The President of Co-operative Congress has been a prominent position in the British co-operative movement. Co-operative Congress is the national conference for the movement.
Beginning with the first modern Congress in 1869, a Congress President was elected to preside over the event: to begin with, a President was elected for each day of Congress, [1] but from 1896 a single President was elected for the whole event. [2] Being president was considered the highest honour in the UK Co-operative Movement, [3] with societies nominating individuals for the position in recognition of their contribution to the movement. [4] [1] The President was presented with a commemorative medal, and gave a keynote address to the conference. [4]
The Congress voted to abolish the position of President in 2007, with Alan Gill (former Chief Executive of Leeds Co-operative Society) being the last to serve in the position. [5]
Year/Location | Presidents | Society/Location/Affiliation | Delegates |
---|---|---|---|
1869 London | Thomas Hughes MP (day 1) Anthony Mundella MP (day 2) Walter Morrison MP (day 3) Hon Auberon Herbert (day 4) | Activist (Political) (London) (Political) | 107 |
1870 Manchester | Walter Morrison MP (day 1) Rev. W. Nassau Molesworth (day 2) John Tomlinson Hibbert MP (day 3) Lloyd Jones (day 4) | Political Vicar of Spotland, Rochdale (Political) Activist | 109 |
1871 Birmingham | Hon. Auberon Herbert MP (day 1) Charles C. Cattell (day 2) Walter Morrison MP (day 3 & 4) | Political (Birmingham) (London) | 113 |
1872 Bolton | Thomas Hughes MP (day 1) Edward Vansittart Neale (day 2) Lloyd Jones (day 3) | Activist Co-operative Union Activist | 183 |
1873 Newcastle upon Tyne | Joseph Cowen, Jun (day 1) Dr John Hunter Rutherford (day 2) Thomas Hughes MP (day 3) | (Proprietor, Newcastle Chronicle ) Ouseburn Engine Works Activist | 199 |
1874 Halifax | Thomas Brassey MP (day 1) Walter Morrison (day 2 & 3) | Political (Late MP for Plymouth) | 189 |
1875 London | Prof. Thorold Rogers (day 1) Thomas Hughes QC (day 2) Walter Morrison (day 3) | University of Oxford Activist (London) | 114 |
1876 Glasgow | Professor Edward Caird (day 1) George Anderson MP(day 2) Mr Crabtree (day 3) | Glasgow University (MP for Glasgow) (Hebden Bridge) | 116 |
1877 Leicester | Hon. Auberon Herbert (day 1) Lloyd Jones (day 2) Abraham Greenwood (day 3) | Political Activist CWS | 162 |
1878 Manchester | Marquess of Ripon (day 1) James Fraser, Bishop of Manchester (day 2) Dr. John Watts (day 3) | Honoured Guest Honoured Guest Activist | 273 |
1879 Gloucester | Professor James Stuart (day 1) John Thomas Whitehead Mitchell (day 2) Mr Crabtree (day 3) | Cambridge University CWS; Rochdale Hebden Bridge | 131 |
1880 Newcastle upon Tyne | Joseph Barber Lightfoot, Bishop of Durham (day 1) R.S. Watson (day 2) H.R. Bailey (day 3) | Honoured Guest (Solicitor, Newcastle) Co-op Printing, Manchester | 174 |
1881 Leeds | Lord Derby (day 1) Thomas Hughes QC (day 2) James Crabtree (day 3) | Honoured Guest Activist North Western Section (possibly Hebden Bridge) | 310 |
1882 Oxford | Lord Reay (day 1) Cllr Henry Pumphrey (day 2) George Hines (day 3) | Honoured Guest Lewes Building Ipswich | 294 |
1883 Edinburgh | Rt. Hon. William Edward Baxter MP (day 1) William Maxwell (day 2) John Allan (day 3) | Political (MP for Montrose) SCWS (Glasgow) | 394 |
1884 Derby | Sedley Taylor, MA (day 1) Amos Scotton (day 2) J. Hartley (day 3) | (Trinity College, Cambridge) (Derby) Lincoln | 454 |
1885 Oldham | Lloyd Jones (day 1) Frank Hardern (day 2) Lewis Feber (day 3) | Activist Oldham Industrial Oldham Equitable | 578 |
1886 Plymouth | Earl of Morley (day 1) Arthur Dyke Acland MP (day 2) J. H. Young (day 3) | Honoured Guest Political; Oxford University Plymouth | 406 |
1887 Carlisle | George Holyoake (day 1) Sir Wilfrid Lawson MP (day 2) Councillor Rule (day 3) | Activist Honoured Guest (Carlisle) (Gateshead) | 464 |
1888 Dewsbury | Edward Vansittart Neale (day 1) Marquess of Ripon (day 2) John Cave (day 3) | Co-operative Union Honoured Guest Dewsbury | 581 |
1889 Ipswich | Professor Alfred Marshall (day 1) Ben Jones (day 2) George Hines (day 3) | Cambridge University (London) Ipswich | 435 |
1890 Glasgow | Earl of Rosebery (day 1) William Maxwell (day 2) James Deans (day 3) | Honoured Guest SCWS Kilmarnock | 654 |
1891 Lincoln | Arthur Dyke Acland MP (day 1) Duncan McInnes (day 2) Joseph Hepworth (day 3) | Political Lincoln Coventry Watchmakers | 580 |
1892 Rochdale | John Thomas Whitehead Mitchell, JP (day 1) Abraham Greenwood (day 2) T. Cheetham (day 3) | CWS; Rochdale CWS Rochdale | 871 |
1893 Bristol | Councillor George Hawkins (day 1) Joseph Clay (day 2) William Henry Brown (day 3) | Oxford; CWS London Branch (Gloucester) (Newport) | 645 |
1894 Sunderland | Thomas Tweddell, JP (day 1) James McKendrick (day 2) William Crooks (day 3) | Hartlepool; CWS Newcastle Branch (Newcastle) (Blaydon) | 722 |
1895 Huddersfield | George Thomson (day 1) Thomas Bland JP (day 2) James Broadbent (day 3) | William Thomson Industrial Partnership, Huddersfield (Huddersfield) Huddersfield Industrial | 849 |
Year/Location | President | Society/Location/Affiliation | Delegates |
---|---|---|---|
1896 Woolwich | Ben Jones | Parliamentary Secretary; Tenant Co-operators; London CWS | 900 |
1897 Perth | William Maxwell, JP | SCWS | 1000 |
1898 Peterborough | Duncan McInnes | Lincoln | 932 |
1899 Liverpool | Frank Hardern, JP | Oldham Industrial | 1205 |
1900 Cardiff | William Henry Brown | Newport | 1027 |
1901 Middlesbrough | Joseph Warwick | North Shields | 1138 |
1902 Exeter | George Hawkins | Oxford; CWS London Branch | 1006 |
1903 Doncaster | John Shillito | CWS; Halifax | 1150 |
1904 Stratford | Alfred Golightly | Stratford (London) | 1376 |
1905 Paisley | William Maxwell | SCWS | 1318 |
1906 Birmingham | J. C. Gray, JP | Co-operative Union | 1320 |
1907 Preston | William Lander | Bolton | 1492 |
1908 Newport | Thomas William Allen | Blaina | 1334 |
1909 Newcastle upon Tyne | W. R. Rae | Sunderland | 1556 |
1910 Plymouth | Henry Wilkins | Plymouth | 1442 |
1911 Bradford | George Thorpe | Dewsbury | 1615 |
1912 Portsmouth | William Openshaw | CWS London | 1489 |
1913 Aberdeen | James Deans | Kilmarnock | 1247 |
1914 Dublin | Robert Fleming | Belfast | 1367 |
1915 Leicester | George Bastard | Leicester | 1410 |
1916 Lancaster | William Gregory, JP | Preston | 1345 |
1917 Swansea | E. R. Wood | Ton | 1044 |
1918 Liverpool | Thomas Killon | CWS | 1268 |
1919 Carlisle | Fred Hayward | Burslem | 1559 |
1920 Bristol | G. A. Ramsay, BA | (West Country) | 1669 |
1921 Scarborough | George Major | Rotherham | 1515 |
1922 Brighton | Margaret Davies | Co-operative Women's Guild | 1411 |
1923 Edinburgh | Robert Stewart | SCWS | 1571 |
1924 Nottingham | Chas Saxton | Worcester | 1546 |
1925 Southport | W. E. Dudley, JP | CWS | 1709 |
1926 Belfast | William James McGuffin, JP | Belfast | 1411 |
1927 Cheltenham | J. T. Jackson | Gloucester | 1734 |
1928 Hartlepool | Alfred Whitehead | Co-operative Union | 1662 |
1929 Torquay | Henry May, OBE, JP | ICA; Royal Arsenal; Co-operative Printing | 1558 |
1930 York | Thomas Liddle, MBE, JP | Hartlepools | 1572 |
1931 Bournemouth | William John Salmon, JP | Colchester | 1619 |
1932 Glasgow | John Downie | Wishaw | 1633 |
1933 Birmingham | Joseph Millington, JP | Birmingham | 1621 |
1934 Rhyl | Arthur Pickup | Birkenhead | 1734 |
1935 Cardiff | Wyndham Edwards, JP | (South Wales) | 1814 |
1936 Newcastle upon Tyne | George Riddle, CBE | Carlisle | 1772 |
1937 Bath | E. G. Haskins, JP | Bath | 1889 |
1938 Scarborough | Joseph Worley | Leicester | 1944 |
1939 Margate | William Neville, JP | Royal Arsenal | 1957 |
1940 Glasgow | William Gallacher, JP | SCWS | 1517 |
1941 Edinburgh | Sir Fred Hayward, JP | Burslem | 1063 |
1942 Edinburgh | Neil S. Beaton, JP | SCWS | 1263 |
1943 Edinburgh | Thomas Lawther | Amble | 1354 |
1944 | Cancelled on account of War conditions |
Year/Location | President | Society/Location/Affiliation | Delegates |
---|---|---|---|
1945 Nottingham | Robert Palmer, JP | Co-operative Union | 1584 |
1946 Blackpool | J. Bradshaw, JP | Co-operative Union | 1721 |
1947 Brighton | G.L. Perkins | (Winchester) | 1770 |
1948 Edinburgh | A.J. Tapping | Co-operative Press | 1796 |
1949 Scarborough | Thomas Harry Gill, JP | CWS | 1839 |
1950 Morecambe | J.W. Blower, CBE, JP | Ripley | 1978 |
1951 Blackpool | H. Taylor | Kettering Industrial; Kettering Clothing; CPF | 2027 |
1952 Margate | Lord Williams | CWS | 2020 |
1953 Llandudno | J. Corina | Royal Arsenal | 2015 |
1954 Scarborough | H.J. Twigg | Plymouth | 2032 |
1955 Edinburgh | J.M. Davidson | SCWS | 2062 |
1956 Blackpool | G.R. Doulgas, JP | Birkenhead | 2149 |
1957 Brighton | F. Oakley, BA | Mansfield Sutton | 2120 |
1958 Scarborough | James Peddie MBE | CWS | 2127 |
1958 Blackpool | James Peddie MBE | CWS | 1831 |
1959 Edinburgh | J.A. Stirling, FACCA | SCWS | 2137 |
1960 Blackpool | A.E. Jupp, CSD | CPF | 2122 |
1961 Scarborough | John Jacques, BA(Com), JP | Portsea Island | 2106 |
1962 Blackpool | P.M. Williams, JP | Hartlepools | 2119 |
1963 Douglas | L. Cooke, OBE, JP | CWS | 2026 |
1964 Scarborough | Jack Bailey | Co-operative Party | 2029 |
1965 Edinburgh | D. Shaw, JP, FACCA | St. Cuthbert's | 1980 |
1966 Blackpool | G.L. Armitage, JP, FCA, FCIS | Birmingham | 1908 |
1967 Douglas | H.C. Jennings | CWS | 1667 |
1968 Scarborough | Lord Taylor of Gryfe | SCWS | 1583 |
1969 Blackpool | Robert Southern, CBE, BA(Com), CHD | Co-operative Union | 1323 |
1970 Blackpool | H. Kemp, JP, CSD | CWS | 1162 |
1971 Eastbourne | G. Williams, FACCA | Cambridge | 961 |
1971 London | G. Williams, FACCA | Cambridge | 551 |
1972 Scarborough | A. Wilson, FCIS, FBIM | CWS | 917 |
1973 Portsmouth | B.T. Parry, JP, CMD | Blackburn | 876 |
1974 Llandudno | J.M. Wood, CHD | Parliamentary Committee | 924 |
1975 Edinburgh | Mrs. E.M. Dodds | CWS; CRS | 913 |
1976 Margate | R.L. Marshall, OBE, MA | Co-operative Union; Co-operative College | 850 |
1977 Blackpool | G.R. Gay, JP, DL | St. Cuthbert's | 886 |
1978 Scarborough | Sir Arthur Sugden | CWS | 891 |
1979 Eastbourne | J.H. Perrow, CSD | Bolton & Wigan | 1002 |
1980 Douglas | H. Bailey, CBE | Rushden | 857 |
1981 Edinburgh | H.W. Whitehead, JP | North Eastern | 676 |
1982 Brighton | W.H. Twigg, MBE | Brightside & Carbrook | 679 |
1983 Harrogate | Mrs. N.E. Willis, JP | CRS London | 690 |
1984 Blackpool | Mrs. G. Bunn, JP | Brighton | 650 |
1985 Bournemouth | G. Bromley, JP | Leicestershire | 616 |
1986 Llandudno | W.H. Farrow, CSD | United Co-operatives | 588 |
1987 Harrogate | Ted Graham, Baron Graham of Edmonton | Political | 594 |
1988 Brighton | J. Mason, DL | Blackburn | 583 |
1989 Torquay | F.R. Pashley | Greater Nottingham | 571 |
1990 Glasgow | W.P. Anderson | Central Midlands | 559 |
1991 Llandudno | A. Arlow | Greater Peterborough | 561 |
1992 Scarborough | David Wise OBE | Political; Invicta | 548 |
1993 Portsmouth | George Cunningham | Musselburgh & Fisherrow | 583 |
1994 Rochdale | U.S. Todner MBE | East Mercia | 660 |
1995 Edinburgh | Alf Morris MP | Political | 565 |
1996 Harrogate | G.W. Money, MBE | Yorkshire | 560 |
1997 Cardiff | Pauline Green MEP | Political | 543 |
1998 Lincoln | Alan Middleton | Lincoln | 531 |
1999 Brighton | Bob Burlton | Oxford, Swindon & Gloucester | 428 |
2000 Manchester | Mrs. P. Wheatley | United Norwest Co-operatives | 489 |
2001 Birmingham | Lord Fyfe of Fairfield | Midlands | 472 |
2002 Belfast | Sir Graham Melmoth | the Co-operative Group | |
2003 Manchester | Gareth Thomas MP | Co-operative Party | |
2004 Manchester | Keith Darwin | The Co-operative Group | |
2005 Glasgow | Iain Macdonald | International Co-operative Alliance | |
2006 Manchester | Meg Munn MP | Political | |
2007 Brighton | Alan Gill | United Co-operatives |
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served as the second president of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008, when he resigned at the request of his party, the African National Congress (ANC). Before that, he was deputy president under Nelson Mandela from 1994 to 1999.
Varahagiri Venkata Giri was an Indian politician and activist who served as the fourth president of India from 24 August 1969 to 24 August 1974. He also served as the third vice president of India from 13 May 1967 to 3 May 1969. He was the first president to be elected as an independent candidate. He was succeeded by Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed as president in 1974. After the end of his full term, Giri was honoured by the Government of India with the Bharat Ratna in 1975. Giri died on 24 June 1980.
Thomas Hughes was an English lawyer, judge, politician and author. He is most famous for his novel Tom Brown's School Days (1857), a semi-autobiographical work set at Rugby School, which Hughes had attended. It had a lesser-known sequel, Tom Brown at Oxford (1861).
The Co-operative Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom, supporting co-operative values and principles. Established in 1917, the Co-operative Party was founded by co-operative societies to campaign politically for the fairer treatment of co-operative enterprise and to elect 'co-operators' to Parliament. The party's roots lie in the Parliamentary Committee of the Co-operative Union established in 1881.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (abbreviated as CPI(M)/CPIM/CPM) is a communist political party in India. It is the largest communist party in India in terms of membership and electoral seats, and one of the national parties of India. The party was founded through a splitting from CPI in 1964 and it quickly became the dominant fraction.
Margaret Patricia Munn works in governance and equality. Currently Interim Chair of the Board of Governors at Sheffield Hallam University, Senior Independent Director of the Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA) and Chair of the PeerTalk charity. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.
Dame Pauline Green, is a former Labour and Co-operative Member of the European Parliament and former Leader of the Parliamentary Group of the Party of European Socialists (PES). As leader of the PES, she had a central role in the controversy surrounding the failure to discharge the European Commission (EC)'s 1996 budget, bringing the first motion of censure against the commission but voting against it. She then changed her position following corruption allegations raised by EC official Paul van Buitenen to call for Jacques Santer to react promptly or be sacked. Green lost the leadership of the PES in 1999, which was attributed in part to her handling of the incident.
The Co-operative Group Limited, trading as Co-op and formerly known as the Co-operative Wholesale Society, is a British consumer co-operative with a group of retail businesses including grocery retail and wholesale, legal services, funerals and insurance retailing.
Women's History Month is an annual declared month that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. It is celebrated during March in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, corresponding with International Women's Day on March 8, and during October in Canada, corresponding with the celebration of Persons Day on October 18.
Gemma Tumelty is known for being a British Labour Party and Trades Union activist, who was President of the National Union of Students (NUS) from 2006 to 2008. She was the NUS National Secretary from 2005 to 2006, and a member of its National Executive Committee for two years before that.
Thomas Edward Graham, Baron Graham of Edmonton, was a British Labour and Co-operative politician.
Co-operatives UK is a British co-operative federation described as "the central membership organisation for co-operative enterprise throughout the UK". It was founded in 1870 as the Co-operative Central Board, changing its name to the Co-operative Union before finally becoming Co-operatives UK following its merger with the Industrial Common Ownership Movement (ICOM) in 2001. Historically associated with the consumer co-operatives, the merger broadened its scope to include worker co-operatives and it now exists to support and promote the values of the entire co-operative movement throughout the UK.
The Co-operative Congress is the national conference of the UK Co-operative Movement. The first of the modern congresses took place in 1869 following a series of meetings called the "Owenite Congress" in the 1830s. Members of Co-operatives UK send delegates to the annual congress, where reports of national bodies are made and debates held on subjects of importance to the Co-operative Movement. The meetings also include the Annual General Meeting of Co-operatives UK.
Devaragunda Venkappa Sadananda Gowda is an Indian politician who served as the Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers of India in the Second Modi ministry from 14 November 2018 to 7 July 2021. He also served as the Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation of India from 5 July 2016 to 24 May 2019 in the First Modi ministry. He is representing the Bangalore North constituency. He also held Ministry of Railways and other cabinet positions in the First Modi ministry. He also served as the 14th Chief Minister of Karnataka.
The history of the cooperative movement concerns the origins and history of cooperatives across the world. Although cooperative arrangements, such as mutual insurance, and principles of cooperation existed long before, the cooperative movement began with the application of cooperative principles to business organization.
John Henry Jacques, Baron Jacques was a British businessman and politician for the Co-operative Party.
The Co-operative Commission was an independent commission set up by Tony Blair at the request of leaders of the British co-operative movement. Its aim was to review the strategy and structures of the sector, with an aim to suggesting ways to develop and modernise the movement, and its members comprised "business leaders, politicians, trade unionists and co-operators" under the chairmanship of the General Secretary of the TUC. It was the second review of its kind in the entire history of the Co-operative Movement.
Musselburgh and Fisherrow Co-operative Society Limited was a retail consumer co-operative trading in the Scottish towns of Musselburgh and Dalkeith. It was founded as a co-operative in 1862, and, in 2007, joined the small number of UK co-operative retailers to demutualise.
Vidya Stokes is an active member of Indian National Congress from 1970 and of Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee since 1974. She was an elected member of Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1974, 1982, 1985, 1990, 1998, 2003, 2007 and 2012.
Visuvalingam Veerasingam MBE was a Ceylon Tamil teacher, politician and Member of Parliament.