Whilst ww2 was still going on all around them in the later stages of 43 and into 44, a small group of people were communicating via the vegetarian messenger and letters about setting up a organisation within the Vegetarian society This new group would also abstain from diary and other animal derived foods on ethical grounds.

Donald Watson, his wife Dorothy, Elsie sometimes known as Sally Shrigley and her husband Walter, Faye and George Henderson and others pitched this idea to the Vegetarian Society but were denied and told instead to set up their own independent organisation, and so they did –

“Thus was the Vegetarian Society the unwitting handmaid of destiny, for the direct result of its action was the formation of the Vegan Society in November, 1944. “

As was eloquently stated in an essay titled ‘The Surge Of Freedom’ by Leslie Cross another Pioneer whose writings were most influential within the movement and with the formulating of the Vegan philosophy.

Whilst this essay wasn’t put together until 10 years after the formation in 1954 there was an early attempt Via the most known of the founders Donald Watson’ in 1945 to define what Veganism was; when he was asked in a letter to summarise position to which he responded. ” The object of The Vegan Society is to oppose the exploitation of sentient life whether it is profitable to do or not”

Over the next few years this definition was shaped and sculpted by the society and expressed over a series of texts written or extractions from talks by Cross and originally printed in “The Vegan” as it was known, These began with Man & Nature in 48 where it was made clear that Veganism was a huge idea, with both a focus on the emancipation of other animals but also with a scope that encompassed the liberation and justice of all, living in balance and harmony with the environment and even the importance of soil. This was summed up perfectly in the line;

“He is out of tune with nature — he bears a relationship to her which might be likened to a geographical fault. If he could return to his rightful place, if he could approach her as a friend and a lover instead of as a dissecting botanist and a murderous overlord, the resultant harmony would constitute a tremendous and incalculable evolutionary gain..”

Cross was also instrumental along with Arthur Ling in the research and eventual production of a suitable plant based milk alternative. Ling should also be credited for helping to both professionalise and find a suitable premises for Society to work out of, as for many years it was ran from the homes of various members!

Faye & George Henderson were both also deeply concerned about the state of the planet and what was being done, especially in regards to the soil and this educational baton so to speak was later picked up by Kathleen and her husband Jack Jannaway who were were very vocal about the importance of the earth and of trees and the oxygen cycle.

A little later on the philosophy was again clearly spelled out with this reminder of the focus and scope by another pioneer by the name of Eva Batt who was another prominent figure within the society for many years in various roles and writings, even with poetry.

She said in her essay entitled ‘Why Veganism’ in 1964

“Veganism is one thing and one thing only – a way of living which avoids exploitation whether it be of our fellow men, the animal population or the soil upon which we rely for our very existence.”

Throughout the 70’s and early 80s the Vegan ran with the same themes by Kathleen Jannaway, Eva Batt and Jack Sanderson.