Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers

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The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, founded in 1844, was an early consumers' co-operative, and one of the first to pay a patronage dividend, forming the basis for the modern co-operative movement. [1] Although other co-operatives preceded it, [2] the Rochdale Pioneers co-operative became the prototype for societies in Great Britain. The Rochdale Pioneers are most famous for designing the Rochdale Principles, a set of principles of co-operation, which provide the foundation for the principles on which co-ops around the world operate to this day. The model the Rochdale Pioneers used is a focus of study within co-operative economics.

Contents

History

Thirteen of the surviving Rochdale Pioneers, photographed in 1865. Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers 1865 photograph.jpg
Thirteen of the surviving Rochdale Pioneers, photographed in 1865.

As the mechanisation of the Industrial Revolution was forcing more and more skilled workers into poverty, a group of tradesmen decided to band together to open their own store selling food items they could not otherwise afford. With lessons from prior failed attempts at co-operation in mind, they designed the now famous Rochdale Principles, and over a period of four months raised £10 to rent premises in Toad Lane, Rochdale, having collected £28 of starting capital. On 21 December 1844, they opened their store with a very meagre selection of butter, sugar, flour, oatmeal for sale. Within three months, they expanded their selection to include tea and tobacco, and they were soon known for providing high-quality, unadulterated goods. By the end of their first year trading, the Pioneers had 80 members and £182 of capital. [3]

It is widely believed that the co-operative's members were a group of 28 men. [4] This figure is cited because it was believed that the £28 of capital was raised in equal shares of £1, often paid in instalments. However the co-operative's minutes never mention 28 men or the figure of £28 - as researchers showed in 2016, after careful and full consideration of the society's records. [5] [ self-published source ] It is believed that this was propaganda invented by George Holyoake.

By 1900, the British co-operative movement had grown to 1,439 co-operatives covering virtually every area of the UK. [6]

The later minute books for the REPS (Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society) are held by Rochdale Boroughwide Cultural Trust but the wider records of the movement are held by the National Co-operative Archive at Holyoake House in Manchester. [7] The society traded independently until 1991, changing its name as it merged with neighbouring co-operatives, to Pioneers in 1976 and to Norwest Pioneers in 1982. In 1991, the Norwest Co-operative Society, based in Wythenshawe, Manchester, transferred its engagements to United Co-operatives, which was run from Rochdale. It in turn transferred its engagements to the Manchester-based national hybrid society, The Co-operative Group, in 2007. [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]

Objectives

At the outset, the Pioneers had a clear set of objects, as set out in "Law the First" of its rules:

Many aspects of these objects can be seen directly in the modern-day co-operative movement. [13]

Museum

The original Toad Lane Store ToadLane2009.jpg
The original Toad Lane Store

The Pioneers rented their first store at 31 Toad Lane and moved out in 1867 but the co-operative movement later purchased it, and opened it as a museum in 1931. [14] [15]

The museum is known as The Rochdale Pioneers Museum. It is now a separate legal entity, as the museum and archive are operated by a charity, the Co-operative Heritage Trust CIO, which was incorporated in 2019. The society's name is no longer used, but remains in the registry of Co-operatives UK (formerly known as the Co-operative Union, to whom the building of 31 Toad Lane belonged until legal transfer to the Co-operative Heritage Trust in 2007). [15] [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rochdale Principles</span> Organizing guidelines for a co-op

The Rochdale Principles are a set of ideals for the operation of cooperatives. They were first set out in 1844 by the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers in Rochdale, England, and have formed the basis for the principles on which co-operatives around the world continue to operate. The implications of the Rochdale Principles are a focus of study in co-operative economics. The original Rochdale Principles were officially adopted by the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) in 1937 as the Rochdale Principles of Co-operation. Updated versions of the principles were adopted by the ICA in 1966 as the Co-operative Principles and in 1995 as part of the Statement on the Co-operative Identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Co-operative Group</span> British group of retail businesses

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Holyoake</span> English secularist writer (1817–1906)

George Jacob Holyoake was an English secularist, co-operator and newspaper editor. He coined the terms secularism in 1851 and "jingoism" in 1878. He edited a secularist paper, the Reasoner, from 1846 to June 1861, and a co-operative one, The English Leader, in 1864–1867.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society</span> Former English consumer co-operative

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The United Kingdom is home to a widespread and diverse co-operative movement, with over 7,000 registered co-operatives owned by 17 million individual members and which contribute £34bn a year to the British economy. Modern co-operation started with the Rochdale Pioneers' shop in the northern English town of Rochdale in 1844, though the history of co-operation in Britain can be traced back to before 1800. The British co-operative movement is most commonly associated with The Co-operative brand which has been adopted by several large consumers' co-operative societies; however, there are many thousands of registered co-operative businesses operating in the UK. Alongside these consumers' co-operatives, there exist many prominent agricultural co-operatives (621), co-operative housing providers (619), health and social care cooperatives (111), cooperative schools (834), retail co-operatives, co-operatively run community energy projects, football supporters' trusts, credit unions, and worker-owned businesses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Consumers' co-operative</span> Enterprise owned and managed democratically by consumers

A consumers' co-operative is an enterprise owned by consumers and managed democratically and that aims at fulfilling the needs and aspirations of its members. Such co-operatives operate within the market system, independently of the state, as a form of mutual aid, oriented toward service rather than pecuniary profit. Many cooperatives, however, do have a degree of profit orientation. Just like other corporations, some cooperatives issue dividends to owners based on a share of total net profit or earnings ; or based on a percentage of the total amount of purchases made by the owner. Regardless of whether they issue a dividend or not, most consumers’ cooperatives will offer owners discounts and preferential access to goods and services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Co-operatives</span> Former consumer co-operative in the United Kingdom

United Co-operatives Limited, or simply United Co-op, was a regional consumer co-operative in the United Kingdom, until its merger with the Co-operative Group in 2007. The society operated across Yorkshire, the North West and North Midlands of United Kingdom. In September 2002, it came about from the merger of United NorWest and Yorkshire Co-operative Society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Co-operatives UK</span> Central membership body for UK co-operatives

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Co-operative economics</span> Study of autonomous associations interactions with production and distribution

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lothian, Borders & Angus Co-operative Society</span>

Lothian, Borders & Angus Co-operative Society Limited , founded in 1839 in the Scottish Borders, was the oldest independent consumer co-operative in Scotland until it merged with The Co-operative Group in December 2008. It operated over 50 food stores in the south and east, as well as some other retail businesses, and funeral services. At the time of the merger, Lothian Co-op was owned by 65,000 consumer members on a one member one vote basis.

Anglia Regional Co-operative Society Limited was the fifth largest consumer co-operative in the United Kingdom. It was formed by the merger of the Greater Peterborough Regional and Anglia co-operative societies in 1987. The Society had over 80 stores, principally trading in East Anglia. Head office was located at Westgate House, Peterborough until 2011.

Rochdale Pioneers may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Co-operative Archive</span>

The National Co-operative Archive, located in Holyoake House, Manchester, UK, is home to collections relating to the history of the co-operative movement, that provide an unrivaled resource for the understanding of the co-operative movement from its initial ideas of the nineteenth century to the present day. The archive includes manuscripts, rare books, periodicals, films, photographs and oral histories. The archive is run by the Co-operative Heritage Trust, which also operates the Rochdale Pioneers Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rochdale Pioneers Museum</span> Collection (museum), Heritage centre in Toad Lane, Rochdale

The Rochdale Pioneers Museum is housed in the building where the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society started trading on 21 December 1844. The museum is regarded as the birthplace of the modern co-operative movement. It is located in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England.

<i>The Rochdale Pioneers</i> 2012 British film

The Rochdale Pioneers is a British biographical feature film, released in 2012, that tells the story of the foundation of the first successful cooperative retail store by working class members of the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, in 1844. This came at a time of chronic unemployment, poverty, hunger and social inequality, and it was met with prejudice and opposition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Howarth</span> English co-operator (1814–1868)

Charles Howarth was a British cotton-worker, co-operator, Owenite, and co-founder of the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers. Howarth also played a key role in the establishment of the North of England Co-operative Wholesale Society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Cooper (co-operator)</span> English co-operator (1822–1868)

William Cooper was an English co-operator, Owenite, and a founding member of the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abraham Greenwood</span> British co-operator (1824–1911)

Abraham Greenwood was a prolific English co-operator who from 1863 to 1870 served as the first President of the Co-operative Wholesale Society.

References

  1. ↑ Walton, John K. "Co-operative movement" The Oxford Companion to British History. Ed. John Cannon. Oxford University Press, 1997. Oxford Reference Online. Retrieved via county library service on 25 June 2008.
  2. ↑ Sidney & Beatrice Webb, The Consumers' Co-operative Movement, 1930, p. 5
  3. ↑ "Rochdale Pioneers Centenary Stamp". Stamp and Coin Mart. Warners Group Publications. February 2018. p. 31.
  4. ↑ Fairbairn, Brett. "The Meaning of Rochdale" (PDF).
  5. ↑ Davidson, Carol, The Original Rochdale Pioneers, (2016) ISBN   978-1-326-70522-0
  6. ↑ "UK Co-op Milestones". Co-op Online. The Co-operative Group. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 13 August 2008.
  7. ↑ Link4Life | Local Studies | Provider of arts, sport and heritage development work in the Rochdale area Archived 21 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ "Share book search: Rochdale Pioneers". Co-operatives UK. Retrieved 25 June 2008.[ permanent dead link ]
  9. ↑ "Records of the Manchester and Salford Equitable Co-operative Society: Administrative history". The National Archives . Retrieved 25 June 2008. In 1970 the Manchester and Salford Society merged with the Stockport and Pennine Societies to form the Norwest Regional Society. In 1982 the Norwest merged with the Pioneers Society to form the Norwest Pioneers Co-operative Society.
  10. ↑ "Share Book Search: Rochdale Pioneers". Co-operatives UK . Retrieved 24 June 2008.[ permanent dead link ]
  11. ↑ "Norwest Co-operative Society Limited, number 73R". FSA Mutuals Public Register. Retrieved 25 June 2008.
  12. ↑ "United Co-operatives Limited, number 11253R". FSA Mutuals Public Register. Retrieved 25 June 2008.
  13. ↑ A. W. Filson, G. D. H. Cole (25 December 2015). British Working Class Movements: Select Documents, 1789–1875. Springer. pp. 428–429. ISBN   978-1-349-86219-1.
  14. ↑ Rochdale Pioneers Museum
  15. 1 2 David Thompson (July–August 1994). "Cooperative Principles Then and Now". Co-operative Grocer, National Cooperative Grocers Association, Minneapolis. Archived from the original on 10 October 2007. Retrieved 25 June 2008.
  16. ↑ "Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society Limited, number 26798R". FSA Mutuals Public Register. Retrieved 25 June 2008.

Further reading

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