200yrs of Kindness!

London's historic coffee houses have contributed so much to our culture and history as a nation including some of best-known charities!

On 16 June 1824, a London vicar, Arthur Broome, gathered a group of men including the MPs William Wilberforce and Richard Martin, at Old Slaughters Coffee House, just off St Martin's Lane. They launched the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) which became the first national animal protection society in the world. It supported new laws for animal welfare including dogs and domestic animals, whilst bear and bull baiting were abolished. It is presently constituted under the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Acts of 1932, 1940, and 1958. The RSPCA is funded primarily by voluntary donations and is one of the largest charities in the UK. The organisation also does international outreach work across Europe, Africa and Asia. Come and hear the fabulous London coffee house story by booking a talk or walking tour!