Barbara Moore (vegetarian) facts for kids
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Barbara Moore, born Anna Cherkasova (Russian: Анна Черкасова; 22 December 1903 – 14 May 1977), was an amazing Russian-born British engineer. She became well-known in the early 1960s for her incredibly long walks and for sharing her unique ideas about health.
Early Life and Amazing Achievements
Barbara Moore was one of the first women in the Soviet Union to become an engineer after the Russian Revolution. This was a big deal, as not many women had this job back then!
She was also a fantastic athlete. In 1932, she became the Soviet Union's champion for long-distance motorcycle riding. Imagine riding a motorcycle for miles and miles!
In 1939, Barbara moved to Great Britain. There, she married an art teacher named Harry Moore.
Her Incredible Walks
Barbara Moore loved to walk, and she walked very, very far!
- In December 1959, she walked all the way from Edinburgh to London in the United Kingdom.
- Then, in early 1960, she completed a famous walk across Great Britain, from John o'Groats to Land's End. She finished this long journey in just 23 days!
- Her most famous walk was in 1960. She walked 3,387 miles (about 5,451 kilometers) across the entire United States! She started in San Francisco and walked all the way to New York City. This incredible journey took her 86 days, and she arrived in New York on July 6, 1960.
Health Beliefs and Challenges
Barbara Moore had some very interesting ideas about health and diet.
- She was a vegetarian, meaning she didn't eat meat.
- She also followed a very strict diet during her walks, eating only nuts, honey, raw fruit, and vegetable juice.
- She believed that people could live to be 200 years old if they avoided smoking and drinking alcohol.
- She even claimed that she had helped herself recover from a serious illness using a special diet.
Barbara wanted to build a special laboratory near her home to test her health theories. However, she faced a long legal problem about a sewer and roads for a nearby housing area. She spent many years and all her savings trying to win her case, but she eventually lost. She was briefly held for not accepting the court's decision.
Barbara Moore passed away in a London hospital on May 14, 1977.
Her walk from John o'Groats to Land's End inspired others, including a man named A. Harry Griffin. He thought her walk was a great test of fitness and suggested bringing back another challenging long-distance route called the Bob Graham Round.
