A HINDRANCE TO THE PROGRESS OF THE SOCIETY—THE SEARCH FOR NEW PREMISES—THE NEW BAKERY—RUNNING INTO DEBT—THE CHAIRMAN RETIRES—MORE CAPITAL WANTED—SLOW PROGRESS—THE MANAGER RESIGNS—JOINING THE WHOLESALE SOCIETY—PAYMENT OF BONUS COMMENCED—MR BARCLAY RESIGNS—ADDITIONAL PROPERTY PURCHASED—MR CAMERON RESIGNS—MR ANDREW BROWN BECOMES CHAIRMAN—BAD BREAD AND DELIVERY DIFFICULTIES—FURTHER EXTENSIONS—MONEY DIFFICULTIES—MR BORROWMAN RETIRES—BECOMING BISCUIT AGENTS.
Long before the end of the first year of their tenancy of Coburg Street bakery the committee had come to the conclusion that if their business was to grow and flourish they must remove to more suitable premises at the earliest possible moment. As one of themselves put it, they discussed “the present bakery as a hindrance to the progress of the Society.” The result of this discussion was that a circular was issued to the societies, in which the committee recommended the building of a new bakery. During the months of October and November 1869 the question was discussed on several occasions, and at least two special meetings of the committee were held for its consideration. At the second of these, held on 6th November, a sub-committee was appointed to look out for a site, and a week later it was decided to write to Mr M‘Kay, of Alva, asking his advice on the subject. There is no doubt that the matter was urgent. The trade was growing rapidly, and there were numerous complaints regarding late delivery of bread. The subject crops up in the minutes again and again, and the manager is unable to get out enough bread early in the day to meet the demand.
Still, the committee are cautious. They have now discovered that the Society can be made a success; they have also gained some knowledge of the difficulties which are to be encountered; and so, not content with applying to the Alva Baking Society for information, they also get into communication with the Dunfermline Baking Society, and receive a letter in which that society’s bakery is described. Meantime, the sub-committee appointed to look out for a site had not been idle. They had discovered a building at the corner of St James Street and Park Street, Kinning Park, which was for sale, and which they thought could be so altered as to make suitable premises for the Society and, after due consideration doubtless and careful inspection, although the minutes are silent on the subject, the matter was brought before the December quarterly meeting and purchase was approved of, provided the cost was not more than £400.
THE NEW PREMISES.
The building was purchased at once, and steps were immediately taken to have it fitted up as a bakery. It was decided to erect four ovens at an estimated cost of £210 for the four, while a part of the building was fitted up as a stable. To-day, the fitting up of a bakery of this size would seem quite a small matter and not at all a thing to make a fuss over, but it is easy, nevertheless, to imagine the loving care with which those old veterans watched the transformation which was taking place; how they deliberated over the merits of asphalte as a satisfactory material for the floor, and the utility of cast-iron fittings as against wooden ones for the stable. The manager made a special journey to Irvine to arrange at the quarry there for proper stones for the oven soles, what time the sub-committee were arranging to get estimates for tables and troughs for the bakery. By the end of January the manager was able to announce that the stable was finished, and was instructed to employ a man to take charge of it and attend to the horses. At the same meeting it was agreed that the S.C.W.S. be allowed stabling for a horse and van, and that they pay a fair share of the expenses. Already, too, the new bakery was so far advanced towards completion that the committee had begun to consider the question of having a formal opening ceremony, and a supper, to which it was proposed that “two or three members of the committee of each society within easy distance should be invited, whether they were members or not.”
By the middle of March the manager was in a position to state that the bakery “would be ready for business in two or three weeks’ time at most.” At the same time it was decided to erect a house for the manager on the property, the rent of the house to be considered later. At the same meeting the committee had a visit from Mr Keyden, writer, who stated that he had learned that the Society were desirous of raising a loan on their property, and had called to find out what the amount was and what rate of interest they were willing to pay. The secretary stated that the amount would be from £400 to £500, and the rate of interest 4½ per cent. per annum. At a later meeting the question of the opening celebrations was again considered, when, amongst other decisions arrived at, was one to the effect that two gallons of “drink,” presumably whisky, should be procured for the use of those who attended. It was agreed that invitations be sent to societies who were members and to others within a convenient distance, also to the employees of the Society, past members of the committee, Mr M‘Kenzie, of the P.C.M.S., Mr Marshall S.C.W.S., and such Wholesale Society directors as lived within a suitable distance for attending. The decision about the whisky evidently did not find favour with some people, for at the next meeting of the committee the matter was again under consideration, “and after mature deliberation it was then agreed to have none, as the committee had been informed that there were many objections to the same.” In the beginning of May the new bakery was opened for business.
But in thus following up the negotiations about the new premises, we have been running ahead. The fourth quarterly meeting was held on 19th February 1870, when some important changes were made in the method of conducting the business. For the first year each society which was a member of the Federation had a representative on the committee, and this arrangement was continued by resolution of the quarterly meeting. The whole committee resigned in order that it might be reconstructed, and Mr Thomson was re-elected to preside over the business of the meeting. Some of the regulations drafted that afternoon are amusing. It was decided that each member of committee receive one shilling for every meeting of the committee which he attended, along with travelling expenses; but it was also decided that any member of the committee who was later in arriving at a committee meeting than fifteen minutes after the time fixed for the meeting should not only forfeit his allowance for attending, but should also, unless reasonable excuse was shown, be fined sixpence for being late. What was to happen if a member did not attend at all was not stated, but no member of the committee was to be paid his allowance unless he was present at the meeting.
THE CHAIRMAN RETIRES.
A large number of changes were made in the personnel of the committee at this meeting. Mr Gabriel Thomson retired from the presidency, and Mr William Barclay, also of St Rollox at that time, was elected president in his stead. The other members of committee were Messrs Ferguson, Barrhead; Gibb, Thornliebank; John Borrowman, Anderston; Kinniburgh, Cadder; Mungall, Cathcart; and Shaw, Lennoxtown; with Mr James Borrowman still secretary. At this meeting exception was taken to the propaganda activities of the committee, for a letter from Paisley Equitable Society was read to the meeting in which the Society was charged with trying to injure that society’s trade with the Provident Society, and the secretary was instructed to reply denying that such had been the policy of the Society. It was also from that quarterly meeting that the proposal came that a house should be built for the manager in the new premises, in order that he might have the premises under his supervision at all times.