SALLY SHRIGLEY (Mrs Elsie B Shrigley), d. 1978

In the early 1940s, Sally Shrigley was one of the pioneer group of vegetarians who rebelled against the use of animal products such as eggs and dairy produce by vegetarians.

In August 1944, Sally Shrigley and Donald Watson conceived the idea of a coalition of “non dairy” vegetarians. They asked The Vegetarian Society to authorise a non-dairy subgroup within the Society, with its own page in the Vegetarian Messenger. This request was turned down.

Sally and Donald then decided to form a completely new Society for non-dairy vegetarians and convened the meeting which formed what became known as The Vegan Society.

As early as 1947, Sally researched a small list of commercial products – biscuits, chocolate and sweets – suitable for vegans, which was published in The Vegan; the germ of an idea which eventually grew into the popular 'Animal-Free Shopper' series.

In the early 1960s, Sally was President of The Vegan Society and, at various times, occupied more or less every other official position. She served continuously on the Society’s committee right up until her death in May 1978 – an amazing thirty-three years of service. She was also the Society’s delegate to many International Vegetarian Union Congresses.

It is hard for those who become vegan now, when veganism is known and is regularly being endorsed by living experience and the findings of clinical and experimental research, to appreciate the atmosphere of the early years when pioneer vegans faced a misunderstanding and unbelieving world which viewed their efforts with suspicion and often ridicule and hostility. Sally carried this burden with a confident smile – she knew that she was living proof!