Albert Broadbent (vegetarian)

Albert Broadbent (17 February 1867 – 21 January 1912) was an English activist, writer, editor, publisher, lecturer, and restaurateur. Broadbent was a prominent advocate of vegetarianism. He served as Secretary of the Vegetarian Society and edited The Vegetarian Messenger and Health Review, playing a significant role in promoting vegetarianism on an international level. His work included extensive lecturing, producing publications advocating for a vegetarian diet, and the establishment of vegetarian restaurants aimed at improving women's social standing and providing affordable meals to poor people.

Broadbent died in 1912 after experiencing significant financial losses due to the failure of his restaurants. The financial strain contributed to a nervous breakdown, which preceded his death.

Biography

Early life

Albert Broadbent was born in Hollingworth, on 17 February 1867. He became a vegetarian at the age of 26, after hearing a speech by Richard Coad.

Vegetarianism activism

Broadbent originally intended to pursue a commercial career, before joining the staff of the Vegetarian Society in 1894 and becoming Secretary the following year. He was also the editor of the society's journal The Vegetarian Messenger and Health Review.

Broadbent represented the society at International Congresses at Paris, Dresden, St. Louis, and London. He was an active member of the Vegetarian Federal Union and attended all their meetings from 1893.

Broadbent lectured extensively on vegetarianism and dietetics. He was also a reviser of vegetarian literature. In 1907, he published an abridged edition of Howard Williams' book The Ethics of Diet.

Broadbent's 1902 book, Science in the Daily Meal, argued that a vegetarian diet is capable of providing the body its highest state of physical development; Broadbent listed one hundred recipes free of uric acid. The book promoted the consumption of plasmon, but this food was controversial as not all vegetarians advocated its use. In 1903, J. P. Sandlands wrote a rebuttal to Broadbent's book entitled Science in the Daily Meal Criticised, or Plasmon Confounded.

Broadbent started vegetarian restaurants in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Leicester, with the intention of bettering the social position of women, by providing them the opportunity to earn a living wage. The meals were also provided at a low price, so that poorer people would be able to access vegetarian meals; this enterprise ended in failure and, as result, Broadbent suffered a significant financial loss.

Other activities

Broadbent later became a Bible Christian deacon and a lay preacher, serving in Congregational, Unitarian, and Labour Churches.

Broadbent was a Fellow of the Statistical Society and the Royal Horticultural Society.

Broadbent published and edited a collection of poetry, titled the Broadbent Treasuries of Poets, made up of 14 books. He also edited and published six literary miniatures.

Personal life and death

Broadbent married Christina, the daughter of William Harrison of Manchester, in 1892; they had one daughter.

After experiencing a complete nervous breakdown, Broadbent died on 21 January 1912 at his home in Longsight, Manchester; he was buried in the Southern Cemetery on 25 January.

Selected publications

As author or editor

Forty Vegetarian Dinners (1900)
Andrew Glendinning's Apple Tree Cookery Book and Guide to Rational Diet (Edited by Albert Broadbent, 1902)
"Diet in Relation To the Problem of Poverty" (Journal of the Sanitary Institute, 1902)
"Shall We Slay to Eat?" (Good Health, November 1902), pp. 537–538
Science in the Daily Meal (1902)
The Vegetarian Textbook (Edited by Albert Broadbent, 1903)
The Building of the Body (1903)
How to Keep Warm (1904)
Fruits, Nuts and Vegetables: Their Use as Food and Medicine (1908)
Salads: Their Uses as Food & Medicine (1909)
"Fifty Valuable Meatless Recipes" (Physical Culture, 1910)
160 Meatless Recipes (1925)