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Prof. F.W. Newman, VegSoc President 1873-84
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The Origins of the 'Vegetarians' - examines the first use of the word 'vegetarian' and the events leading up to the formation of the first Vegetarian Society

For a details of the origins of how the group came together the following articles are useful:

Physiological/Vegetarian Conference 1847 - contemporary reports of the meetings which founded the Vegetarian Society
Neither phoenix nor fad - a talk at the World Vegetarian Congress, Edinburgh 2002, by Derek Antrobus
The Bible Christian Church (1809-1930) - a brief summary
A migrant's story - vegetrarianism exported to America in 1817, by Derek Antrobus, 2001
The roots of organised vegetarianism (EVU News 1998)
Roots of vegetarianism -Talk to the Salford Local History Society by Derek Antrobus, 1998

The 19th Century:

Salford's first MP - a biography of Joseph Brotherton (1783-1857), chairman of the meeting that created the Vegetarian Society, by Derek Antrobus, 1999
Henry S. Clubb (1827-1922)- secretary/editor for the early Society before migrating to America in 1853 and eventually becoming president of the American Vegetarian Society (link a biography on the Kansas Collection)
Prof. Francis W. Newman - President of the Vegetarian Society, 1873-84
The London Vegetarian Society - split from the original society in 1888, eventually merged again in 1969
The Vegetarian Federal Union (1889-1909) - an early attempt at an international organisation, though in reality a federation of local societies in Britain. Initiated by the London Society with the original society as a member.

from The Vegetarian (links to VSUK website):
100 Years Ago - Autumn 1894 - includes an item on Sir Isaac Pitman
100 Years Ago - Winter 1894/95
One hundred years ago - Spring 1895
One hundred years ago - Summer 1895

Late 19th / early 20th Century:

mid 20th:

The following articles are all on the VSUK website, originating from various publications: