RobertElliott O'Callaghan (1855–1936) was an English vegetarianism activist, lecturer, and writer. He became a prominent vegetarian advocate after being inspired by Francis William Newman. O'Callaghan joined the London Food Reform Society in 1880 and quickly rose to a position on its Executive Committee. He held key roles such as official lecturer for the Vegetarian Association, secretary of the London Vegetarian Society, and First Secretary of the Vegetarian Federal Union. O'Callaghan managed the Wheat Sheaf vegetarian restaurant and authored several works on vegetarianism. In 1900, he founded the Catholic Humane League.
O'Callaghan's attention was first directed to vegetarianism by one of Francis William Newman's lectures, a report of which he noticed in a shop window. In 1880, he joined the London Food Reform Society and became a member of its Executive Committee the following year. O’Callaghan became well-known for his impactful lectures on vegetarianism, which he often enriched with magic lantern illustrations.[3]
O'Callaghan held several significant positions within the vegetarian movement. He served as the official lecturer for the Vegetarian Association,[4] the secretary of the London Vegetarian Society,[5] and, from 1890, as the First Secretary of the Vegetarian Federal Union.[3] He later acted as an agent for the Federal Union for the Southern Counties.[3] In 1893, O'Callaghan was a speaker at a vegetarian meeting chaired by C. H. Worsnop in Halifax. He argued that a vegetarian diet was more nourishing than eating meat and such a diet involved no additional work as vegetarian cookery was simple and more economical for the household.[6]
O'Callaghan became the proprietor of the London vegetarian restaurant, the Wheat Sheaf, located at 13 Rathbone Place, Oxford Street, taking over from Mrs. Britton.[2]: 88
O'Callaghan authored several publications on vegetarianism. In 1889, he published The Best Diet for a Working Man.[7] The following year, he co-authored The Manual of Vegetarianism: A Complete Guide to Food Reform with Charles W. Forward.[2]: 351 This was followed by The Diet of Health & Happiness in 1893[8] and How to Begin Vegetarianism with Month's Dietary and Cookery Book.[9] He also published a pamphlet, The Testimony of Science Against Flesh Eating.[10]
In 1900, O'Callaghan founded the Catholic Humane League, aimed at promoting humane principles among Catholics in line with the teachings of the Church. He served as its Honorary Secretary.[11]
Personal life and death
In 1888, O'Callaghan married Mary Ann Barry in Fulham.[12] They had one daughter, Florence.[13]
O'Callaghan later moved to Manchester with his family and continued his work as a secretary.[13] He died there in the final quarter of 1936, at the age of 81.[14] O'Callaghan was buried on 24 December in the Southern Cemetery.[15]
Publications
The Best Diet for a Working Man (1889)
The Manual of Vegetarianism: A Complete Guide to Food Reform (with Charles W. Forward; 1890)
The Diet of Health & Happiness (1893)
How to Begin Vegetarianism with Month's Dietary and Cookery Book (1897)
^O'Callaghan, R. E. How to Begin Vegetarianism with Month's Dietary and Cookery Book. OCLC316664483.
^"Other Publications Received". Metaphysical Magazine: A Monthly Review of the Occult Sciences. 6–7. New York: The Metaphysical Publishing Company: 78. June 1897 – March 1898 – via Google Books.
