It should always be remembered that the Co-operative Movement came into being as a means of improving the working and living conditions of the working people. It was a positive action by workers themselves for their own well-being. It had ideals and constructive ideas; it became a crusading force.

The York Society has grown, as will be briefly sketched later, from the first shop, No.14 Market Street, leased for three years, with fittings valued at £50, in which the committee-men undertook such conversion and preparatory work as painting and papering. This shop opened for trade on March 16th, 1859, the date which marks the commencement of actual co-operative trading in York.

It had been resolved that such operation should begin when the subscribed capital averaged £1 per head of the subscribers. It is known that by the end of 1858 there were 130 members holding 750 £1 shares but 22 persons had paid no deposit and 49 had not made any contribution. The reason for these 71 persons being behind with their contributions is more probably due to adverse economic conditions than to indifference. However, this resolution meant that trading would be started when York Equitable Industrial Society had a subscribed capital of about £130.

Today [1959] the York Co-operative Society Limited has 45 Grocery and provision branches, 29 Butchering Branches, departments covering Drapery, Footwear, Furniture, Leather Goods, Hardware, Pharmacy, Confectionery, Cafe and Restaurant, Radio and Television, Travel Bureau, Fish and Fruit and Vegetables, Care Hire Service, Funeral Furnishing, Banking and Investment, together with a Work's Department covering Builders, Plumbers, Painters, Decorators, Joiners and Electricians. The membership now is approximately 33,000, the Share Capital £450,000 and its annual trade (1956-57) exceeded £22+ millions.

This development and expansion is an extraordinary story. To survive for 100 years is an achievement, to survive with a growth such as these few figures indicate should be a source of pride to all concerned, a tribute to the pioneers and a challenge to the present members.

But it should not be overlooked, in the glory of this expansion, that the Co-operative Movement began with ideals, One must beware lest the commercial prosperity of the movement should push the ideals into the background or even out of the picture altogether. Many of the original ideals are no doubt realities through social legislation, in the promoting of which the Co-operative Movement has played a prominent part. Even so there is a real need to re-think the objects of co-operation. It must always be remembered that this great movement is more than a means of promoting the material and pecuniary wellbeing of members through profit-sharing and of providing a safe and profitable investment for the savings of its members. It exists to afford a field for working out in a practical fashion problems of social reform and the fostering of habits of prudence, fair dealing and thrift.

Much social reform has been accomplished since 1859, yet there is still much to be done. Co-operative Society members must realise that as such, they have not only rights to share in profits, they have also obligations and social duties as well. The movement would lose much of its real greatness if it forgot or neglected such aspects of its work as that concerned with education. However huge the trading returns may become, until Man has learned to Co-operate we all live under grave shadow.

Between 1733 when Kay invented the flying shuttle and 1785 when Cartwright patented the first power loom,' a series of great inventions had appeared which changed the textile industries into machine industries. Capital was soon attracted to aid this development in which returns of vast dimensions could be secured. It was possible for a spinner who had obtained one of these new machines to make a substantial fortune.

Many cottage spinners did achieve this, but it should be appreciated that capital and machinery were not enough of themselves, a ruthless driving of the workers was needed also. Workers, who had previously followed their own method and times, now had to be managed. The days of personnel management and industrial psychology were far away, men such as "Parsley" Peel, Horrocks, Gregg, Arkwright and Sheriff, who were leading examples, achieved their successes by enforcing a harsh discipline on their workers.

Much of the profits they made were used in further mechanisation and in expanding the works. This course is evidenced in the growth of the Peel concern. It began in a farm out-building and had grown into a business employing 15,000 workers in two generations. This kind of expansion gave a prospect of greater profits whilst it implied greater risks. Desire and fear supported the same ruthlessness in the pursuit of wealth which as yet knew no scruples. Its goal was profit and it was indifferent to the health and welfare of those employed. Men, Women and Children were industrial fodder.

The first half of last century saw this great expansion in the textile industries, cotton and wool in particular, but there were immense developments in other fields too. Raw cotton imports rose from 100,000 tons to 350,000 between 1830 and 1850, West Riding textiles exports in 1839 were about 2 and a half million yards but by 1849 they were over 42 million yards; manufactured iron exports which had been 150,000 tons in 1830 were over 600,000 tons by 1850, whilst the iron ore demand for internal requirements and export rose between 1830 and 1833 from 680,000 to 3 million tons per annum.

In spite of all this vastly increased productivity, this enormous increase in manufactured commodities, the workers had no share in the returns that resulted from their work. There was no effective organisation of workers for the Grand National Consolidated Trades Union (1835-4) soon collapsed; the industrial and social problems, the outcome of these rapid developments were new and no one had any experience of dealing with such difficulties. There was, too, a fear that to tamper with the existing and accepted order of Society might provoke here in Britain something which would flare up into an upheaval akin to the revolution which had taken place in France.

So, in a country of expanding production, working and living conditions, housing and food, were appallingly bad for the workers. It was in protest against these conditions that such movements as Chartism developed. No one will deny the great value of the devoted service of men such as Shaftsbury to make the country realise that industrial profits could be obtained at too high a price. Yet if the conditions of the workers were to be improved it was essential that the workers should bestir themselves and become active, not passively accepting such a lot as came their way.

The Ten Hour Movement marks the efforts of workers themselves in connection with their working conditions. They concentrated especially on the duration of the length of their working day. But it must be realised that in this rapidly expanding industrial world there were worse things than the possibility of overworking. One of the worst features was the variation in employment. For months industry would be feverishly busy but when the orders were finished there would come a slack period and works would close down for months. Today we speak of trade recessions, in the 1930's of chronic unemployment, in the early part of last century when methods of relief were crude and harsh, especially after the New Poor Law (1834) it was so grim and harsh that we cannot comprehend the severity of the blight.

This recurrent unemployment meant that many workers and their families were in debt for life, and often at the mercy of their creditors. Such creditors were traders who had given them credit in the bad times, out of Christian charity, yet they could only do so by recouping themselves in the better times. They were thus forced to take high profits in good times to meet the losses of the bad ones.

Such a series of bad years of successive slumps came between l837-48 with a brighter year or two interspersed. It was this long period of misery, the 'Hungry Forties' that produced a discontentedness which found expression. in many different ways. Chartism, using moral force or physical violence, had many followers; teetotalism appealed to some, reforms of the currency attracted some, others hankered after an industrial organisation of the workers. In short a remedy was being sought for conditions so appalling.

It was in this period of distress that co-operation, not a new idea, for it had been tried in scores of places from Wollwich (1760) to Fenwick (Ayrshire) 1769, Govan 1777, Hull and Oldham 1795, was launched again at Rochdale, and now was to succeed and spread over the country.

One may wonder why at such a time of industrial distress this scheme, successor to so many scores of failures, should fare so differently. It is interesting to note what kind of folk were its sponsors, what new trading principles or circumstances favoured it and what were its aims and objects.

The Rochdale Pioneers succeeded because they launched the project after seven years of depression, but at the moment of slight improvement, followed by the only two fair years of loca1 employment between1836 and 1849. These two years, following those of misery, gave the scheme a chance and ensured a support, whilst the Truck Act (1851), which made it unlawful for employers to require wages to be expended in shops which they controlled, helped also. The Rochdale scheme was based on cash trading, not only because granting credit led to the accumulation of debts and so to disaster for all parties, but also because the pioneers had a horror of debts, probably from personal experience, a condition which could mean wage slavery for life for the debtor.

It was also to work on the principle that the members who made purchases were to share in the profits in proportion to the amount which they had spent.

It must always be appreciated that the Rochdale movement was one of self-help. The original score or so founders started a Society whose members were to help one another by their own efforts. True Hire had been a protracted period of chronic mass unemployment yet the fact that they could start such a scheme for themselves, not ask someone else to start it for them nor support one philanthropically endowed, means that they were not destitute persons. They were mostly skilled workers capable of thinking for themselves and working for their own advantage. The Co-operative Movement, the outcome of the Rochdale pioneering is a sturdy effort based on principles of self help, not on soup kitchens or on relief of the destitute.

Finally in the rules adopted in 1844 can be seen their objects and aims:-

(1) To establish a store for the sale of provisions, clothing and other necessaries and dividing the profits therefrom amongst the members.

(2) To build or purchase a number of houses in which members desiring to assist each other in improving their domestic and social conditions may reside.

(3) To commence the manufacture of such articles as the Society may determine for the employment of such members as may be without employment or who may be suffering in consequence of repeated reductions in their wages.

(4) To purchase or rent estates of land to be cultivated by members out of work or badly remunerated.

(5) As soon as is practicable to arrange the powers of production, distribution, education and government; or in other words to establish a self supporting home colony.

(6) For the promotion of sobriety to open a temperance hotel in one of the Society's houses as soon as is convenient.

Here we have an extensive and varied collection of aims, not merely concerned with trading and profit sharing, but striving to find practical ways of combating unemployment, low wages and drunkenness and of improving the social conditions through their own efforts.

It is well to recall that this great movement has always been a crusading one to enhance human dignity and human personality, and that it is as closely identified with the Sermon on the Mount as was Christian Socialism. It is interesting to note that in 1886, when the Central Board of the Co-operative Union held a meeting in York to stimulate interest, Archdeacon Palmes took the chair and in 1889 at a further meeting the chairman was the Rev. H.L.Clark later Archbishop of Melbourne.

On December 21st 1844 the Rochdale Pioneers commenced business in Toad Lane, on the ground floor of a warehouse, leased for 3 years at a rent of £10 per annum, with fixtures costing £14 and with £15 left for trading capital so began a successful venture in Co-operative Trading which was to develop into a great movement and in its spread touch and influence York.

York was not a textile or an iron town and it may be wondered whether the conditions here were such as would produce a co-operative movement. It would be well to note that in the Report on the State of York 1844 there is the passage "To some cottage tenements lately built there is no drain or sewer in the street, it is also unpaved and so full of ruts and ashes and all kinds of filth as to be quite impassable to pedestrians or even to persons on horseback. The road is higher than the adjoining yards and the filthy mud flows into the back premises and even houses in the next street."

There is too a further reminder that grim employment conditions prevailed here too. "We are working men and know the trials and distresses of those who are dependent on labour. Whatever wages a working man may get there is no security. Under present social arrangements there is no permanence; no guarantee that either his wages or labour will be continued. Today he has work and his home is happy; tomorrow he has no work and his children are without bread---". Work, and wages and living conditions were matter of concern to the workers not only in S. Lancashire or the West Riding but over all this country and in York. That was the view not from outside but from a co-operative pioneer in York, and was expressed by C. Ernest in his appeal to the working men of the City of York issued in 1863. It is not surprising then than the industrial and social conditions here in York should prompt thoughtful men to ponder on the Rochdale scheme.

The chance conversation on this topic, the sending out of about 50 circulars resulted in a preliminary meeting being held on August 26th 1858. Here the Rochdale plan was explained to a group of nine who may well be recorded as the "Pioneers of York". Amongst them were many who for years were to be devoted to the development of the idea of co-operation and who guided the Society through its early years. The list of these men include Robert Rathmell, William Stead, Charles Ernest, John Brown, John Baker, soon to be joined by such others such as William Preston and James B. Lister. Following the outline of co-operation it was decided to appoint a provisional committee which should proceed to make the necessary arrangements for implementing the decision.

This Committee with John Barker as Secretary and William Stead as Treasurer, proceeded to enrol members and canvas for wider support. At the same time a drafting Sub-Committee was appointed with Charles Ernest as Secretary to produce a code of rules on the Rochdale pattern.

The rules were drawn up and submitted for confirmation to a general meeting of members after which the Society secured registration as a legal body. This was done on January 7th 1859. The certificate of registration was attached to the rules which were signed on behalf of the Society by John Brown, J.B. Lister, William Stead and Charles Ernest. These rules fixed the entrance fee for members at one shilling, who were to hold a minimum of five shares for which they were to pay at least threepence weekly until they were paid up. Interest on share capital was fixed at five per cent per annum and no one member could hold more than 100 shares. Profits were to be divided half yearly and members of the committee were to be fined threepence if they were more than fifteen minutes late. The business of the Society was to be conducted for ready money only. The Registrar struck out the note which said that two and a half per cent of the profits should be devoted to educational purposes. The Registrar's certificate is reproduced here.

"'I hereby certify that these rules are in conformity to law and to the provision of the Statute 15 and 16 Victoria C.3 relating to Industrial and Provident Societies.
JOHN LIDD PRATT.
The Registrar of Friendly Societies in England.

7th January, 1859

The provisional committee and its steering Sub-Committee having done their work they reported to a full meeting. The report gave they contained the following passages.

"Having established the Society on the same principle and with the same object as the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers, your committee would suggest that every member should read and study the "History of Co-operative in Rochdale. that he may know how they mastered difficulties and won the grand results which makes co-operation no longer a theory but elevates it to a fact.

The tenure of our duties is at an end. You will, therefore, proceed to the election of your Committee of management and other officers. We rely on your discernment and good sense to choose from among you the most able and practical for on them will devolve the development and success of this Co-operative effort.

If we retain your confidence and you think us capable to serve you, we shall feel it an honour to receive an appointment and a pride in discharging the duties you may assign to us.

John Brown,

William Stead,

Charles Ernest.

This progress report is an interesting document. Note the serious call to members not merely to join but to read the History of the Rochdale movement. Membership was more than nominal, there was homework to be done and above all they had to choose wisely. The offer to serve was accepted. Those men who gave that report had proved their ability and at the ensuing meeting John Brown and Charles Ernest were appointed Trustees and William Stead became Treasurer whilst a number of the original 9 - Robert Rathmell, J.B. Lister and William Prest - became members of the Committee of Management and John Barker the Secretary.

The first meeting of the newly appointed committee was held over the stationer's shop of a member, John Brown at 4 Colliergate. There was as yet no chairman or presiding member so that the chairman changed from meeting to meeting. On the first occasion John Brown took the chair and those present, the full committee and the officers realised that upon them depended the success of this new venture. Working conditions then did not afford much leisure time neither had they had any experience in the task they were undertaking. Enthusiasm for an ideal, determination to follow the Rochdale lead launched the idea, now the task was to make the venture work. It will be appreciated how great were the difficulties they had to surmount and how much they had to learn.

When it is realised that they had to write to Rochdale to find out what was required to stock a shop with groceries for two weeks; how they had to learn what to buy, where to buy, how to judge quality, how to sample and how to run the retail business, those early members of the committee may well have recalled the motto of the Merchant Adventurers Company "Dieu nous donne".

The committee had other tasks to do. They distributed the rules to the members and they did the canvassing as well, but their main task was to secure the premises. A shop 14, Market Street was secured on lease for 3 years at a yearly rental of £30. The cost of fittings were estimated and members of the committee proceeded to acquire suitable items. Three counters, flour bins, scales and scoops were obtained for a total of £7.8.0d., the result of hard bargaining. Futures and fittings were installed but decoration work was done by Committee members themselves. Papering and painting work was done, with materials supplied by landlord and without any labour cost, by John Brown and William Prest. A manager and a youth were appointed and the requisite stock of flour and groceries ordered. In view of the fact that the Trustees took out a licence for sale of tea, coffee and tobacco these commodities also must have been on sale.

On March 16th 1859 the shop opened - that day marks the beginning of the trading life of the York Society. The opening attracted considerable attention and much business. The staff in spite of their exertions were not able to meet all the demands of would be purchasers..

The Committee which had been meeting twice a week with frequent extra sessions in this preliminary period and was thus monopolising to a great extent the leisure time of its members, was no less busy now that the shop was opened. They now had to learn the job of buying organising, sale techniques, business management and general financial responsibility.

At times officers and committee members took over managerial responsibility as did John Barker who combined the Secretaryship with being Sales Manager, as did members who served in the shop to enable staff members to run a market stall (1871) and as did the members who trained staff (1861) and served in the drapery department in 1862.

Their enthusiasm caused them to start bacon and drapery lines in 1860 and consider on the October of the same year the desirability and practicability of commencing butchering and a clothing club.

This meeting which would be able to record progress and was to consider these developments was the subject of a special circular which appealed to members to attend the meeting to take part in the discussion and vote and so guide by their own actions the future operations of the society to which they belonged. There is a reminder in this that Co-operation needed the interest and support of members not merely as customers but more particularly as sharers in organisation, planning and policy. It meant activity, virile membership not sleeping subscribers.

In those early struggling days it is well to note that the Society realised the duty of an employer to those employed. It is recorded that in February 1860 there was granted a wage advance to the shopman; his wife and daughter each had a dress given to them for their services in the shop and the youth received a pair of trousers, a cap, 3 smocks and a pair of boots; whilst at the same meeting the hours of working were reduced. Sick pay had been allowed to the Secretary-Manager in 1859 and a cape provided for the errand boy. The lead in working relations was probably most noteworthy when at the meeting in October 1860 it was agreed "that on and after Tuesday October 30th 1860, the Society's store be closed at one o-clock every Tuesday afternoon to allow the shopmen a half-holiday". This was a pioneer movement on behalf of the employees, long before it became a general practice and nearly 50 years before it became a legal requirement. Leadership in this field of employer - employee relations exists still for when the half day from one p.m. became a legal requirement, the Society changed its closing time to noon.

Some of the early developments had chequered histories, sometimes failing for a time, but always one realises the terrific work the committee members rendered to ensure success or prevent failure. They canvassed for support, they instructed and trained assistants, they served. In short they spared no personal effort to help the society, their own society, to prosper. Butchering and drapery, boots and shoes departments at the outset needed all such encouragement and even then they had to be closed down at times but always there was a further attempt until success was realised. The butchering business was begun in December 1860 Two hundred and fifty circulars announced "The Committee ---- have secured suitable premises ---- engaged a practical man --- and they will spare no exertion to give every satisfaction---" But there were many difficulties and later there is the minutes of April 1869. "That it be recommended to the members at the quarterly meeting that a levy be made upon all members to defray the losses in the Butchering and grocery departments".

Yet in 1877 butchering was recommenced only to be dropped again in the following year. The drapery department too had difficulties and in 1864 this trade was discontinued and arrangements were made so that members could be supplied with such goods at a privately owned shop and the society receive an overall commission. The same aspect is shown in the arrangements for delivering goods to customers. In 1863 a donkey was bought to meet this problem, to be replaced by a horse in 1867, in which year the society's handcart was mislaid and the committee undertook to help in the search for it. Again in 1870 the horse had to be sold and another handcart obtained to deal with this matter of delivery. These ups and downs indicate that the society was meeting great difficulties. Circulars, appeals to members, special canvassing, frequent changes in management all were tried and the committee worked with unremitting energy. The acid test of success was not to be found in the method of distribution nor in range of products for sale but in the share out of profits. There were years when such distribution was 4d. 5d. or 6d. in the £, years of deficit and of levy to meet losses. It is easy to say that such failings, in so far as they were met by the staunch members, showed that they were not interested overmuch in the dividend but in co-operative principles. Yet it must have been a very big disappointment. Members were after all very interested in such bonuses because it was from the accumulation of such sums that they had expected to form a cushion for their benefit if they should need help. It is wrong then to consider they would be indifferent to these scanty returns. This is not a sign of a lack of co-operative spirit. Co-operation was followed to produce this help, and dividends were an essential requirement, probably the outstanding requisite of co-operative trading.

In 1862 it was felt that the existing premises were inadequate so that more extensive premises were secured in the shops 25, 26 Market Street into which the society moved on March 24th 1862. These premises were held on a lease of fourteen years at a rental of £50 per annum. The following year shed light on the state of the society in an important matter. There was a renewal of complaints that a basic principle of the society was being ignored with harmful effect on the society. This was the allowing of sales other than for cash with the result that debts were accumulating. This was "an immoral and gross violation of the rules". It was obvious the accounts which had been made out and delivered by the committee with request for immediate payment, all done in 862, had not had the desired effect. Probably the failure to keep strictly to cash trading was a cause of the slump in the financial position of the society.

To stop bad debts developing and to encourage membership were then the obvious points to go for in 1863 in order to ensure success for the larger premises. This aspect of appealing to members for loyalty and to a wider public to join and give support was the substance of an address by Charles Ernest "To the working men of the City of York" of which 5,000 copies were distributed throughout the city. So the Society went on, experimenting, striving to keep to its principles, with its trade expanding, its financial resources growing.

Further changes in premises took place in 1876 when 28, 29 Market Street were obtained. For some time a small sub-committee had been charged with the task of securing premises to be taken over when the current lease expired. The noteworthy feature was, however, that these new premises were to be purchased, not leased.

These, the first premises to be bought by the Society were made ready at considerable expense (£95) compared with voluntary committee labour on the first shop, and they remained the headquarters of the Society until they removed to the Railway Street premises occupied today. Here the Society established itself and the years of trouble were succeeded by better times.

A financial overhaul in 1878 saw the mortgage increased to provide more ready capital for the business extension of the society, whilst still leaving the premises as an adequate cover for such mortgage. During these discussions the problem of indebtedness due to the granting of credit was mentioned and there can be no doubt that this was starting up again. Only constant vigilance and rigid application of the society's principles could prevent this trouble.

Soon too the developing co-operative movement in York was to make contact with the wider development which had taken place. In 1883 on the motion of Robert Rathmell the York Society joined the North of England Co-operative Wholesale Society and so gained material advantages. Their had been trade relations but not very binding before this, probably the delay in joining was due to a desire to be assured that this new industrial supplier could produce the required goods at the suitable price. About the same time the York Society subscribed to the Co-operative Union and so was linked in organisation and outlook with the great body of co-operators and at the same time became a supporter and sharer in the wholesale venture of production.

The condition of the Society continued to be healthy and in 1888 it was decided to say "thank you" to the Committee, not only as had been done since 1859 by a resolution in words, but also to allow a grant to them, all ten of them, totalling £2.l0.0d. per quarter, to be shared according to the number of meetings attended. This gesture of appreciation should not obscure the fact that for nearly 30 years, committee men who had worked so hard and so unremittingly had done it all voluntarily. The debt the Co-operative Movement owes to such service is measured by the growth of the movement they served so faithfully.

The development in the case of the York Society can be realised from the balance sheet of 1889 when it is recalled what the position was at the outset. The assets stood at nearly £3,000 and the last quarter's trade showed cash received for goods for the period ending March 5th 1889 to be £l,738.9.9d.

It was also decided at that time to spend a considerable sum on improving the shop. This feature is interesting because it shows that the committee and members were mindful of the need to have a really good shop in appearance and arrangement. It is equally of interest because in deciding on this policy the existing state of the property is mentioned. When one considered the present central premises or many of the branch stores today the account of 1889 is very significant. In 1889 the premises were described as follows:-

"The shop windows, bulging out from the building and composed of panes of glass 12 inches by 16 inches, with the bottom parts plastered inside with faded purple paper, were of greater antiquity than the present tramcar system, and only attracted visitors to our ancient city on the look out for curiosities. The view of the inside from the street was equally interesting, the store being formed out of two small shops connected for business purposes by arches on each side of a central passage, which led to the floor warehouse beyond the latter being visible from the street. It must have created an unfavourable impression on the minds of those strangers curious enough to peep in. Through the arch on the left of the passage was the provision shop, in a corner of which stood a 5 cwt. weighing machine, looking very much out of place. The wails were badly fixtured. A counter 6ft by 2ft. and a bacon box with a vinegar barrel on the top comprised the whole of the fittings. In addition to provisions, New Zealand Mutton was also dispensed on this side. Through the other arch on the right of the passage was the Grocery shop, with old and badly made fittings, quite inadequate for the trade, whilst on one side was a table, upon and under which were piled wools, worsteds, calicoes, shirting etc. In the extreme corner, separated by sliding doors, a stock of boots had formerly been kept. At one time in the rear, in what was then a yard, an erection had been put up for the sale of butcher's meat, but this was now used as part of the warehouse".

It seem obvious to us now that such a shop was not an attraction. Enthusiasts would shop there but few would be converted by such a chaotic jumble and one can appreciate why the drapery department did not succeed nor the boot and shoe side prosper. The early co-operators had to learn how to buy, they had also to learn how to sell, and to expand it was necessary to learn how to sell not only to satisfied customers but how to attract others into the shop.

In July 1889 at the quarterly meeting it is to be noted that women were present for the first time. The President made special reference to this development and in welcoming them hoped they would attend in increasing numbers. This development constitutes one of the principal landmarks in the history of the Society. It was the recognition of women and above all the acceptance of the fact that they were the main customers and that their views would be of immense benefit in a business catering for women customers, for after all few men do the family shopping. Previously the Society had addressed itself to the Working Men of York now it was giving attention to the women shoppers of York and in so doing was taking a most important step forward. This attention to the women was further demonstrated at the same meeting when the formation of a Women's Guild was advocated.

The first thirty years had seen a grim struggle but though progress had been slow, development often temporarily unsuccessful, the will to succeed and to achieve co-operative trading had not wavered.

The period had ended with women showing a keener interest and being welcomed at the Society's Meeting and with considerable improvements being introduced into the business premises to add to their attractiveness and improve their layout.

It is not possible to say definitely that the women's influence resulted in the shop improvement but it is safe to assume that this welcoming of women's interest in York reflects a national development in the co-operative world. From 1883 the Co-operative News had in its columns been advocating that women should be encouraged to play a full part in the running of their Societies. Mrs. Acland writing in that paper had said.

"That are men urged to do when there is a meeting held at any place to encourage or to start Co-operative Institutions? Come! Help! Vote! Criticise! Act! what are women urged to de? Come and Buy! That is the special work pointed out to us women. ---Why should not we women do more than we do---- To come and buy is all that we can be asked to do; but cannot we go further ourselves?"

In York they did, and their fuller interest coincided with the beginning of a period of outstanding progress.

The loyalty of members, the extraordinary services of officers and committee members, given voluntarily in most cases until 1888, had laid the foundations of the Society. From this established position expansion was to spring in an astonishing way. Nothing reveals this development more than the following figures:-

In ten years membership, sales, profit share capital have all increased some 20 fold some 30 fold, and by 1900 the membership figure have risen to 7,250 from the 184 in 1885, which means that for every one member in 1885 there were 39 in 1900.

The figures for the Co-operative Movement nationally compared during this same period are regarded as showing a rapid rise, they show that 547,000 had grown to 1,707,000 i.e. a three fold increase. This comparison emphasises the phenomenal growth in York.

So far it has been noticed that a sound basis had been established in York and that women were coming now into the full life of the Society yet these will hardly supply the full answer to this vast increase and all round expansion. The most important fact is in this matter connected with a decision on the committee in 1889 which amounted to a reversal of established policy. Up to this time there had been one shop, rather chaotic in arrangement, to which co-operators residing further afield in the expanding city were expected to visit. The decision now was to embark on a policy of taking the shops to the people whilst having, at a central place or places, departments handling non-consumable goods. There were members who doubted the business wisdom of the expansion policy. Time has shown that the change was a very sound one.

In the long view certain trading departments, such as those connected with food, handle goods which are consumable and need replacing weekly or thereabouts. Such materials are often required at short notice and to suggest that people will make the journey from home to the Market Street Shop in such instances was a false one. The area of supply for much food is very local, Co-operative trade would drift to other shops in the locality unless branch shops were placed handy to the homes of the members. It is only a stage from this view to say that persons who shopped locally in that way would continue to trade for such goods as drapery and hardware at the co-operative central shop when they are next in the city centre.

The purchase of the property at the corner of Holgate Road in order to provide for Branch No.1. marks this most important step. Grocery and food shops have, in the course of time, been established around the city so that they are within handy reach of all persons. The other part of this idea was to have adequate central departments for the other trade of the society. Thus hardware and boot and shoe shops were specially provided so that larger stocks, better display and improved service and attention to customers would be possible. A boot and shoe department was established at Davygate later moved to Church Street, and Drapery in Clifford Street, so that drapery no longer festooned the vinegar barrel nor did shoes clutter up an odd corner of the grocery shop.

Butchering which had not prospered previously was recommenced with Shops at Micklegate, Cemetery Road and Nunnery Lane, a distribution of shops which might be said to occupy an intermediate position between the localised grocery and centralised hardware facilities.

Growth in members, growth in trade do not inevitably mean growth in profits for to maintain that there must be strict adherence to the co-operative principles of cash trading. This problem of credit trading had been met in the York Society on a previous occasion and it is easy to imagine how it could have spread rapidly and produced disastrous results. That no such thing happened due to a decision of a special meeting in August 1894 which declared that 'All goods sold by the Society shall be paid for on order" and the Directors, (the name since 1893 for what had been committee members in the earlier years.) personally visited all in debt to the society to clear off all such liabilities. The society grew and such growth was a sound economic one. This aspect is evidenced in the Society at the end of 1894, not only was a dividend of 2s 4d. in the £ earned, but it was said that the Society's properties were free of all loans and mortgages and without any encumbrance of any kind.

It is obvious that the vast increase in trade, the setting up of branch stores with central headquarters premises would require that the administrative organisation would need to be reviewed. This was done and it was appreciated that there was need for a full time secretary of the Society and a general manager whilst 2 additional directors were appointed.

Mr.Thomas Briggs who had been part time secretary for the previous nine years was invited to be the full time secretary, but was unable to accept and in July 1st l893 Mr. George Briggs (no relative of the previous part-time secretary) commenced duty as full time secretary of the Society, and later in the year Mr. Price who had managed the headquarter departments prior to and during the early period of expansion, was appointed General Manager so the organisation of the society was improved to meet the changes and to deal with the expansion which was still to come. Other associated changes were to transfer the Society's banking business to the Co-operative Wholesale Society's Bank, a financially sound move in order that the York Co-operative could share in the profits of their bankers.

The rapid expansion in York did not lead the Directors to overlook the fact that this process would test all their powers and resources, so when invitations came from Castle Howard (1894) Tadcaster (l898) Malton (1899) to establish branches so far afield the Directors declined these propositions. Help and experience they would give but it was realised that the position in York needed all the capital and energy available. A very wise decision which can be appreciated today, a difficult one to make then especially as conditions were all so good.

The 1890's were years of great prosperity and extraordinary expansion. It is good to realise that in this growth the society remained loyal to its principles of cash trade and self help. It did not overlook small items. 1895 was a very good year yet it was in that year that a Penny Bank was instituted to gather money for the Society's development; to encourage thrift amongst the rising generation; to become a stepping stone to membership of the Society and to form a fund out of which the investor would in the long run be able to purchase clothing and other articles. This development was a positive means of avoiding credit by members and so a prop of the cash trade policy.

Employees too were considered. Their hours of work were curtailed by two and a half hours a week. The closing times were Monday and Tuesday 6 p.m., Wednesday became the half holiday and closed at noon, Thursday 7 p.m., Friday 8.30 p.m., Saturday 9 p.m.

Friday was pay night of many members and Saturday was market and general shopping day. The hours seem very long to us today but compared with other shop hours at that time allow the view to be expressed that, as with half day closing, the Society has been a pioneer in working conditions and hours of employment of its servants. How many other employees at that time provided an annual excursion for their employees? Co-operative members were striving to obtain decent working conditions for workers so there was an implied duty upon them to grant such conditions to those in their employment.

Thoughtfulness for members was shown too. The original aims of co-operative had been designed to produce a society free from the evils of inadequate wages and unemployment and to help those who suffered these evils. It is easy to argue that granting credit would be a way of easing these evil conditions. The co-operative movement realised that this remedy would be to substitute one evil situation for another. Credit to them was no real help but a snare which reduced men to a condition of slavery. Even if credit was no real solution and such a solution was forbidden by the resolution of the society there was still a need to do something for members who did need relief. In 1895 a sum of £15 was set aside to help necessitous and deserving members who were suffering from loss of work or illness.

Goods were granted to the value of 2s. 6d. or 5s. weekly during the period of need. The General Manager and the Directors made discreet enquiries and so administered the system. Further sums up to £50 were similarly used in this way to help members in distress and save them from obtaining credit or needing to apply to the Poor Law Guardian for relief.

The main emphasis of this period was, it must be remembered, on prosperity. This had led to the reorganisation of the administration the widening of activities and the establishing of branch shops, as for example in 1895 when three branches were opened, Newboro' Street, Clement Street, and Beaconsfield Street. The position of Market Street now the headquarters needed further consideration.

Attempts had been made to secure other adjacent properties in Market Street, but without success. This meant that, to meet the need for expansion and eliminate the congestion at the central premise, some other site should be secured. Various sites were considered, in some cases vendors seemed reluctant to deal with the Society, in others the price asked was too high. These factors as much as the rather large area required to meet the needs of the Society led eventually to the consideration of the Railway Street site which at first comprised 890 square yards on which stood eight cottages. Negotiations were successfully carried through and the land obtained for £2,050, although it is to be noted that the name of the purchaser was not disclosed until the agreement was signed. There was an option on a further 140 square yards which was also exercised.

The purchase money was secured on an overdraft from the Co-operative Wholesale Society Bank. Plans went forward for Central Premises, other towns were visited to inspect the central premises there but the Directors decided not to rush the scheme. The scheme was being advanced however, in that the architects were drawing up the plans, when in June 1896, there came the chance to acquire a further 455 square yards thus making a total area of 1,485 square yards with access to Tanner Row. The work of the architects was halted whilst a decision was taken in July to proceed with a bigger project.

It may be said that this project took the major attention of Directors and members in 1897 and in December the foundation stone was laid by Robert Rathmell (Treasurer), one of the pioneers of the Society, who was involved in the first chance talk on the subject of co-operation.

It was a fitting tribute to his services to ask him to lay the stone and a tribute to his work that such a building was to be erected. 1897 was the building year of the Railway Street premises at an estimated cost of £14,560, standard wages and trade union conditions to be observed. This was a major undertaking and one which might well have monopolised the resources of the Society and the time of the Directors.

They were however mindful that the Society's trade had to be carried on at the same time and that other matters required attention. A fourth Butchering Shop was opened (Penley's Grove Street) whilst a second major acquisition of space was made to meet the requirements of expanding coal trade involving wharfage, storage and stables. This was made possible through the acquiring of the Clementhorpe site of 5,074 square yards at a cost of £16,000. In July a scheme was approved involving £4,000 for the erection of depot, stables, horse-keeper's house so that two large buildings projects were proceeding in 1896-97 involving total costs of nearly £25,000.

The completion of these works was recognised by an official opening of both premises on May 3rd 1899. Forty years of trade, the last ten of which were years of great expansion had now produced the new Central Headquarters in Railway Street and another very well planned useful addition at Clementhorpe. It is one of the outstanding dates in the life of the York Co-operative Society. The local Press reports indicate the significance of the occasion as well as record the speeches made. Perhaps this section may end with the final paragraph from the account in the Yorkshire Observer.

"The event has undoubtedly been one of the greatest commercial successes ever held within the fine old walls of York, ancient as their history, and this week's proceedings and surprisingly general interest bespoke a very sunny future for the Co-operators of York, and their needed effort is an important and elaborate ornament to the city, well worthy of public recognition and a corresponding future of prosperity."

The increasing activity of the members of the Society which was evidenced in its expansion was obvious too in the decision to "take steps to be directly represented in the City Council". The Society contested unsuccessfully two wards in 1899 and one successfully in 1900 and it is reported in the minutes of the election committee that "a great victory had been won for labour generally and the co-operative movement in particular". The last part of this comment may be taken to show that the non political aspect of the movement was giving way to new alignment. This became a matter of national policy of the co-operative movement, occupying considerable attention from 1897 onwards and it seems that York was early in the political field. In 1904 the Society lost three very valuable and respected members. Robert Hall, founder member and member of the first committee of management, secretary (1861-9). Robert Rathmell, founder member committee man, director, president treasurer l888-1901, who had laid the foundation stone of the new Railway Street Central Buildings; Henry Axe, director and senior auditor l885-l905. All of them had rendered long and valuable service and the former two linked the Society at the outset of this century right back to its earliest days.

The kindness of the Society to Robert Rathmell and to his widow and the scholarships endowed at Archbishop Holgate's Grammar School serve as a reminder that the York Co-operative Society remembered its ideals and honoured its principles.

A very different kind of loss befell the Society when in early 1905 the locomotive employees of the North Eastern Railway were transferred to Darlington. This meant the loss of several hundred members and of a considerable amount of trade. This problem was tackled with determination. Directors, officials and employees in every way strove to make good this fall in membership and trade, and did it very well indeed.

This hardship was city wide. It affected many other traders and public finances. The success of the Co-operative Society aroused opposition amongst some private traders. This developed into a series of attacks on the York Society concerning its trading practices and its stability as well as those of a personal nature urging the dismissal of employees who traded at the Co-operative.

Eventually 'The Tradesmen and Shopkeeper", a weekly anti-co-operative paper, took up the attack on the York Society. In a special article the whole financial position of the Society was queried and grave doubts were expressed as to whether the extraordinary position of the Society could last. It alleged that in the near future the confiding members would have sad cause to regret ever having believed the stories that had been told them. There were other much more damaging end even libellous statements in the article.

The opening of a further branch in Marygate gave the President a chance to make a statement contradicting such stories as the Tradesman and Shopkeeper had made. The local press behaved with a balanced reasonableness and published his rejoinder following the attack under the headings of "Severe criticism" and "another side of the picture". The most appropriate answer was supplied in the balance sheet and statement from which extracts showing the appropriate returns were printed and shown in the windows of the branches. Here was shown that the sales, share capital and membership had all increased and that the declared dividend was to be 2/- in the £. This reply, remembering that the York position had been described as extraordinary, specially commented that these figures, showing such increases, did constitute "An extraordinary position."

It was during the President's rejoinder that Mr. I. Manning expressed the following view "No trader can claim the spendings of any worker. We claim the liberty of the subject to spend his money where he likes and with whom he likes. If he chooses to be his own Shopkeeper he has perfect right to combine with his fellows so to do, both for his own personal advantage, the benefit of his family, and the good of the community. Our objects are to supply food at reasonable price, to recognise all customers as equal, and whether they be poor or not to treat them with equal rights. We have also to sustain the best relation between employer and employed by paying living wages, giving shorter hours and better conditions generally to the workers." This declaration is worth noticing because it affirms the right of persons so to spend their money as they see best.

The Co-operative Movement has on more than one occasion been criticised for some trading development, as if there were special territories it must never traverse - Manning's remark asserts a right and a freedom which is unassailable and proclaims it with a clarity that is worth remembering.

The Railway removal, the campaigning against the Society were surmounted and the trading results showed an increased prosperity in every direction.

In 1907 another interesting development was inaugurated. At the meeting in May Mrs. Edith Dodds, a member, raised the question of lending sickroom requisites to members to help them during times of sickness. The projects were viewed sympathetically and a representative committee of the Directors, Women's Guild, Education Committee and members was appointed to deal with this suggestion. Soon equipment to the value of £50 had been obtained and a scheme worked out. This was not a money making idea, it was aimed at rendering help in time of illness by providing equipment not otherwise available owing to its heavy cost. Soon such help was available to non-members (1908).

There were interesting developments too both locally and further afield. Here in York further premises were secured in Railway Street to allow of further expansion there, a wise move for the future. The outside development concerned Bridlington where a decaying Society was bought up by the Hull Society. York Co-operative Society became share-holders too, partly no doubt to help to keep the Co-operative Movement alive in a place catering for visitors. It also began a scheme whereby York members could be credited with their purchases at Bridlington. So pleased wore members with this arrangement that it was extended to cover Whitby and Scarborough. Here we see the inter-society scheme, widespread now in its inter-relations, beginning in a neighbourly fashion.

So the Society came up to its 50th anniversary well organised, well spread over the city and above all expanding and confident in its work and its avowed aims. Right from the earliest days of the Rochdale pioneers stress had been laid upon working conditions of employees. This was partly due to the fact that many employees were members, but mainly because of the logic of the situation. The York Society was mindful of its employees and had shows itself to be a good employer.

As Manning had said in 1905 replying to the attacks on the Society we have to sustain the best relation between employees and employed by paying living wages. So in 1908 it was resolved that no male employee over 21 years of age was to receive less than 24 shillings a week.

The jubilee was fittingly celebrated and the happiness and pride of such an occasion would be heartened by the news that the membership had passed the 10,000 mark and that with the February 1909 meeting an unbroken period of increases for more than 20 years had been continued. The gala on the Knavesmire (first one 1907), new branches, further department such as fish, game, and poultry in Railway Street all show the strength of the Society whilst its financial support of convalescent homes at Otley and Blackpool, to secure advantage for members, reveals the same thoughtfulness which made sick room appliances available.

The growth of the society in membership and trade, in reserve funds and share capital demanded an efficiency of service, a business and financial control very different from that which had faced the original band. In those early days of a hundred or so members the control and running of the society was in their hands. It was in effect, possible to practise direct democracy.

It will be recalled that committee members prepared the first premises, were responsible for painting and papering the shop, bought the fittings second hand, distributed circulars from time to time, helped in serving and even looked for the society's property, as when in 1867, the handcart having disappeared, the committee took it upon themselves to assist the porter to find it. All this was in addition to their routine work such as buying, selecting goods, examining accounts and scrutinising requests for the withdrawal of invested capital. With every respect for such work, and recognising the devotion of early members, one must appreciate that such a record is suitable to a primitive society, a society in its infancy. It was their society, they constituted a large part of its membership, the knew personally most of the others. By the beginning of this century the membership was moving to the 10,000 mark, net sales were running to a quarter of a million pounds sterling, whilst the dividend distribution, reserve fund and share capital involved £80,000.

The society had outgrown its primitive organisation and its running and efficiency demanded the professional services of a team of business efficiency experts. The days of professional management, of expert buyers, trained salesman and skilled accountants had arrived. The development from being a experiment to being an organisation made such a change inevitable. It does not reflect on the integrity, ability or service of those who handled the affairs in the earlier period. The development of the branches and the trading involved in the fact that annual net sales were approaching £250,000 indicates that a professionally trained group of officers was needed and was in fact being built up to manage so large a concern. Again it must not be overlooked that the membership was now nearing 10,000 most of whom were merely customers. They may have wanted to deal with a society which somehow was their society; to deal with a society which they understood was a good employer paid the union rate for the job and above all paid them as members according to their purchases or article which were value for money. But they did not want to manage the shops as well.

Most of this huge membership were quite uninterested in all such problem of organising and had no intention of taking any part therein. A few would still be interested, the majority neither took nor wanted to take any interest in management. The society which been actively democratic had, by its development, become one in which a member could share in policy making and control. There is a vast difference between an active member and being a member who could be active if he so wished. As the concern became bigger and bigger the active member group became relatively fewer and fewer.

But this is not to say that the York Co-operative Society had become nothing more than a trading company with its members the same as shareholders It must have been forgotten that the Co-operative welcomes all its members at the quarterly or half yearly meetings and would cheerfully take over the largest hall to accommodate such a gathering, or even hold our meetings simultaneously and moreover every member is of equal standing. There are large and small shareholders in limited liability companies, but there is only equality of status amongst co-operative members. So then a transition inevitably occurs and the zealous member gives way to the professionally trained officers and servants of the Society.

This transition in York came along with, and no doubt in part created, the sound outlook and financial stability of the Society.

Both these aspects are necessary bases for a policy of development, both in connection with the opening up of new branches and expanding the trading activities of the Society. Here again we must recall the statement made by Mr. I. Manning, President in 1905, when (at the celebration to mark the opening of the Marygate Branch) he said,

"No trader could claim the ..spendings of another. They claimed the liberty of the subject to spend his money where he liked and with whom he liked. If he chose to be his own Shopkeeper he had a perfect right to combine with his fellows to do so both for his own personal advantage, the benefit of his family and the good of the community as a whole".

It is true that pure food at reasonable prices, to recognise all customers as equals, to treat all with equal civility, to be good employer, were also Co-operative ideas. There were nothing to limit the Co-operative trading to food and clothing. Let us go back to the original rules of the Rochdale Pioneer and note the terms, "The objects and plans of this Society are to form arrangements for the pecuniary benefit and the improvement of the social and domestic conditions of the members". The establishment of a store for the sale of provisions, clothing etc.

This Statement of President Manning may well be called the "Declaration of Rights" for York Co-operators. In the course of the next half century the following new developments were made:-

1906 Cafe and Confectionery.

1908 Fish & Fruit Shop.

1915 Chemist Shop.

1921 Funeral Furnishing Department.

1932 Dairy opened.

1936 Optical Service under direction of C.W.S. Optical Department.

1939 Paint & Wallpaper Department.

1951 Dry Cleaning Department.

l953 Works Department.

These are all instances of widening the field of co-operative trading and of the provision of a much extended range of activities by the society for and on behalf of its members. In some cases the development can easily be linked with the primary food service. This is obvious in the Confectionery and the Cafe development and again in the extension to dealings in fish and fruit, whilst the dairy expansion could be so regarded. There is no such possible connection with the development in the way of Pharmacy, Optical service, Funeral Furnishing or the Works Department. But it is not necessary that there should be any connection, such expansions of activity do not contravene any Articles of Association. The basis of all such development is stated in that Declaration of Rights. - "The right of a person to spend his money where he chooses and to combine to be his own shopkeeper if he so wishes".

In almost every development in this list there has been opposition. Opposition from traders in a particular field is understandable when the Co-operative, in their view, infringes their vested interest, but to treat such antagonism as more than trade rivalry, to consider the Co-operative as being an alien invader is to ignore the freedom of the members, and to try to fix a limit on the choice of the person. The form of the opposition has varied and shown itself in four different ways. There has been direct opposition by traders who banded themselves together - co-operation by retailers to enlist joint and public support for their interests but logically not well placed to dispute the advantages of association for that was what they themselves were doing. This form of hostility had been met in 1905, and it was encountered in November 1909 when a Tradesman's association came into being. This effort, which now appears comic, produced some heat at the moment. In the local press (Herald) there appeared an advertisement of a public meeting - repeated four times between November 14th and 21st. To this public meeting went a body of co-operative officials led by the President. There were letters in the press subsequently protesting against such actions although it was a public meeting. Judged from the correspondence then and the later balance sheet it can be assumed that such ventures were to the advantage of the co-operative movement. Its own case and the publicity given to it in these circumstances reacted in its favour, this to be shown in the report of the quarterly meeting a year later (1910) when the President could declare "There never was a time in the history of the York Society when its finances were in a better condition, and there never was a time when greater security was offered -- than is the case today".

Then there have been instances of manufacturers with-holding supplies. This sort of action often associated with the early development of co-operation (1859 in York) but such pressure has been applied as late as 1937 when an Electrical firm decided to sacrifice its turnover of £40,000 per annum with all Co-operative Societies and stop supplies thereto. The notice of such intent sent to the national press made it obvious that this firm of manufacturers had carefully considered its customers and come to the conclusion that it would support the non-co-operative retail distributors. In this case two features emerge. The retail distributors had made it clear that they expected the manufacturers support in their struggle with the co-operatives and secondly the argument was being advanced that dividend was breaking the "price ring". This surely was an acknowledgement that the Co-operative Societies were living and working to their principles. The failure of this campaign was again due to the publicity it gave to the Co-operative Societies, to the questions it raised in many minds concerning such price arrangements and mostly to the fact that this action was not followed by other manufacturers. There was no organised movement amongst manufacturers of proprietary nationally advertised goods directed against Co-operative Society trading.

When in 1952 the York Society went into milk distribution there was no public outcry - possibly milk as a food seemed a reasonable trade development, but there was an attack on the pasteurisation scheme. The milk question or "pasteurised milk" headed many letters in the correspondence columns of the local press (September 1932). The Dairymen's Association described pasteurised milk as injurious to children. In this instance the opposition was concerned in part with maintaining the existing traders, partly it considered pasteurisation as a newfangled piece of interference with nature, and some people were not convinced of the scientific validity of the claim for pasteurisation. Once again the publicity for the Co-operative Society and for its newest development was an advantage.

Then there has been the opposition aroused by such development as that of Funeral Furnishing, Pharmacy and Public Works. Here the existing traders have sought to arouse public indignation. Hearse and Cab proprietors, Pharmaceutical Chemists all realised the trading threat in the Co-operative developments. The Society was at the time of such expansions violently attacked, the Funeral Furnishing development was branded as almost as serious as blasphemy and sacrilege, that of pharmacy as endangering the life of the community.

In all these upheavals there always emerged the points that, by their associating together, traders could not make a case against co-operation and co-operative trading, although they tried in their sectional interests to oppose such trading in their own particular lines. All such opposition and criticism overlooked the fact that any person, co-operative member or otherwise has a right to combine with others for his personal advantage in a lawful pursuit and has an obvious right to spend his money where he wishes. And so we appreciate the special and fundamental significance of the "Manning Declaration".

Whilst extra trading developments were being made and the range of trading widely extended, so also further branches were being opened.

 More Railway Street premises were being opened - Drapery & Millinery (January 1912), Tailoring & Outfitting (August 1913), New Bakery (February 1921), Haxby (July 1915) more commodious premises opened to replace the old branch opened in 1904, Heworth (1925), Fulford (1935). This expansion evidenced here, and more fully listed later is the natural and normal development to be expected from the foundations already established and the appeal of the Co-operative Society to the working class.

Much of this development work had been helped on by the Secretary of the Society, its second such officer, Mr. George Briggs who after over 18 years service in York returned to Leeds to be Secretary there in November 1911. During his period of office in York the trade of the Society had increased from £42,000 to £252,000 per annum, its membership from 2,193 to over 11,000 and its capital from £6,314 to £l2l,044.

So far the history of the York Society had been concerned with its own growth, an expansion which we have seen meant that the Society was beyond democratic member organisation and had, by the necessity of its expansion in activities and numbers, need for professional management. At the same time York in common with other growing Societies was developing other co-operative contacts. This widening of interest showed itself in York's interest in exhibition and conferences, and in the association of its leading members with national and international co-operative movements.

At Easter 1911 the Co-operative Students' Fellowship held a weekend school in York, during which time they visited Bishopthorpe Palace and were addressed by the Archbishop of York, who was at home to the conference, on the Monday. Amongst the other speakers to address the delegates was the Rev. W Temple. M.A., President of the Workers' Educational Association, Headmaster of Repton School and later to become Archbishop of York too. It is worth noting that the Archbishop in his address stressed the need for making sure that co-operation stood for something better and higher and deeper than the mere increasing of dividends and urged the need for keeping the Co-operative Movement always true to the best ideals.

In 1913 to celebrate the completion of further extensions to the central premises an exhibition of co-operative production was held. Sixty different industries were on show, demonstrating the wide range of goods manufactured by the society's factories. These included tin ware, iron goods, brushes, clothing, furniture, medical goods, food supplies and tobacco. But above all, almost in response, it may seem to the Archbishop's plea about ideals, the exhibition stressed that the employment conditions in the Society's factories and workshops were above the requirements of the various Trades Unions. The exhibition showed the quality of goods and above that gave members the assurance that the whole movement went beyond even that responsibility and gave such attention to employment condition as to merit the title of being a 'good employer'.

The War period was responsible for a break in such like proceedings and it is not until January 1928 when the National Co-operative Party Conference was held in York. Here we notice that two York men - the President, F.H.Gill M.P., and the Vice President the Rev. G.S. Woods, were prominent members of the Conference. Th 1930 the Co-operative Congress met in York and two years later the Women's Co-operative Guild Rally was held here so that it can be seen that all branches of the movement had visited York, and that the period of 1928 - 1932 had been a very active one. It can easily be appreciated that every such meeting in York would make local interest, keep the York Society on its toes and above all it would ensure that co-operative policy, ideas and problems would be fully ventilated here. It meant activity for the movement in York, activity in trade, in ideas, in thought and action.

No doubt much of this activity here was due to the progress of the society here more to the history and geography of York its charm and its accessibility. Quite a lot was due to the fact that York had produced a number of outstanding figures in the movement, two of whom, Gill and Woods have been mentioned.

The York Society took some convincing- in the 1870's of the value of joining the Co-operative Wholesale Society and resolutions urging such a course failed to secure adequate support until 1882 when Robert Rathmell the President, made it clear that there was a financial gain to be had in joining.

The nine years the matter had been cropping up were years of experiment. The relation between York and the Wholesale Society were friendly but at first there seemed more risk than gain for York in joining, When it was clear that the risk could be ignored, York, already trading with the C.W.S., decided to become a full member. Soon there had developed a close association and in 1893 the York Society transferred its banking account to the C.W.S. bank where it has remained and in which bank the York Society shares in the profits. From 1902 the C.W.S. bank became also the Treasurer for the York Society.

York as a member of the Wholesale organisation, of the other constituent co-operative organisations and groupings and as a live society, naturally strove to secure the election of representatives on the various boards. It was with pride that it was announced, at the September meeting of members in York in 1907 that the Society had realised its ambition to send a representative to the Board of the Co-operative Wholesale Society. The York nominee was C. Marshall one of the directors and an ex-president of York Co-operative Society. Mr. Marshall continued to hold office as a director of the C.W.S. until he retired on health grounds in October 1928 only six months before he died. Whilst Marshall was linking York with the C.W.S. other contacts were being advocated and secured for York. The "Co-operative News" carried election material on behalf of the York candidates for the N.W. Section of the Co-operative Union for the N.W. Co-operative Convalescent Homes Association Limited, The Yorkshire District Conciliation Board, The National Conciliation Board and the Newspaper Board. Along with Marshall, men like Rowland, Nicholson, Manning, Hartley and Anderson were engaged in Co-operative work in York and then through York into these various wider fields. Two other prominent figures we have already noticed, T.H. Gill and the Rev. G.S. Woods. Both became Members of Parliament, Woods served the cause of co-operation and education, Gill is the outstanding co-operator, a trades union leader and 'eventually an outstanding figure in the Co-operative Movement, locally, nationally and internationally. The parochialism of the York Co-operative Society of the first 30 years is by virtue of its growth expanding into a wider interest. The connection with C.W.S. is an illustration of this feature whilst the social problems of the country and the world were having an influence too.

Co-operation was expanding in branches and societies and in trades so that there were Co-operative Societies overseas, whilst trading activities such as tea plantation took it into production there too as well as being a distributor of goods. It was being realised, as never before that the world was the parish of the co-operator.

The York Society went on expanding, management passed into the capable hands of those with suitable technical training, co-operative ideas and thinkings were concerned with national and international problems. The war 1914 -18 raised many such matters and produced others. That is not to say that the war did not produce a number of local problems, it did but often they were the result of nation-wide conditions. One of the first problems was the financial position of servants of the Society who served with the forces. As early as mid September 1914 the following notice appeared in the Yorkshire Herald. "The Directors of the York Equitable Industrial Society Limited, have decided to keep open the situations of the employees who are called up or volunteer for service during the war, and to pay to married men the difference between the amount received from the Government and the amount they received whilst in the employ of the Society. The cases of single men to be considered on their merits." This acceptance by the Society of the welfare of their employees coupled with the announcement in the York Evening Press in July of the same year declaring that the Directors had adopted "Full Trades Union conditions of Labour" for all employees, the acceptance of the 48 hour working week make the year 1914 an outstanding one in the field of labour relations between the Society and its employees.

The war, with its limitation on building, its restriction on commodities, its rationing and its shortages hampered any development yet it may be regarded as a period of consolidation, and the reports of the half yearly meetings of 1918 - 9 show clearly that the Society's financial position was very sound. This position enabled a spate of development such as Gillygate, Heworth, Melrosegate, Tang Hall, Thirsk and the Bakery in Clementhorpe to be undertaken soon after the end of the war.

To meet areas where branches were still lacking mobile units were used. These served to bring the shop to the customer until such time as there was a convenient shop for the customer to visit. Such was the case at Fulford in the early 1930's. The post war expansion had however two setbacks - one brisk and sudden, the other slow and sapping in its corrosive action. The former was the influenza epidemic of 1929, for at the meeting in May the heavy claims resulting from the epidemic were mentioned and it was stated that these claims related to 237 deceased members. Unemployment had been a feature since 1922 and on a number of occasions the connection with that cause and the resulting trade decrease was noticed, as also was the reduction in share capital. "It was gratifying to know that in times of stress the members had their shares in the Society to fall back upon".

Out of the period covering the war and the depression two problems arose to agitate the minds of members, again they are national problems and will be found discussed at local area and national levels. The first was the problem of taxation, the second the political relationship of the Co-operative Movement. The first of these was an obvious national matter discussed locally but one which could only be dealt with nationally. The second one has been dealt with nationally but must be applied in the end locally, which thus has the last word in such policy.

The taxation question was concerned with the institution of the Excess Profits Tax and to all branches of the Co-operative Movement it was a serious grievance because they were treated on the same terms as a private trader. In view of the fact that the Co-operative Movement had throughout the war struggled to uphold the consumers' rights, this failure to see the difference between a Co-operative surplus and a private trading profit aroused fierce opposition, and reminded all concerned in the co-operative societies of the scanty consideration paid to them during the early years of the war.

In York this matter was ventilated repeatedly from 1922 onwards. The president of the York Society at the January Meeting commented on the agitation and misrepresentation of the position of co-operative societies and in March 1932 there was a Society Conference in York to protest against taxation burdens. Meeting after meeting during this period finds this subject being discussed in the York Society.

It was gradually realised from the unfair treatment of the Co-operative Movement and its Societies during the war and the apparent support of the private trader after the war by the Government that the policy of neutrality in politics was no longer tenable or satisfactory. This caused the Co-operative Congress to advocate direct representation of co-operators in national and local fields of politics. National Congresses from 1917 onwards decided definitely to embark on political action. At first joint action with the Trades Union Movement was envisaged and there is no reference to the Labour Party in the 1917 resolution. The Labour Party had however entered the field, had developed a party organisation and was soon to become after the war, more than a handful in the Commons.

There was then no place for a rival working class movement, the co-operative party, developing after 1918 unless the aim had been to destroy the working class political force. The Labour Party was in the field and this had to be recognised. The neutral political position was no longer tenable, the starting of a new working c1ass party by co-operators was unthinkable now and so some arrangement with the Labour Party had to be evolved. Discussions, arrangement and compromises have been made and remade from 1919 to 1958, and all these discussions have been argued out locally, and, after congress resolution, have later been subject to local application. Arthur Henderson expressed it clearly when he spoke locally in 1927. "Co-operative Societies remained free to promote the interests of their members as consumers and to continue their great public service apart from associations with any political party if they so desired."

But the Yorkshire Herald carried a cartoon on the 15th May 1928 entitled "The New Triple Alliance" showing the Labour Party in the middle helping itself on either hand to the funds of the Co-operative Party and the Trades Unions. The meetings of the Society and the column of the local Press show clearly how much in mind was the problem of co-operators and politics, which matter appeared in parliamentary debates in early 1930 and roused strong feelings, following the carrying, in committee of the caurly amendment forbidding co-operative society funds being used for the furtherance of any particular party.

It was such major matters which were in mind during these years together with the general economic position of the country, and so members noted expansion of branches without much enthusiasm and thrill, the uneasy twilight of peace gave way to feverish preparation for another war. Again there was rationing; started early this time as the Co-operative Movement had advocated in the earlier war period. The were scarcities and shortages but the York Co-operative Society was responsible for securing a fair share of available supplies to one third of the householders of the city and was the outstanding supplier of the area. Development was again halted and again it may be urged that the restrictions on expansion were well matched by the consolidation of the period. The same consideration was shown to members of the staff who served as had been shown in the 1914 - 18 war.

After the war again there was need to expand and establish new branches. The problem of building permits was such that the Society decided to buy existing shops and make them into branches in order to expedite development. In this connection are to be noted those at Broadway, Hollybank, and Copmanthorpe. New premises have also been secured, especially notable being the branch opened on the Chapelfields Estate, Acomb, in a central position on new and growing housing estate.

It will be convenient now to summarise briefly the main development of the York Society as regards branches and trading activities in the past fifty years.

The Self Service development now operates in the following grocery Branches:-

Holgate Road

Newborough Street,

Scarcroft Road

Carr Lane

Ba1mora1 Terrace

Vyner Street

Gillygate

Heworth

Melrosegate

Tang Hall Lane

Gerard Avenue

Beckfield Lane

Broadway

Chapelfields.

These very considerable changes from a parochial concern to membership of an all England and even world alliance, from a members' organised and operated shop to a vast collection of branches and departments needing the services of technical experts can well be exampled in the sketches of three persons.

First let us take Robert Rathmell, he was the man who began the conversation on the Race Course with John Barker which led to the preliminary meeting; he was one, rather he was the one of the nine at that meeting on August 26th 1858. He had a hand in formulating the rules for the Society. He was a committee member in almost continuous office for the next 46 years. He was concerned with seeking out premises at the outset, learning how to run a shop and no doubt helping to serve, to train assistants, delivering circulars, looking for lost property, raising an infant society, his society, a society which represented to him "faith, hope and charity".

In 1860 he was one of the movers for the idea of half day closing. A the Board meeting on October 17th Robert Rathmell proposed an important innovation - "That on and after Tuesday October 30th, 1860 the Society's store be closed at one o'clock every Tuesday afternoon, to allow the shopmen a half day holiday". In 1883 he was responsible for moving the resolution concerning the York Society's joining the Co-operative Wholesale Society. This idea had been raised before but had not been accepted, and one wonders whether the fact that York stood to gain financially was the principal reason for its acceptance now that in 1883 it was moved from the presidential chair by Robert Rathmell, again he is the position of leading a new development and again in a leading position the President. This office he held for the years 1882 - 8 when he took over the treasurership, a position he held from 1888 until he asked to be relieved of his duties on the grounds of ill health in 1902.

Well may he be regarded as the father of the Society with continuous Service in office for over 43 years. It should be realised that during much of this time all service was voluntarily given, with no expenses claimed for conferences attended. He safeguarded the money and documents of the Society at his own personal risk, for there was no official safe as yet. He is the example of the serving committee member who ran and organised the young society "the member-manager".

The Society recognised the great debt it owed to him. It persuaded him to accept a pension, which was continued during the lifetime of his widow. This was but a fitting reward for his services, a gesture not only appropriate to the recipient but also revealing the generosity of the Society. We can of course appreciate the work Robert Rathmell had done in connection with the expansion of the Society and particularly that connected with the central premises (the Railway Street purchase and building project and Clementhorpe). Such discussion and plans always mean a great strain on the Treasurer for his views often dominate in committee. Perhaps then here was his greatest work and it was very fitting that he should accept the invitation to lay the foundation stone of the new central premises on October 27th 1897. The inscription on the stone at the Railway Street entrance is worth a passing thought for one whose record is over 43 years distinguished service -

"This Stone Was Laid December 27th, 1897.

By Robert Rathmell (Treasurer)

One of the founders of the Society.

Also Ex President and Director."

So far the emphasis has been on the York Society but even so mention has been made of the joining of the Co-operative Wholesale Society and of outside conferences but now the emphasis changes and attention turns to national and international co-operative movement, to other working class movement - the trades unions and political organisation especially the growing Labour Movement.

Here again York is represented by an outstanding figure who can be said to have reached out and filled high office in the local Society, in the national and in the international spheres; to have been a leader in his own trades union and finally as a Member of Parliament, to have the political angle also. Such a man was Thomas Harry Gill whose career sketched briefly reflects so clearly the features we have just mentioned.

Thomas Henry Gill was born in l885. The fact is of such significance in showing as that he achieved considerable status whilst still a young man. His eminence was not merely a long service decoration of nominal value only. It was a recognition of an active and able person. In February 1912 he was elected Director of The York Co-operative, he then being 26 years of age. Three years later he was the leading figure in the project to cause the Society to supply milk to its members. In the minutes of the November meeting 1915 there is the resolution which was carried moved by T.H. Gill.

"That in the opinion of the Society the time has arrived when the necessary arrangements should be made by the Society to supply its own members with milk.

In 1918 he became President and he held that office for the next fourteen years, years of difficulty, the war aftermath and the industrial depression. He was President too during a spate of Co-operative Conference here in York. In 1919 too he was elected President of the Railway Clerks' Association so that at the age of 34 he was president of a Trade Union and of the York Co-operative Society. His election to this, the highest office in his Union was a fitting reward for one who had built up the membership of the York Branch from 13 to 800.

In 1929 he was elected an M.P. for Blackburn, His term of office here was only short, 2 years, but it is indicative of that aspect the political one, we have mentioned. His main concern was the Co-operative Movement. His speech in the House of Commons (6.12.29) on the Co-operative Spirit clearly indicates this fact.

In 1932 he was elected to The board of the Co-operative Wholesale Society, of which he remained a member for sixteen years when he became President of the C.W.S. an office he held for 2 years.

At the same time he was President of the C.W.S. he became President of the International Co-operative Alliance (l948-51) and in the capacity presided over the triennial conference of this body in Paris in 1948. Since this body was made up of Communist and Non Communist countries the task of the President must have been one of considerable difficulty.

He was a member of statutory and royal commissions as on such matters as wheat and taxation. In recognition of all his services, Co-operative, local, national and international, President of a Trade Union, Member of Parliament he was knighted in 1950. Sir Thomas Harry Gill, who died in 1955, stands out as the representative for York in connection with the widening sphere of interests of the Co-operative Movement they outgrew their parochialism and became national and international.

The third figure to illustrate the development of this Society will represent the other great development, from the member-management stages suitable to Robert Rathmell and the pioneer venture to that of professional management, the necessity for the society of the size and trade of that here in York in the present century. The choice of representative of this phase, is obvious. In 1955 the process to which reference has been made resulted in the posts of General Secretary and General Manager being merged in the Secretary becoming the Chief Executive Officer. This may be regarded as the theoretical limit of the professional management development already considered. Especially should it be so regarded when one realises that the occupant of such an office is the leader of the professional team of nearly 40 and an employment roll of nearly 1,000.

The choice is obvious; the task not too easy because there has only been one occupant of this office so one in dealing with a holder in office, not paying a tribute or advancing a criticism of one who no longer holds office, or is no longer around. It is easier to be historic about the past than the present. Still the process is one we noted, the development of professional management and so it must be considered. Perhaps the office more than the person might attract attention and so afford an easy way out of a slight difficulty. That however would inevitably suggest that this phase in the Society's history is impersonal and to do so would be both incorrect, in fact, and unjust to persons. Let us then realise that the growth and complexity of the Society has led to this development and look at the background of the holder of the office, always remembering he is the Chief Executive Officer in a Co-operative Society and not a remote controller a chief executor but also a human being. W.H, Girt in the middle forties, married with two children, with interests in Methodism and his garden represents thousands of the members of Society and its employees.

He has had nearly thirty year experience in Co-operative Administration. He began with the Doncaster Society, a coincidence when one recalls that York people, transferred to Doncaster, helped to found the Society there. He had experience in many aspects of administration and there followed a period of military service after which he returned to Doncaster and became Internal Audit Clerk and finally, chief clerk in 1947.

In l949 he went to the Enfield Society as Assistant Secretary, responsible for the accountancy and office management but closely identified with the managerial side of the work. In 1955 he came to York to the post of Chief Executive Officer and Secretary. Apart from his experience in this type of work he holds the Diploma of the Co-operative Secretary and is also an associate member of the Institute of Company Accountants.

Under him is a group of technically qualified and experienced officers numbering nearly forty and further out still the other employees numbering nearly 1,000. Not only is there technical efficiency, hut there are two other features, firstly a desire here in York, in association with the Directors and the Staff to build up the York Co-operative Society, true to its principle and providing its members with the finest service and facilities available, and secondly a belief that Co-operation is a way of life and that it affords practical opportunity of applying Christian principles.

One problem remains to be worked out and its one which cannot be solved looking backward. This transition to professional management can only function properly and expertly in the appropriate condition. It has emerged from member management with which in the long run it will prove incompatible. In short to operate this new arrangement under an older framework is to fail to obtain the best of a newer development whilst admitting that the older one is no longer equal to the problem. The directors will ultimately need to decide general policy and leave the working out thereof and the running of the organisation to those who have been appointed because they are skilled in such matters.

The development of the York Society was, as every one knows, not an isolated instance. Similar Societies had been growing up all over the country, many of them lacked capital to buy or sell, others were short of space to store surplus foods whilst it was also true that many of them had enthusiastic members yet they lacked experienced buyers. From reasons such as these there came the idea that the Societies needed a wholesale society of their own where a few experienced buyers could serve the multitude of retail societies, with premises where supplies could be stored in bulk and where the local societies could obtain supplies as they were needed. Such a development was legally not possible until after 1862 when the second Industrial and Provident Act was put on the statute book.

Between 1863 and 1876 the foundations of buying in bulk, manufacturing and overseas transporting came into being and the Co-operative Wholesale Society sprang up able to meet the needs of the societies who generally were its members. The accumulated wealth of the G.W.S. was also available to support developments which local Societies could not have done by themselves.

Another idea was coming to mind about the same tine and that was the suggestion that all aspects of Co-operation should come together at regular intervals to discuss common problems and share experiences whilst they might set up a central body to represent these various sections and co-ordinate activities. The first congress was held in 1869, out of which came the idea of a Central Board with regional Boards as well. This soon passed into the Co-operative Union whose functions we have outlined but whose authority was and still is that of an advisory body. The York Society was at an early stage associated in both these developments and can claim to have contributed financially and personally to these bodies whilst she has also drawn help in like measure from them,

From the 1880s onwards the place and work of women in the Co-operative Movement was being ventilated and a guild, the women's movement, was begun in 1883, but it made slow progress. A branch was not formed in York until October 1900 by which time the movement was more than an auxiliary agency for propaganda it aimed at encouraging its members to take a full share in the running of the whole co-operative movement. In York it has produced, session by session, a programme of work, lectures, classes on domestic work, knitting, dressmaking, home sickness and nursing and social activities too. Much of this work is done in association with the Education Committee of the Society. There have been matters beyond these domestic interests which have had the support of the Guild. Such support has proceeded from a real study of a particular question and has been informed and constructive in its approach. Such matters include the working conditions of Co-operative Employees. The Guild supported the policy of the Co-operative Movement to adapt the doctrine of "the living minimum wage". This is a policy which if accepted at a Co-operative Congress could not be imposed upon local societies; it is for their members to decide whether to adopt such a policy. The work of the guild in York was then twofold, to consider resolutions to be debated by nationa1 bodies such as the Co-operative Union Congress and to urge their adoption by the York Society.

Another problem which they studied carefully was "Marriage and Divorce" This was in 1911 when the findings of a Royal Commission were expected. In this instance a special conference was held to discuss the matter fully so that members would be able to appreciate the report of the Royal Commission. The account of this Guild Conference, printed in the Yorkshire Herald 6.11.1911, shows clearly how thoroughly the matter was ventilated. Another matter which also had the attention of the Guild was the proposed education developments associated with the Butler Act of 1944. Again, as the Bill was being debated in the House, the Guild gave it careful attention locally. These are but examples of the work which the Guild has undertaken and yet, in spite of acknowledging such good work, one cannot help hut feel that the Guild has never made the progress one expected nor does it today fulfil, in any marked degree, any of the functions of serving as a recruiting service for the Co-Movement, of producing leaders for the local Society, nor of developing women who will play a leading part in local civic matters. There is no suggestion that some Co-operative women members, some Guild members, have not been conspicuously successful in any and all of the three functions mentioned. What is being doubted is whether their work is due to the Guild. Besides these activities the York Co-operative Women's Guild has been responsible for running a clothing club and a Christmas Club until 1905 when these two clubs were so big and the work entailed therein so heavy, that the Society was invited to take them over. Then in l907 the Guild sponsored the project of having a supply of sickroom appliances which could be lent to members when need rose. Often the cost of appliances was considerab1e, the usage for limited period, so that to purchase such equipment was burdensome. Eventually a tripartite committee of Women's Guild, Education Committee and Directors was established to handle the matter. This matter can easily be related to the home nursing work of the Guild and the Education Committee, but it is primarily one in which the Guild has specialised.

Finally there is the matter of education in which the Co-operative Movement has always claimed an interest. That the York Society did so is obvious from the registration certificate issued in 1859. It will be recalled that the registrar of Friendly Societies struck out the provision which the York founders had inserted concerning the setting aside of two and a half per cent of the profits to constitute an educational fund. In 1889 it was suggested that monthly meetings of an educational nature should be held and to add, to the attractions of such meetings a piano should be bought. Minor legal problems were envisaged in such a purchase and, though the idea had strong support from the elder brethren, there was no interest or support forthcoming for any such project when it was subsequently raised. Ten years later, on the strong recommendation of the Directors, the members agreed to support financially such educational work as might be undertaken and made a grant of one and a quarter per cent of the net profit to such purpose.

In 1902 the Educational Committee brought forward a resolution seeking authority to affiliate with the United Labour Council for the purpose of securing Labour representation on public bodies and to help to defray election expenses. This proposal was negatived. It was probably the political bias of this resolution which led to a proposal at the next meeting, a special one, that the grant to the: Education Committee should be reduced from one and a quarter per cent to one half of a per cent. This debate produced the views that the member was not getting value for the one and a quarter per cent; that such an allowance was too high; conversely it was argued that the working classes could net spend too much on Education and that Education was essentially one of the ideals of Co-operation. The resolution to reduce the grant was carried and so it remained but for a short time when it was the subject of another discussion. On March 2?th 1903 the matter was readjusted and this time the agreed per cent contribution cut of net profit was fixed tat two and a half per cent.

Co-operative Choirs were organised from 1901 and were for many years an outstanding feature. As late as 1932 the Yorkshire Herald reports that there was an audience of 3,000 for the performance of the massed choirs of the York Co-operative and New Earswick Musical Societies with an orchestra of 50. This concert was organised to attract more members.

A Library was established and still continues to operate. It had over 3,000 volumes and took several current publications. Usage rate ran at about 300 borrowers with six thousand books borrowed per annum.

Other activities of the Education Committee have been concerned with holding propaganda meetings, lectures and concerts. Even the mass choir concert was a platform for the President to deliver a talk on the principles of co-operation. It was partly responsible for the Knavesmire Galas which again were propaganda drives. It also ran training courses in book-keeping and on management. These were obviously aimed at training employees whilst the same end was served by encouraging attendance at Evening Continuation Schools where full fees were paid and half fees paid for members children. Nearly 1,000 payments were made in connection with this scheme in one year so that the Society was encouraging continued education to considerable extent. The Society also awarded two Rathmell Scholarships from 1904 and two Co-operative Scholarships from 1905 tenable at Archbishop Holgate's Grammar School.

If we review this work it will be seen to fall under the following headings. (a) Cultural adult work (b) Evening Institute Work, (c) Propaganda, (d) Library Service, (e) Scholarship to Grammar Schools. All this was excellent and was well suited for the early years of this century; but so vast have been the changes in our educational system that much of this work has been taken on by other bodies much better equipped and often better financed. Cultural evening activities are now covered by the Workers Educational Association by University Extra-Mural Departments and by the local Education Authorities, and the Educational Settlements; Scholarships to Grammar Schools are now, by the l944 Education Act extinguished whilst the development of the Public Library facilities and service overshadow the Co-operative Library.

The great aim of the Co-operative Movement the Educated Man and Women is now no longer dependant upon Co-operative educational work The Educational facilities now available mean that Co-operative Society's work has been largely taken out of its hands. There is one field which obviously still remains, that of training employees and much could be attempted here now that the employment force is approaching 1,000.

Propaganda too has need to change its form, whilst the Library service might well fade out in the knowledge that a public service can now cover all such requirements. In the development of its Youth work the Co-operative Society is rendering a service which is educational and perhaps propagandist too. The Youth Club does good work but compared with possible membership the actual one is very small. It is but one of many organisations and there is nothing sufficiently distinctive about its aims and objects to make it compelling to young members. It may be that the Educational Committee can render the movement greater service that than which they are now surrendering to other bodies, This interesting speculation may well be left to the next section.

To mark the centenary of the York Co-operative Society, a period of very considerable service and progress, it has been decided to carry out considerable alterations to the Society's premises, especially the Central Headquarters. These developments have resulted in extending the premises in Bushells Yard. This has allowed extensions to such departments as the Pharmacy and the Electrical and Radio Department on the ground floor, then on the first floor the General Office has been extended and also the Drapery and associated Departments.

Another feature was the new shop frontage installed along Rougier Street and the resiting, remodelling and conversion of a host of departments - Fish Fruit and Flowers, Pharmacy, Jewellery and Tobacco. In other cases it is a case of modernisation as in the Butchering Department with its Refrigerated Units, with self service in the Grocery Department whilst the Jewellery and Travel Departments have been resited . The Central Premises have thus been extended and re-deployed to the best advantage of the very considerable variety and extent of the work carried out there. This is one of those periodic reviews of premises which a growing Society must carry out. This policy is by no means centred only on Railway Street. The properties and services of the Society will continue to be improved following a policy which has been long in operation and is not primarily associated with the centenary. Self service conversions which have been proceeding over a number of years win continue to be made and branches such as Tang Hall Lane, Thirsk, Clifton. Easingwold have been included for attention. More up to date refrigerator units are being installed in the Butchering Department; the Pork Factory, a rapidly expanding service is to have added facilities. The whole of the transport services are to be modernised, horses will be eliminated and both the premises and the equipment improved.

This is not a comprehensive picture of all the overhaul but it is adequate to show the extent of the work and its purpose. It is in the nature of a face lifting operation as well as a reassessment of the working needs of the Society. Shop fronts, resited departments and modern plant. These are the features which will be noted by the consumer and customers. Every organisation of size and age faces the problem of keeping premises up to date. There is always too a feeling that "up to dateness" can mean waste and that the service is worth more than glamour.

It is, however, well to remember the changes in the economic position of the consumer in the history of our Society. The movement began as one of self help by men who were capable of so doing, the aristocrats of the artisan class. When Walmgate Branch was opened in October 1904 a good supply of 1d. goods were stocked. The houses, purses, purchases and pantries were small. Such may have been true of a particular area at a certain time but the increased prosperity means that, although the Society still sells in the smallest quantities to those who require it, the range, quality and quantity of saleable commodities is vastly changed. The economic capacity of the member must not be overlooked. The Co-operative Movement in York has always stood for a sound article for a fair price and such price, it was assumed allowed a fair wage to all concerned in its manufacture and sale. Let us now have premises which are attractive and service which is modernised. Historically the York Society has been more concerned with securing premises and selling suitable goods than in indulging in interesting premises. Perhaps a little more adventure in such matters may develop to match the changed economic position of the member today as compared with what it was at the beginning of the period. No-one suggests the slightest departure from Co-operative principles but it may be urged that the approach and techniques must be varied to match the social conditions of the time. Here is a problem of relationship between the retailer and customer which might well be investigated and would provide a worthwhile task for the Education Department to tackle with the Women's Guild as helpers.

The York Society can appreciate, from its own story of the provision of milk to members through its dairy, that the best produces outstanding results. This is shown in the figures:-

1932-3 - Milk Supplied - 148,000 gallons, 18 staff.

1957-8 - Milk Supplied - 1,485,000 gallons, 86 staff.

Here the member can appreciate the care taken to see that the saleable commodity (milk) is produced for them under ideal conditions, the machinery, the laboratory for testing and all the care that is taken to ensure a good commodity at a reasonable price. Along with such trade goes also the knowledge that all concerned are fairly remunerated and well treated. In the organisation here, the unloading bays and the day stamps on the bottle-seals show that this question of consumer relationship has been in mind, as has also the economics of production. Such a study might well be developed in other departments such as the Bakery and Confectionery, Fruit and Flowers Greengrocery and so on.

"Face lifting" for the property will be a most useful project particularly if it causes a rethinking of the whole problem of co-operation and co-operative trade.

The Co-operative Movement, the York Society included, began as an effort, a self effort to bring about improved conditions. These were not only connected with the pantry or the household. It was aiming at improving social, housing, working and educational conditions of the workers. It must be appreciated that the Co-operative was not the only movement trying to bring about one or all these improvements. In the course of the century vast improvements have been made in which the Co-operative Movement has played a notable part. It is naturally and rightly proud of its history but it must also be recorded that the Co-operative Movement's help was widespread in all these good causes. Other agencies have tended to take over specific areas, as for example the Trades' Union which are obviously the most prominent agency for looking after wages and industrial conditions. So also education and housing and social matters have passed to the local Education Authority, the local council and building societies, and the Labour Party respectively. "The old order changes yielding place to new" This might well be the outcome of the centenary. Let us be proud of our achievement of the century of our operations 1859 - 1959, but mindful of the changed social atmosphere in which we now live. The rapidity of these changes can best be appreciated if prices for cigarettes and tobacco, refreshment, newsprint, transport and such commodities of common concern are compared for the years 1939 and 1959. It is amazing what could be done with one shilling in 1939 compared with the purchasing value if it today. This sort of change is but part of the extraordinary development on the whole social front. This is why ideas and views formulated not a century but a score of years ago are so hopelessly outdated today. The story of the past century is one of tremendous achievement; the present is sound and progressive. It has been said that any Society which is unmindful of its past has no right to expect a future. The members of the York Co-operative Society are not unmindful. They have then a right to anticipate their future. The essential to grasp is the changing circumstances and the need to rekindle the enthusiasm of the past century but applied in different avenues and considering different matters. Its present is a tribute to its past, its future will be largely determined by the mental "face lifting" through which the whole movement is now going. The end of a century of activity is a useful time for a stock taking of aims, ideals and mundane matters such as sales.

In a world such as we live in now in this country, great though the improvement may have been in the last century there is still a crying need for co-operation. Let it not be forgotten that co-operation is a goal, an aim not a specific model. It is an attitude of mind, a way of life. It is essentially worth preserving, worth striving for and worth serving as loyally as Robert Rathmell worked in the early days.