Maxwell G. Lee

Maxwell G. Lee
Born	Maxwell George Lee Lipovitch (1931-12-05)5 December 1931 Woolwich, London, England
Died	3 March 2005(2005-03-03) (aged 73) Stockport, England
Education	University of London (B.A., Geography; Teacher's Certificate University of Salford (M.Sc., Urban Studies)
Occupation(s)	Educator, geographer, activist
Years active	1950s–2005
Known for	Veganism and vegetarianism activism
Spouse	Sylvia M. Watts ​ (m. 1959)​
Children	3
Awards	International Vegetarian of the Year Award (1995)

Maxwell George Lee Lipovitch (5 December 1931 – 3 March 2005) was an English educator, geographer, and activist for veganism and vegetarianism.

Lee served in various leadership roles within the International Vegetarian Union (IVU), including honorary general secretary from 1979 to 1996, deputy president from 1996 to 1999, and president in 1999. Beyond his work with the IVU, he was deeply involved in the Vegetarian Society, where he served as chairman of the society's council and later as its president. He also played a significant role in charitable organizations, including The Vegetarian Charity, where he served as chairman for many years, and was active in geographical societies in Manchester. Lee's work extended to lecturing on vegetarianism globally, contributing to publications, and engaging in various forms of public outreach, including television and radio broadcasts.

Biography

Early life and education

Maxwell George Lee Lipovitch was born on 5 December 1913 in Woolwich, London. He grew up in London and later pursued higher education at the University of London, where he earned a B.A. degree in Geography, and also obtained a Teacher's Certificate. He later earned a M.Sc. degree in Urban Studies from the University of Salford.

Career

Educational career

Lee had a distinguished career as a lecturer in urban geography and planning, with a special focus on housing and urban issues. He lectured at several institutions, including the Victoria University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, and the Open University. Prior to his academic career, Lee was involved in teaching and teacher training.

Lee was also a governor of two comprehensive schools and served as Chair of Governors for one of them.

Vegetarianism advocacy

Lee became a vegetarian at the age of 12 for moral reasons and adopted veganism in 1985. He was actively involved with the Vegetarian Society since 1955 and served as the chairman of the society's council for nearly 12 years. For his contributions, he was awarded the title of Fellow of the society. At the time of his death, he was serving as president of the society.

In addition to his role in the Vegetarian Society, Lee was the chairman of The Vegetarian Charity from 1969 until his death. The charity supports needy young vegetarians and promotes vegetarianism among young people. He also played a key role in the International Vegetarian Union (IVU), serving as Honorary General Secretary from 1979 to 1996, and later as president and deputy president. Lee was a former president of the European Vegetarian Union and was appointed Honorary Fellow of IVU for his services to international vegetarianism. He was also a trustee of a charity that provided a vegetarian home for street children in India and was closely associated with the Liverpool Vegetarian Home for Children and Vegetarian Home for Children in Jersey.

Lee was a prominent lecturer on various aspects of vegetarianism, delivering talks and participating in television and radio broadcasts across 15 European countries, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Israel, India, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand. In 1995, he was awarded the International Vegetarian of the Year Award by the Reverence for Life Society of Mumbai. He also authored numerous articles on vegetarianism and produced and edited a newsletter dedicated to the subject.

Involvement with other organisations

Beyond his work in vegetarianism, Lee was deeply involved in geographical societies, serving as chairman of the Manchester Geographical Society and vice president of the Geographical Association (Manchester Branch).

Lee also served as Honorary Secretary of the Marple Liberal Democrats.

Personal life and death

Lee married Sylvia M. Watts in 1959. They had three vegetarian daughters and six lifelong vegetarian grandchildren.

Lee died on 3 March 2005, in Stockport. His funeral took place there, attended by around a hundred people, including representatives from the Vegan Society and the European Vegetarian Union. A A tree planting ceremony was planned at the Vegetarian Society's headquarters, with his ashes to be scattered on 17 September.

In Lee's memory, The Vegetarian Charity established the "Maxwell Lee Memorial Workshop" for young vegetarians and vegans aged 16–25 years. This workshop, titled "Vegan Venture", was designed to teach participants about vegan cookery, with the course fully funded by The Vegetarian Charity.