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— CH. 1 · MANCHESTER BIRTH AND EXTRAMURAL PATH —

Thomas Allinson

~3 min read · Ch. 1 of 5
5 sections

  • Thomas Richard Allinson arrived in the Hulme district of Manchester on the 29th of March 1858. He attended school in Lancaster and Manchester before beginning work as a chemist's assistant at age fifteen. Financial constraints forced him to seek an alternative route into medicine. He utilized savings and financial help from his stepfather to attend the extramural medical school in Edinburgh. This institution cost less than the University medical school. He graduated as a Licenciate of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 1879. After holding assistantships in Hull and the East End of London, he established his own practice in Marylebone in 1885.

  • During the 1880s Allinson developed his theory of medicine known as Hygienic Medicine. He promoted health through diet, exercise, fresh air and bathing instead of orthodox treatments. His approach advocated a vegetarian diet while avoiding alcohol, tobacco, coffee and tea. He especially promoted the benefits of stone-ground wholemeal breads. He opposed the use of drugs by doctors because many were ineffective and toxic. He remained a lifelong opponent of compulsory vaccination against smallpox. This approach became known as Allinsonian Medicine. He served as medical editor of the Weekly Times and Echo in 1885. During his life he wrote over 1000 articles for that publication. He also answered readers' medical queries regularly.

  • His views often brought him into conflict with the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and the General Medical Council. Opposition to doctors' frequent use of toxic drugs caused significant friction. His self-promotion in the press further alienated professional colleagues. In 1892 he was struck off the Medical Register. The General Medical Council has no record of an offer to re-register him during World War I. By that time he had no registrable qualifications. Despite these professional setbacks, his company flourished from increased demand for whole-grain bread and meal. Two more stone-grinding mills were purchased after his death. One mill stood in Newport, Monmouthshire and another in Castleford, Yorkshire. These mills stand to this day.

  • In 1892 he founded the Natural Food Company with the intention of producing and selling healthy foods. He bought a stone grinding flour mill in Bethnal Green. A bakery was established shortly afterwards. Allinson's original bread recipe used 100% whole grain flour with no fat and less yeast. It contained more water than standard recipes. The advertising slogan for the brand since the 1980s is Bread wi nowt taken out. Although some lovers report it is not as hearty nowadays, the name remains popular in Europe. During World War I the food value of wholemeal bread was recognized. After his death the company grew significantly. Thomas Richard Allinson died from tuberculosis at his home in Marylebone on the 29th of November 1918.

  • Allinson was expelled from the Vegetarian Society because of his views on birth control. Mahatma Gandhi spoke in favour of Allinson's right to support contraception despite being opposed to it. In 1893 Allinson sued the Vegetarian newspaper for alleged libel regarding an article claiming his theories encouraged sexual immorality. The jury decided that it was fair comment and dismissed the action with costs. His Book for Married Women advocated equality of women and men. It promoted the right of a woman to choose the size of her family. For this he was prosecuted and convicted under the Obscene Publications Act in 1901. He also undertook a walk from Edinburgh to London in 1891 to demonstrate vegetarian diet suitability. He walked for 15 consecutive days arriving in London on Saturday September 12.

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1858 births1918 deaths19th-century English medical doctors20th-century deaths from tuberculosisAlumni of the University of EdinburghBritish anti-vaccination activistsBritish birth control activistsBritish nutritionistsEnglish vegetarianism activistsNaturopathsPeople associated with the Vegetarian SocietyPeople from HulmePeople in alternative medicineTuberculosis deaths in EnglandVanity Fair (British magazine) peopleVegetarian cookbook writers

Common questions

When did Thomas Richard Allinson arrive in the Hulme district of Manchester?

Thomas Richard Allinson arrived in the Hulme district of Manchester on the 29th of March 1858. He attended school in Lancaster and Manchester before beginning work as a chemist's assistant at age fifteen.

What year did Thomas Richard Allinson graduate from the extramural medical school in Edinburgh?

Thomas Richard Allinson graduated as a Licenciate of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 1879. This institution cost less than the University medical school due to financial constraints that forced him to seek an alternative route into medicine.

Why was Thomas Richard Allinson struck off the Medical Register in 1892?

Thomas Richard Allinson was struck off the Medical Register in 1892 because he opposed the use of drugs by doctors and his self-promotion in the press alienated professional colleagues. The General Medical Council has no record of an offer to re-register him during World War I.

How many articles did Thomas Richard Allinson write for the Weekly Times and Echo?

Thomas Richard Allinson wrote over 1000 articles for the Weekly Times and Echo while serving as its medical editor in 1885. He also answered readers' medical queries regularly throughout his career.

When did Thomas Richard Allinson die and what caused his death?

Thomas Richard Allinson died from tuberculosis at his home in Marylebone on the 29th of November 1918. His company flourished from increased demand for whole-grain bread and meal after his death.

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