The Royal Society for the Prevention of…

June 1824 CE

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is established in Great Britain on June 16, 1824.

The emergence of the RSPCA has its roots in the intellectual climate of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century in Britain where opposing views have been exchanged in print concerning the use of animals.

The harsh use and maltreatment of animals in hauling carriages, scientific experiments (including vivisection), and cultural amusements of fox-hunting, bull-baiting and cock-fighting are among some of the matters that have been debated by social reformers, clergy, and parliamentarians.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century there was an unsuccessful attempt by William Johnstone Pulteney on April 18, 1800 to pass legislation through England's Parliament to ban the practice of bull-baiting.

In 1809 Lord Erskine (1750–1823) introduced an anti-cruelty bill which was passed in the House of Lords but was defeated in a vote in the House of Commons.

Erskine in his parliamentary speech had combined the vocabulary of animal rights and trusteeship with a theological appeal to biblical passages opposing cruelty.

A later attempt to pass anti-cruelty legislation hads been spearheaded by the Irish-born parliamentarian Richard Martin and in 1822 an anti-cruelty to cattle bill (sometimes called Martin's Act) became law.

Martin's Act had been supported by various social reformers who were not parliamentarians and an informal network had gathered around the efforts of Reverend Arthur Broome (1779–1837) to create a voluntary organization that would promote kindness toward animals.

Broome had canvassed opinions in letters that were published or summarized in various periodicals in 1821.

Broome had organized a meeting and extended invitations to various reformers that included parliamentarians, clergy and lawyers.

The meeting is held on Wednesday June 16, 1824 in Old Slaughter's Coffee House, London.

The meeting is chaired by Thomas Fowell Buxton MP (1786–1845) and the resolution to establish the society is voted on.

Among the others who are present as founding members are Sir James Mackintosh MP, Richard Martin, William Wilberforce, Basil Montagu, John Ashley Warre, Rev. George Bonner, Rev. George Avery Hatch, Sir James Graham, John Gilbert Meymott, William Mudford, and Lewis Gompertz.

The organization is founded as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Broome is appointed as the society's first honorary secretary.

The foundation is marked by a plaque on the modern day building at 77–78 St. Martin's Lane.

The society is the first animal welfare charity to be founded in the world.

In 1824 it will bring sixty-three offenders before the courts.