H. S. Bathgate

Henry Shiels "Harry" Bathgate^[1] (7 December 1853 – 26 May 1936) was a Scottish plasterer and activist. He was known for his involvement in the vegetarianism and peace movements. Bathgate served as president of the Scottish Vegetarian Society from 1892 to 1929. He was also a Christian community worker.

H. S. Bathgate
Born	Henry Shiels Bathgate (1853-12-07)7 December 1853 Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Died	26 May 1936(1936-05-26) (aged 82) Mount Vernon, Glasgow, Scotland
Other names	Harry Bathgate
Occupation(s)	Plasterer, activist
Known for	Vegetarianism and peace activism
Title	President of the Scottish Vegetarian Society
Term	1892–1929
Spouse	Violet Wilhelmina Gordon Murray ​ ​ (m. 1882; died 1935)​
Children	6

Biography

Early life

Henry Shiels Bathgate was born on 7 December 1853 in Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, and baptised on 25 December. His parents were Charles Bathgate and Catherine Shiels.^[2]

Career

Plastering

Bathgate later lived in Mount Vernon, Glasgow, where he became a master plasterer by trade.^[3] From 1892 to 1894 Bathgate worked on modifications and enhancements to St. Thomas Wesleyan Methodist Church.^[4] In 1916, he worked on the new Southern District Fire Station in Glasgow.^[5]

Vegetarian activism

In 1877, following an illness, Bathgate encountered a newspaper article that introduced him to vegetarianism. He was further influenced by the writings of Dr. T. L. Nichols, a well-known advocate for vegetarianism, particularly Nichols' Vegetarian publication in 1898. Bathgate decided to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle, which he maintained for the rest of his life.^[3]

Bathgate contributed significantly to the promotion of vegetarianism in Scotland. In 1889, he became a member of the Vegetarian Society of Glasgow and later emerged as an influential figure within the Scottish vegetarian movement. From 1892 to 1929, he served as the president of the Scottish Vegetarian Society, offering both financial and organisational support to help grow the vegetarian community in Scotland. His efforts were recognised in various publications, such as the Vegetarian, in 1896.^[3]

In 1912, writing in The Vegetarian Messenger and Health Review, Bathgate expressed frustration at the considerable difficulty he faced avoiding dairy products because nearly every vegetarian recipe and cookbook recommended including dairy.^[6]

Other activities

He was also actively involved in peace work and Christian Sabbath school activities.^[3]

Personal life and death

Bathgate was a lifelong teetotaler and non-smoker.^[7] His commitment to personal health and abstention from substances was closely tied to his Christian faith, which played a significant role in shaping his worldview.^[3]

Bathgate married Violet Wilhelmina Gordon Murray on 29 September 1882 at Dennistoun, Glasgow.^[8] They had six children together;^[9] Violet died in 1935.^[1]

Bathgate died at Woodneuk, Mount Vernon, on 26 May 1936.^[1] An obituary was published in The Vegetarian Messenger in July 1936.^[3]