Ernest Bell

Ernest Bell - The Animals' Friend
Ernest Bell

Ernest Bell (1851–1933) was a publisher, author and a prominent animal rights campaigner.

He was born on 8 March 1851 at West Croft, England’s Lane, Hampstead, Middlesex, the second son of the publisher George Bell (1814–1890) and Hannah Simpson (d. 1875). He was educated at St Paul’s School, London and graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1873. He was a partner in his family’s publishing company George Bell & Sons, becoming chairman of the board of directors following the death of his elder brother, Edward Bell.

On April 10, 1875, he married Wilhelmine E. Wölfel, the daughter of Mr. Frederick E. Wölfel, at St. Saviour’s, South Hampstead.1 On March 27, 18812 they had a daughter, Marion Aline Bell, she died on July 24, 1881.3 Ernest Bell’s wife, Elise W. Bell, died on November 19, 1881, aged 34.4

Ernest Bell married Marie Ann Taysen, eldest daughter of the late Peter Taysen, Consul de Mecklenburg, Lieth, on 18 September 1893 at St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields, Middlesex5.

He died on 14 September 19336 at Hendon aged 82, and his wife Marie Anna Bell O.B.E.7 died on 7 August 19398.

Animal Welfare Campaigner

Mr. Ernest Bell, M.A., was a Vegetarian for over half-of-a-century, his attention having been first directed to the subject by the writings of Dr. Nichols. There are few men who have worked more persistently in a quiet, and unpretentious way on behalf of humaneness, or endeavoured to diminish the sufferings of living creatures to the extent that Mr. Bell had done. Consistently with his views on the subject of cruelty to animals, he has supported Vegetarianism as striking more at the root of the evil than many other reforms; but, in spite of a busy life, he has found time to associate himself with many efforts on behalf of the animal creation. Whether his association with men like Mr. Henry Salt has conduced to the development of somewhat socialistic tendencies on his part, it is not easy to say, but it is certain that, in addition to his humane leanings, he has become year by year a more willing disciple of those who teach simplicity of life.

Despite a lifetime of tireless work on behalf of animal welfare organisations, Ernest Bell is now totally forgotten by the very same organisations. Yet as the tributes from his friends Henry Salt, Henry B. Amos and Stephen Coleridge testify, Bell’s achievements were as significant as they were varied. On October 26, 1929, at a meeting at the Central Hall, Westminster, at which 22 separate societies were represented, a presentation was made to him in recognition of his work for the animal cause. Reports of the tribute were published in The Vegetarian News and The Vegetarian Messenger and Health Review.

Bell was the editor of the Animals’ Friend journal for over thirty years. In 1927 a collection of his writings was published entitled ‘Fair Treatment for Animals‘ consisting of articles previously published in the Animals’ Friend. The following year Bell’s ‘Summer School Papers: Animal, Vegetable and General‘ was published — republished in 1932 as ‘The Wider Sympathy’.

Bell co-founded the League for the Prohibition of Cruel Sports, an organisation that carried on the work of the Humanitarian League’s sports department to end cruel sports. In 1931 he resigned and became a founding member of the National Society of the Abolition of Cruel Sports.

In 1934 Henry Salt suggested the establishment of the Ernest Bell Library as a fitting memorial to his close friend.

Gallery

Ernest Bell Contributions to Animals

It would need a lengthy list to enumerate the societies with which Ernest Bell was connected in some capacity or other, and he was not satisfied merely to dole out an occasional subscription, but has taken an active personal interest in this class of work on every possible occasion. Mr. Bell’s education and business training, combined with his natural abilities, and the means at his disposal enabled him to render assistance to Vegetarianism and allied movements, the value of which can hardly be sufficiently appreciated. Among the societies and organizations Ernest Bell contributed to were:

  • Animals’ Friend Magazine (Proprietor and Editor)
  • Anti-Bearing Rein Association (Hon. Secretary)
  • Cats’ Protection League (Treasurer)
  • Humanitarian League (Chairman and treasurer for over 20 years)
  • League for the Prohibition of Cruel Sports (Co-founded and Hon. Treasurer)
  • London Vegetarian Society (Chairman of Committee and treasurer)
  • National Anti-Vivisection Society (Chairman)
  • National Canine Defence League (Council member) – Renamed the Dogs Trust
  • National Equine Defence League (Treasurer)
  • National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports (Founding member)
  • Pit Ponies’ Protection Society (Treasurer)
  • Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (Council member)
  • Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Hon. Secretary of the Hampstead branch for 30 years)
  • The Performing and Captive Animals’ Defence League (Co-founded and Chairman)
  • The Vegetarian Society (Vice-President 1896-1914; President 1914-1933)
  • Universal Mercy Band Movement, British Empire Division (Treasurer)

Others:

  • Shaftesbury Nursing and Convalescent Home (Hon. Secretary and Treasurer)
  1. Pall Mall Gazette, April 13, 1875, p. 3. FreeBMD gives her name as Wilhelmine Elise Wölfel. ↩︎
  2. The Standard, March 30, 1881, p. 1. ↩︎
  3. The Standard, July 27, 1881. p. 1. ↩︎
  4. Pall Mall Gazette, November 22, 1881, p. 5. FreeBMD gives her name as Elise Wilhelmina Bell, although the 1881 Census her name is given as Eliza W. Bell. Elise’s death certificate gives her cause of death as Phthisis Pulmonalis (unreadable) Exhaustion, which is an archaic name for tuberculosis. ↩︎
  5. Transcript of England Marriages 1538-1973 on Find My Past ↩︎
  6. The Times, September 15, 1933, p. 14 ↩︎
  7. Hendon Times and Guardian, January 6, 1939, p. 8 ↩︎
  8. Hendon Times and Guardian, October 6, 1939, p. 7 ↩︎