The Co-operative Movement in Manchester.

[John]

For most of his working life, my great grandfather worked for the co-operative movement in Manchester. He started as a clerk at Balloon Street, became manager of the pickle factory at Middleton Junction and ended his career as president of the Blackley Co-operative Society. That is a brief synopsis gleaned from the family and his obituary.
I have on several occasions contacted the Co-operative Society at Balloon Street in Manchester to try and put some flesh on his working life, however my pleas for information have gone unanswered.
Does anybody have any suggestions as to how I might proceed?

John

[Ladkyis]

You could try the Co-op museum in toad Lane, Rochdale. They could probably tell you whether there are records - just a thought here, you do include a stamped self-addressed envelope with any queries don't you? It is stll the quickest way to ensure a reply - even if all they say is sorry we don't have anything.
Ann

[Peter Goodey]

John

Is New Century House the same as Balloon Street? The former might be the place you want but I don't really have the local knowledge to be sure about it.

Similar problems here but no answers I'm afraid.

At least three people in my family were involved in the early days of their local co-operative society. All I can say is what I intend to do - I don't know how successful it will be.

1. Get to the bottom of all the mergers of co-operative societies over the years and try the head office of the successor.
2. Try the CRO (two of them in my case because I've discovered that the Society I'm interested in merged with one from the next county).
3. Try the local history society.
4. Try the local WEA (a tenuous connection these days but some local branches haven't forgotten their roots)
5. Local co-operative party (if active). Local CLP. Trade unions. Someone there might be interested in their history.
6. Museum of Labour History (whatever it's called these days).
7. The co-operative movement itself has some sort of archives but I haven't got the details to hand.
8. Local FHS? Hmmm. Maybe...
9. er.. that's it.

[John]

You could try the Co-op museum in toad Lane, Rochdale. They could probably tell you whether there are records - just a thought here, you do include a stamped self-addressed envelope with any queries don't you? It is stll the quickest way to ensure a reply - even if all they say is sorry we don't have anything.
Ann

Ann and Peter,
first excuse, I'm working on a borrowed computer and don't have all my notes with me. The Co-operative Society archive, housed in the old headquarters, does have an e-mail address. Several requsets for information over the past few years have gone unanswered. Maybe a good old letter written on real paper might be the next step.
There is also a web site dedicated to the history of the movement, unfortunately, that address is on my computer as well

John

[Peter Goodey]

John. The archives - is that this address?:

Gillian Lonergan
Co-operative College
Holyoake House
Hanover Street
Manchester
M60 0AS

Tel: 0161 246 2925
Fax: 0161 246 2946

Email: [email protected]

The archives of the Manchester & Salford Equitable Co-operative Society (from 1859) are at Manchester Archives & Local Studies.

Don't know if this is any help.

[John]

John. The archives - is that this address?:

Peter, from memory, I'd say yes, but I think there is an archive specific to the Manchester Co-op.
I think the M&S Equitable is yet another society in the Manchester area.
I really need to spend the evening remembering what was what.

John