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Josiah Oldfield

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Early Life and Education:
– Son of David Oldfield and Margaret Bates
– Born on February 28, 1863, in Shrewsbury
– Educated at Newport Grammar School
– Graduated from University of Oxford in 1885
– Studied law and medicine

Advocacy in Vegetarianism and Fruitarianism:
– President of West London Food Reform Society
– Associated with London Vegetarian Society and Vegetarian Federal Union
– Experimented with vegetarian boots in 1895
– Advocated fruitarianism
– Member of Fruitarian Society
– Recommended a diet close to ovo-lacto vegetarianism
– Opposed slaughterhouses and vivisection

Contribution to Healthcare:
– Involved with Oriolet Hospital in 1895
– Founded Hospital of St Francis in 1897
– Senior physician at Lady Margaret Fruitarian Hospital
– Founded Margaret Manor hospital
– Advocated for anti-vivisection principles

Military and Legal Career:
– Joined Essex Regiment as Army Surgeon in 1898
– Criticized training for Regimental Medical Officers in 1913
– Served as Lieutenant-Colonel during World War I
– Awarded the Territorial Decoration
– Awarded doctorate in civil law by University of Oxford in 1901
– Founded Society for the Abolition of Capital Punishment

Personal Life and Legacy:
– Married Gertrude Hick on September 29, 1899
– Twin daughters born in 1902: Josie Margaret Oldfield and Josie Magdalen Oldfield
– Josie Magdalen Oldfield was a cradle fruitarian and medically qualified
– Oldfield’s marriage to Gertrude Hick ended in separation
– Legacy includes various publications on vegetarianism, fruitarianism, and penal reform.

Josiah Oldfield (Wikipedia)

Josiah Oldfield TD MRCS LRCP (28 February 1863 – 2 February 1953) was an English lawyer, physician and promoter of his own variant of fruitarianism which was virtually indistinguishable from lacto-ovo vegetarianism. He became a versatile author, a prolific writer of popular books on dietary and health topics.

Josiah Oldfield

Born(1863-02-28)28 February 1863
Shrewsbury, England
Died2 February 1953 (1953-02-03) (aged 89)
Occupation(s)Physician, writer
Spouse
Gertrude Hick
(m. 1899, separated)
Children2
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