Elsie Shrigley
English activist (1899–1978)
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Elsie Beatrice Shrigley (née Salling; 30 October 1899 – 13 May 1978), also known as Sally Shrigley, was an English activist for vegetarianism and veganism. A member of the Vegetarian Society, she co-founded The Vegan Society in 1944 with Donald Watson after the society rejected a proposal to form a non-dairy section. Shrigley is sometimes credited with helping to coin the term "vegan". She later served as president of The Vegan Society and remained a member of its committee until her death.
30 October 1899[1]
Elsie Shrigley | |
|---|---|
Portrait of Shrigley | |
| Born | Elsie Beatrice Salling 30 October 1899[1] North London, England |
| Died | 13 May 1978 (aged 78) Tonbridge, Kent, England |
| Other name | Sally Shrigley |
| Occupations | Activist for vegetarianism and veganism |
| Known for | Co-founding The Vegan Society |
| Movement | |
| Spouse |
Walter Shrigley (m. 1939) |
Biography
Early and personal life
Shrigley was born Elsie Beatrice Salling in North London in 1899 to a Swedish mother and Danish father.[2] She married Walter Shrigley, a dentist, in 1939.[1]
Vegetarian and vegan activism
Shrigley became a vegetarian in 1934 and gave up dairy products in 1944.[2] In August 1944, she and Donald Watson proposed the creation of a non-dairy section within the Vegetarian Society. When the proposal was rejected, they and several others founded The Vegan Society in November 1944.[3][4] Some sources credit Shrigley with coining the term "vegan" with Watson.[5][6]
Shrigley served as honorary secretary of the Croydon Vegetarian Society from 1940 to 1958, and later became secretary of the Surrey Vegetarian Society.[7] She also briefly served as acting secretary of the London Vegetarian Society and held posts in The Vegan Society, including its presidency from 1960 to 1963.[1][8] Shrigley remained a member of the society's committee until her death.[1]
Death
Shrigley died in Tonbridge, Kent, on 13 May 1978.[1] An obituary was published in the Autumn 1978 issue of The Vegan.[8]