Many people think vegetarianism is a trendy new fad, but in reality it has a long history.
In later times famous writers such as, Voltaire, Paley, Pope, Shelley, Bentham and Lamartine all expressed similar opinions about the desirability of a flesh free diet. John Wesley, co-founder of Methodism and John Howard, the prison reformer, were also vegetarians. It wasn t until the 19 th century, however, that any attempt was made to organise a vegetarian movement in this country. In 1809, the Reverend William Cowherd, the founder of the Bible Christian Church in Salford, asked his congregation to refrain from eating meat. One of his followers was Mr Joseph Brotherton , MP for Salford who later became one of The Vegetarian Society s presidents.