History of the United Co-operative Baking Society Ltd.

by William Reid

THE SOCIETY FORMED.

A third meeting was held a fortnight later, and at this meeting eight societies intimated their willingness to join in forming the Federation. These were Anderston, Barrhead, Cathcart, Johnstone, Lennoxtown, Motherwell, St Rollox, and Thornliebank. An interim committee was formed, consisting of Messrs Gabriel Thomson and John West (St Rollox), James Borrowman and Alexander Douglas (Anderston), James Ferguson and Alexander Johnstone (Barrhead), and Joseph Gibb and Donald Cameron (Thornliebank). Three of their number—Messrs Thomson, Borrowman, and Cameron—were appointed a sub-committee to look out for suitable premises, consider the working of the bakery and the delivery of the bread, and report to a future meeting.

No better men could have been selected for the task. Mr Thomson was the originator of the scheme, and was also the treasurer of the S.C.W.S. Mr Borrowman had already made a name for himself as the most powerful advocate of Co-operation that Scotland had produced. He had taken a leading part in establishing the S.C.W.S., and was now its manager; while Mr Cameron was not only a shrewd and earnest Co-operator, but appears also to have had some knowledge of the baking trade. We can well imagine the zeal and earnestness with which they set about their task. They knew that they were setting out on a journey along an untrodden path, but they had a faith which lighted up the dark places before them, and a determination to see the mission on which they had entered, the first step to the fulfilment of their hopes, accomplished as soon as possible. Inside two weeks they were back to the parent committee, their task accomplished, bringing with them particulars of a bakehouse which they thought would suit the requirements of the new society, a scheme for carrying on the business, and particulars about methods of delivery. Their report was approved, the bakery at 52 South Coburg Street was leased, and instructions were given for its immediate repair.

The minute of committee, the first minute of the new Society, is as follows:—

“16th January 1869.

“A meeting was convened to-day to hear the report of the committee in the office of the Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society. At this meeting the following societies were represented—Barrhead, St Rollox, Anderston, Eastern, Motherwell, Dalziel, Cadder, and Thornliebank. A report was submitted by the committee stating that premises had been secured and that they were convinced that the business would pay well, and recommended an immediate start. The report was accepted and the following sub-committee was appointed to carry out the resolution—viz., Gabriel Thomson, president; John West, treasurer; James Borrowman, secretary; and Alexander Douglas. Same committee to get the rules printed in accordance with the alterations made on the Ayrshire United Co-operative Societies Baking Association, and submit the same to the general meeting of the delegates before registration.”

All that now remained to be done was to get the bakery into working order, and ten days sufficed to have this work completed. Meantime, however, the committee were not idle. Vans had to be procured and other details of the work inside and outside seen to, and bakers had to be employed. The committee met on 23rd January, and appointed a Mr Currie as foreman baker, while on 6th February they decided to purchase a second van at a cost of £18 and a horse for a similar sum. A vanman was also engaged at a wage of 20/ a week.

These little details are all in the minutes, but no mention of the situation of the bakery appears therein, nor is there any mention made of the date of beginning business. These old-time Co-operators were so engrossed in the work they were doing that they had no thought for the people who would come after them, eager for information about what they had done and how they had done it. It would appear from the minute book itself that it was written up at a date later than the beginning of the Society, probably from notes made by Mr Borrowman at the time, and this may account for the omission of any mention of the date of beginning business or of the location of the bakery.

We know, however, that the bakery was situated in South Coburg Street, a street which connected Bedford Street with Norfolk Street, parallel with and immediately behind Eglinton Street. The buildings in this street are evidently much older than those of Eglinton Street. The site of the first premises of the U.C.B.S. is now covered by a part of the Coliseum theatre. Here, in this small place, the modest beginning was made on the morning of 26th January 1869. One is curious as to the quantity turned out in this first baking, but that is a matter on which all records are silent. Occasionally we are told of the purchase of flour and of the price which was paid for it, but for some time no mention is made of the quantity baked into bread. At that time the secretary was a very busy man. Not only was he during these first few months virtual manager of the bakery, but he was also the manager of the S.C.W.S., and he had his hands full of work.

Although the minutes are silent on some phases of the work of the committee, however, they are prolix enough on others. The wages of the vanman are given, and at the same meeting—that of 6th February—we are told that the wages of the foreman baker were fixed at 34/ a week. It was also agreed at the same meeting that the bread be sold at current retail price and that a discount of 10 per cent. be given. Three weeks later the need for a larger van was being discussed, and at the next meeting, held a week later, it was decided that a Parkhead van-builder be given the order to build a van large enough to contain fifty dozen loaves; and that another horse be purchased. A shop in connection with the bakery had now been opened, and it was decided that the shop hours should be from eight a.m. until seven p.m. The question of a weekly half-holiday, presumably for the girl in the bread shop, was also considered, but allowed to lie over. From the next minute it becomes evident that the committee’s idea of the class of horse which was required for the work of the Society had undergone some change during their month’s experience, for whereas the first horse which they purchased cost £18, they paid £40 for the next one.

At the beginning of the month the hours of the shop girl had been fixed at from eight to seven, but on the 27th of the same month an alteration was made, and it was agreed that the shop should open at 7·30 in the morning and remain open until 7·30 at night. On Mondays it was to be shut at 5 p.m. and on Saturdays to remain open until 9 p.m., while the price of bread was fixed at 5½d. The committee were now finding that they required stable and van room more than they had available, and agreed to advertise for it. Evidently the shop girl found the 7.30 a.m. start too early for her, for at a meeting of the committee held a fortnight after the earlier opening of the shop had been decided on, the minute records that she should “be spoken to about attending at her hour in the morning.”