R. Bailey Walker

Robert Bailey Walker (7 October 1839 – 28 May 1885) was an English clergyman, activist, editor, and writer. He served as honorary curate at St Clement's Church in Longsight and was actively involved in promoting temperance and vegetarianism. Walker served as secretary of the Vegetarian Society, edited several publications, and authored a number of pamphlets.

Biography

Early life Walker was born at Bamber Bridge on 7 October 1839, the son of Robert Walker and Hannah Abode. He was baptised on 27 October. He presented papers to the British Association, Social Science Congress and Manchester Statistical Society.

Walker was a founder of the Ruskin Society. A committed teetotaller, he took the pledge from Joseph Livesey. Walker also served as secretary of the Manchester and Salford Temperance Union and corresponded extensively social reform advocates worldwide. In December 1884, Walker was ordained as an Anglican priest at Manchester Cathedral and served as honorary curate at St. Clement's Church in Longsight. They had three children. His funeral took place on 2 June 1885, at St John the Evangelist's Church, St Leonards-on-Sea, followed by his burial at Hastings Cemetery. William E. A. Axon and other friends attended.

A fund was set up by the Committee of the Vegetarian Society in Walker's honour to raise funds for his children and widow. Those who donated included notable vegetarians James Clark, Arnold Hills, Anna Kingsford, Edward Maitland, W. J. Monk, Isaac Pitman, John E. B. Mayor, and Howard Williams.

Selected publications

Walker authored many pamphlets; a full list was published in his obituary in The Dietetic Reformer in 1885:

The Old Oak Tree (1866) Arrangement of Work (1869) English Gleanings (1870) The Free Church and Offertory Movement (1871) Sketches of the Coroner's Court (1872) Sketches, Dietetic and Literary (1876)

Ten Year's Dietetic Crusade (1880) Almonds and Raisins: The Vegetarian Society's Annual (1884)