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National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports

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NSACS promotional flyer

The National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports (NSACS) was a British animal welfare organisation that campaigned against blood sports. It was formed in 1932 as a splinter organisation of the League for the Prohibition of Cruel Sports over a dispute within the League over their attacks on the RSPCA.[1]

History

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Animal welfare workers Ernest Bell and Stephen Coleridge both resigned from the League for the Prohibition of Cruel Sports in 1931 over Henry B. Amos's continuous criticism of the RSPCA.[1][2] In response they founded NSACS in 1932 with others including Henry S. Salt and Jessey Wade.[1][3][4] It was based at 56 Bloomsbury Street, London.[5] The Society's secretary was Bertram Lloyd with H. G. Chancellor as chairman of its council and Sydney Olivier, 1st Baron Olivier as honorary treasurer.[6][7] In 1935, the Society published a pamphlet by John Tunnard denouncing otter hunting.[8] Vice-presidents of the Society in 1948 were J. B. Priestley, Aldous Huxley, Harold Laski and Anthony Greenwood.[9]

The Society advocated non-violent and peaceful methods to achieve its goal of bringing about the end of animal cruelties in the name of sport.[10] It campaigned for the legal protection of wild animals.[10] NSACS claimed to be the first British animal welfare organisation to support a Parliamentary Bill to bring wild animals under protection of the law.[11] In 1957, they reported having 1263 members.[12]

In 1966, all their records were lost. The Society was managed by Maurice Barbanell until his death in 1981.[10] The assets of the Society were transferred to Care for the Wild in 1982.[13] The Society was revived in 1985 by Vivien Craggs and Thelma How. During this time, Care for the Wild was considered an official wildlife division of the Society.[11] The NSACS was dissolved in 2017.[14]

Legacy

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Copies of the Society's publications are digitised and stored at NC State University Libraries.[15]

Selected publications

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  • Tunnard, John (1935). Slaughter of Beauty: Otter Hunting. National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports.
  • Lloyd, Bertram (1938). Foxhunters' Philosophy: A Garland from Five Centuries (PDF). National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Kramer, Molly Baer (2022-06-02), Kinzer, Bruce; Kramer, Molly Baer; Trainor, Richard (eds.), "Pressure From Within: Internecine Conflict in the English Animal Protection Movement, 1950–1975", Reform and Its Complexities in Modern Britain (1 ed.), Oxford University PressOxford, pp. 179–202, doi:10.1093/oso/9780192863423.003.0009, ISBN 978-0-19-286342-3, retrieved 2024-10-18
  2. ^ Allen, Daniel; Watkins, Charles; Matless, David (April 2016). "'An incredibly vile sport': Campaigns against Otter Hunting in Britain, 1900–39". Rural History. 27 (1): 79–101. doi:10.1017/S0956793315000175. ISSN 0956-7933.
  3. ^ Tichelar, Michael (2016). The History of Opposition to Blood Sports in Twentieth Century England: Hunting at Bay. Taylor & Francis. pp. 51–55. ISBN 978-1315399775.
  4. ^ Wilson, David A. H. (2015). The Welfare of Performing Animals: A Historical Perspective. p. 229. ISBN 978-3662458341.
  5. ^ "Animal Rights and Animal Welfare Pamphlets, 1874-1952". NC State University Libraries. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  6. ^ Hume, Ethel Douglas (1939). The Mind-Changers. M. Joseph Limited. p. 305.
  7. ^ "In Memoriam Bertram Lloyd—1881-1944". henrysalt.co.uk. Archived from the original on October 18, 2024.
  8. ^ Martin, Simon; Whitton, Brian A.; Peat, Alan (2010). John Tunnard: Inner Space to Outer Space. Pallant House Gallery. pp. 51–52. ISBN 978-1869827069.
  9. ^ May, Allyson N. (2016). The Fox-Hunting Controversy, 1781-2004: Class and Cruelty. Taylor & Francis. p. 131. ISBN 978-1317031390.
  10. ^ a b c Hall, Rebecca (1984). Voiceless Victims. Wildhood House Limited. pp. 46–47. ISBN 978-0704505001.
  11. ^ a b How, Thelma (April 12, 1985). "Search for Records". West Sussex Country Times. p. 10. (subscription required)
  12. ^ "Who Protects the Animals?". The Scotsman. June 24, 1957. p. 12. (subscription required)
  13. ^ "Timeline of Animal Protection Organizations". Molly Baer Kramer. 2024. Archived from the original on October 18, 2024.
  14. ^ "National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports Limited". Companies House Services. 2024. Archived from the original on October 18, 2024.
  15. ^ "National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports". NC State University Libraries. 2024. Retrieved 2024-10-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)