Dhanmjayarao Gadgil Libmy Illn~ I~III~~ WII 1111 1111 WI ~I GIPE-PUNE-008493 LONDON CO~OPERA TIVE SOCIETY LTD. THIS IS THE STORY OF THE RISI! AND PROGRESS OF THB LONDON CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LIMITED One of the largest Distributive Co-operative Societies in the British Empire. Co-operation began in London over a hundred years ago i Robert Owen helped its foundation i Socialists and Chartists and Reformers gave their aid i the Christian Socialists secured its legal status in the national life i the workmen of West and East Ham, Edmonton and West London maintained their co­ operative societies in the latter years of the nineteenth century. Out of the chaos following the Great War came the amalgamation of the co-operative societies of the North, East, and West into the London Co-operative Society that is now an effective force in commercial life i an exemplar in industrial organisation and employ­ ment; a guiding instrument in the educational, musical, literary, and artistic pleasures of its members; an awakener from apathy in civic affairs i and a persuadinjt . in8uence in modern politics. By II" IIJ"', AIiIAor: Charles Kinglley and Parson Lot. Pathfinders-Men and Women who cleared the way. An Industrial Republic. Centenary History of Sheerness Co-operation. Tom HUihea and Muscular Christianity. /Yc. A CENTURY OF LONDON CO-OPERATION BY W. HENRY BROWN Published bl THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE OF THE LONDON CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD. MANolrRoual, GLADDING I.OAD. MANOI. PUE, LONDON. I. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 "/ fY\. "2; I 2.. -'1 f cHi'lL \ "'" 1 1 FZ 1 -€5 4<3..3 1 1 First EdiSio,. 0/20,000. Mucic, 19l8. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 CONTENTS. PAGE FOREWORD 9 By ALFRED BARNES. M.P. (tlle first Pr.sideflt of tlle Lortdorl Co-operalilNl Society LId.. tlfIIl CMi",..,. of 1M Co-opertltiv. PtlrlitlflleJlttlry Pariy). CHAP. I.-THE EKERGENCE 01' TBB IDEA II n.-THE BEGINNING 01' Co-oPERATWJf ••• Groping towards the Light-Owen's attitude to Shopkeeping-London Anti­ cipating Rochdale-:rhe Drea.mof a Century ago-Interesting the Bnyer and Seller-The London Co-operative Society. J824-J834-The First London Co-opera­ tiveStoMeeper~~gtheGood News-The Untaxed Press Agitation­ A Brighton Witness. III.-MORNING STARS 01' LoNDON Co-OPERAnON Over Forty Societies in the Metropolis­ The Cause of Early Failures. tv.-DRIFTING PROIl OwENISIl TO CBARTISII ••• 40 Robert Owen in London-Trade Unions -Labour Exchanges - Socialist Con­ gresses. V.-THE CmtISnAN SOClALISr.> AND Co-oPERA- nVE FOUNDAnONS ••• Legislatioll for Societies-The Co-opera­ tive Congress-Wholesale Co-operation­ The Educational Impetus and Produc­ tive Revival.. 6 Contents. PAGE CHAP. VI.-IN THE SIXTIES 67 North and South-A Variety of Efforts­ East London Societies-One and All­ The Day of Small Things. VII.-ClVIL SERVICE CO-OPERATION VIII.-THE GUILD OF CO-OPERATORS 81 Friends of Fifty Years' Ago-Battersea Fails after its Jubilee-The Work of the Guild-Printers as Co-operators--Some Notable Ventures-Women's Co-opera­ tive Guild. IX.......sOMB EASTERN MEMORIES X.-HOUIiE OWNERSHIP •.. 95 XI.--:'THE L.C.S. CENTRE •.. 97 A Glance at Stratford-Where the Seed was Sown. XII.-'I:HE CO-OPERATIVE TRIO IIO The Start at Stratford-Pioneers-Mary­ land Street-The Minutire of Business­ Stratford's Later Years--West London's Outposts--Edmonton's Vigorous Career -The People's Society. XIII.-THE DAWN OF LONDON'S N.E.W. UNITY "4 The Co-operative Desert- Economic Efiects of the War-Co-operative Stores in Back Streets-The Mobilisation of Metropolitan Societies. Contents. 1 PAGE CHAP. XIV.-THE LoNDON Co-OPERATIVE SoCIETY I2Z Tangible Benefits-When the Dividend Disappeared-" Bulls .. and" Bears" at Bay-The Intertwining of East and West-Mr. Alfred Barnes sees it through- The Darkness before the Dawn-Turning the Comer with a Cheer-President Joseph Maton-On the Highroad, to Now-Acquiring other People's Busi­ nesses-Helping the Weaker Brethren- The New Industrialism-Consumer and Producer in Co-operation-The Present Position. XV.-THB DEVELOPMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY 15Z Committee Work-Management Methods -Planning for the Future. XVI.-THE MUTUALITY CLUB 157 A New Idea in Co-operative Practic;e­ Its Justification. .. XVII.-TBE TEAM SPIRIT IN EMPLOY~NT 16z The . Collective Bonus-Promotions­ Shop Leagues.. .. XVIII.-TBE EDUCATIONAL OUTLOOlt 166 Classes - Meetiogs - Circles - Guilds­ Choirs-Interestiog the Young, and in­ forming the Older People. XIX.-TBE POLITICAL RECORD 170 Political Councils-Election Records- Local Government. XX.-TBE DREAM THAT WILL CoME TRUE 173 Changing London-The Co-operative Consciousness-From the Circumference to the Centre-The Co.operative Head­ quarters of the Future. ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE EARLY PROMOTERS OF Co-OPERAnON 17 DELIVERING Co-OPFRAnVE GOODS AT 10, DOWNING STREBT 17 A CONTRAST IN Co-oPBRATIVE SHOPS, 1861-1928 18 THB"OWEN MBMORIAL AT.KENSAL GREEN 3S L.C.S. Cows ON THE FARM AT ONGAR 36 THB EDUCATION CoMMITTEE OF THE L.C.S. 53 THE CO-oPBRATIVE INDUSTRIAL COLONY AT MANOR PARK 54 THE CHIEF OFFICBRS OF THE LoNDON Co-OPERAnVE SOCIETY, 1928 GBNBRAL CoMMITTEE, L.C.S. SOME OF THE MEN WHO MADE THE WAY!'OR THB L.C.S.... 66 THE WALTHAMSTOW DBPARTMENTAL. STORB OF THE' L.C.S.7S PROCLAIMING THE CO-oPERATIVE MESSAGE FROM THB PIONEBR VAN 7S THE L.C.S. CHILDRBN'S CIRCLB MASSBD CHOIR ••• 76 CO-OPBRATIVE CAMPBRS AT THE L.C.S. FARM AT ONGAR ••• 93 THE POLlnCAL CoMMlTTBE OF THE L.C.S. 94 THE AREA OF THE LoNDON CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY III SOMB OF THE DAIRY ENTERPRISE OF THE L.C.S. ••• IU THll ORIGINAL LAUNDRY OF THE L.C.S. AT LBYTONSTONE 129 THE C.W.S. PREMISBS IN LEMAN STREllT. E.I. 130 SEE How WE GROW... -130 A ~NDON Co-OPERATIVE DRAPERY STORK 147 S UPPLYlNG WBST LoNDON WITH Mn.1t FROM THE PARSON'S GREEN DAIRY 148 FOREWORD. 1 h/J'Oe fierier ltmlributel tJ fornoorl to any puhlicatio'l with trlme muiiness anl glaJness than 1 lo to this History oj the LonJon Co-oper.tiw Satiny. 'fbe Elucation Committee tUSmle our th.nlu for so promptly tlSing the opportunity which tk- amalg.mations ha"e •.lforutl to'roe/J'Oe the thmds of Co-operatiw history in Lrnulon ifltO • ctmStnldirJe story. 'fhl s&aion of the Author roas intketl " happy one, for Mr. W. H. B1'tJfOfI bas .n "nrirJallel lmor.oletlg, of both thl tr.Jilion anl f.m of Co-operatiw tkf1elopmmt in the Metropolis. 'fbe lirJeI of the Author, .nl his father, prOflW an intimate .nl continuous conttJa with Co-operati"e thought anl anion 0f1er IrDo-thiru of th, periotl cOfIeretl in the book. HI is rich in barJing personally known mmlike LloytlJones, 'fom Hughes, .nl E. Y. NetJie, .nl barJinC bd the close frimJsbip of J. M. LuJIoro, G. J. Ho/youe, E. o. Greming, Mr. Bm Jones, .nl • bOIf of otber pn-s01JtJlilies roho barJe giflnl their tlistin"i", ctmtrilJution to Co-operation in th, Capilal City. 'fhl story f1i"idJy usmbes the "ieissituJe oj Co-operation irs LonJon. 'fbe reMbing oul of the Pioneer minds kyonl th, possible mporss, oj their tlay .nl gmn-.tion; 1M tlisillusion­ ment .nl .ppMent f.ilur, NC.US' of ,hi tJhsme, oj matn'ial resubs at pminJar limn; .nl trJmtutJlly th, tmn-gme, oj th, stimulating f." of th, IntkWUdibility of tb, lu•• 'fbe r.oonJ.nful tntbusiasm of Lontlors's ,.r/y Co-operators ,.usetl them to mtJk, oj Co-operation tJ magnificent tUclaration oj principles. Perb.ps tJ contributory ,.tIS, of their failur, roas their inability to re.Jis, that boweHr gr.nl the lutJI it must touch the tlaily routine of life to becoml re.JistJhle. F .ilure in th, aeeeptetl sem, doggetl " multitutk of euly efforts until, tMough th, Ira".il oj ,xperienu, Co-oper.tion took root in the more molest .nl bumble efforts oj mm .nl womm r.o.hose fUlmtS will fierier /Je red in our history /Jooks, /Jut fOhosl IJveI tJnl tUeu are just as intimately roOflnl into the .tcomplish­ ments oj to-tla, as th, thinkers rohos, fUlmlS ar, known to tIS. 10 Forr:tIJord. E"m U;, polici,s which suuml often ao so hecaus, of th, ,haradel' which opposition fOt'ms. So who can, ot' wouLl wish, to ass,ss U;, "alUl of u;is or u;at contriDution to U;, caus, of 'Progr'ss 1 .As I ,.,aa this History ana U;, IfJmu which recall th, past, II whole host of men ana women who ha", play,a U;,ir part w,ll IIpp,ar to step into ana emblazon its pages. Let us 1JIfJIt' forget that it is th, mass of unrecOt'ded 'fforts which la,.gely cont,.ibutes to U;, suec,ss of our great aemocratic mOfJemmts. History usually shines a st,.ong light on U;, personality of U;, pioneers. Perhaps U;, most useful lelson which ou,. Co­ operati", Pioneers teach us is 10 ,.,alis, that U;'Y wer, men who brok, with th, traJitions, customs, ana aogmas of u;,ir aay- - ana thought ana lIetea fOt' thtmseloes. ~herefo,... lrl us, as Co-operatOt's, keep our minds r",pti", to U;, knowleag, U;at u;er, is pioneering fOOt'k to h, done in ,ach gmeration • .Although th, progr'ss made is ,xhila,.ating, LonJon is not yet won for Co-operation. It is true that U;, foundations a,., heing well laid, hut th, figu,.es of memhership, t,.aJ" ana capital 4,., infinitesimal to what u;ey must hecome hefOt'e w, can say th, p,.emier City of th, WOt'Ll is the Co-oper4ti", Heart of II Co-operati'O, N 4tion.