Many people believe that the Co-operative movement is a single large national organisation. The fact is that the Co-operative movement is made up of many separate and independent societies albeit they share the same common belief in certain values and principles with the shared objective of serving their members.
The Rochdale Pioneers, formed by a group of Lancashire Weavers, are credited with starting the first successful Retail Co-operative Society in 1844, although there had been earlier attempts to do so. The Rochdale Pioneers opened a shop in Toad Lane, Rochdale, selling unadulterated food at reasonable prices. They also introduced a dividend that meant customers became members of the Society and received a dividend based on their purchases.
"In 1844 the Rochdale Pioneers formed what is recognised as the first successful Retail Co-operative Society."
By 1890 the tremendous efforts of ordinary men and women had resulted in the formation of over 1400 Co-operative Societies across the length and breadth of the country. Over the last century many of these Societies merged to create larger more efficient businesses.
The Rochdale model was used by most Societies. Anglia Society covers a good deal of the country and although the Headquarters are in Peterborough, it is the amalgamation of many Societies as can be seen from the following chart.
Were these Societies all copies of the Rochdale Society, or did we have any of the very early Co-operatives in our area?
Robert Owen, the father of Co-operation – had visited the area in 1838 to lecture the people of Peterborough, Wisbech, Kings Lynn and Norwich.
These visits were at the invitation of James Hill, a corn merchant and newspaper publisher living in Wisbech. The Hill family had extensive business enterprises in Peterborough and Wisbech on the banks of the River Nene, dealing in wood, coal, corn, etc. and with interests in brewing and shipping.
James Hill’s aim was the founding of a Co-operative community or village near Wisbech and to this end he organised his followers into the United Advancement Society. Later he opened his first Co-op shop in the area offering goods for sale in Wisbech. Members in March and Peterborough could obtain goods by placing orders with the Wisbech branch.
Unfortunately, this Society, like many of the very early ones, only lasted for a short period before breaking up.
They operated for a few years but made little progress and were almost unknown in the town, closing down completely shortly after the formation of the Peterborough Society.
The Peterborough Society had a very unusual beginning:
In 1876 a travelling salesman/auctioneer from the north of the country, using a canvas covered area in Peterborough, decided to assist the widow of a railwayman by donating five per cent of his takings from the sale of tea on a particular night. Because of the interest of other workers in this generous gesture, he sold some 1400lbs of tea on the night and the widow had a gift of £12. As part of the sales technique he also gave ‘coupons’ during his sales pitch which could be exchanged for gifts. The local traders decided that with the sale of 1400lbs of tea, he needed to be stopped from trading and he was charged with an infringement of the Lottery Act.
The court decided to let him off with two hours detention until the end of the sitting but he decided to leave the traders a legacy and from his knowledge of co-operative societies urged his supporters to hold a meeting in his tent and form a Society. From this base the Society prospered and continued to expand its trade.
From such strange and small beginnings Anglia Society has grown to become the sixth largest Society in the country with diverse operations now selling over £300m of goods in a year and providing employment for over 3700 employees.
