Reference
X778
Title
Records of Bedfordshire Co-operative Societies deposited in 1990 and subsequently
Admin/biog history
The basic philosophy of the co-operative movement developed in the nineteenth century, when workers attempted to better their lot by developing networks of factories and retail outlets under the democratic control of members each of whom received part of the surplus as a dividend. The movement was at its strongest in the densely populated industrial areas of the north and midlands – Glasgow, Newcastle, Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire – and reached Bedfordshire comparatively late. The first national organisation, the Co-operative Wholesale Society (CWS) was formed in 1862 and was followed in 1869 by the Co-operative Union which in 1889 became a federation of co-operative societies.
No early records appear to have survived for Bedfordshire co-operative societies of the 1860s and 1870s. We have to rely on trade directories as almost the only source until around 1900. Fortunately, papers held by the Co-Operative Heritage Trust in Manchester supplement the scarcity of sources held locally. The basic details of a society’s registration dates, its membership, trading statistics and information on mergers can be found in the Co-operative Statistics, published annually since 1876 and in The Co-operator (later the Co-operative News) from 1860.
Bedford Industrial Co-operative Society had started two stores in the town by 1869 and stores existed at Arlesey, Aspley Guise, Eaton Socon (under St. Neots Co-op), Harrold, Leighton Buzzard, Luton and Sharnbrook by 1890. The fortunes of branches waxed and waned according to economic conditions. For example, the Eaton Socon Co-operative Society was founded in 1882 with 63 members and quarterly sales of £180, expanded to 122 members and sale of £472 by mid-1885 (ref: X67/655) and had amalgamated with the St Neots Co-op by 1890. Rather surprisingly Luton Co-operative Society was not formed until 1883 but the CWS chose Dallow Road, Luton as the site for a Co-op cocoa factory in 1902. (see Luton Year Book 1906, book 100, and the The Story of Luton, book 130 LUT, on the search room shelves).
The records of Bedford Co-operative Society held in this collection are quite comprehensive in range but only date from 1911. The main committee minutes (1912-1969, ref: X778/1) and the reports and balance sheets (1921-1969, ref: X778/6) chart the development of the movement and the impact of local and national strikes, slumps and business failures, especially in the 1920s and 1930s. For example, Ampthill and District Co-operative Society only last about a year before its business was transferred to Bedford in October 1921 and the town had to wait until c.1946 before a store opened there.
The records of Bedford Co-op also include some staff records, 1931-1971 (ref: X778/8/1) and share ledgers for 1911-1939 (ref: X778/9) as well as boundary agreements with neighbouring co-operative societies such as Silsoe, Luton and Newport Pagnell (ref: X778/11/1). The records form an interesting contrast with those of the small Potton and District Society formed in 1905, for which we hold minutes (ref: X744 catalogue ref: X778/13/1) and share ledgers, 1937-1954 (ref: X778/14). A branch of Potton Co-op started at Sandy in 1932.
Judging by the available records the co-operative movement peaked in Bedfordshire in the 1960s. Potton Co-op amalgamated with Cambridgeshire Co-operative Society in 1954 and Bedford followed in 1969, having lost its Garfield Street shop in 1966 and the central bakery in 1967. In January 1991 the Co-operative Centre in Midland Road, Bedford ceased trading, but the network of retail stores still continues across the county and beyond.
System of arrangement
Unfortunately the system of arrangement reflects the way that various records of different societies were deposited over time rather than a structure grouping all records relating to a particular society together and then a common structure for each hence records for Leighton Buzzard society appear under X778/19-25 and 34-42, Luton record appear under X778/26-31 and 43-48.
Level of description
fonds