The area in which the Society’s bread was used soon began to widen. At first Belfast was practically the only customer, but in the course of a month or two society after society became customers, so that by the beginning of August there were five societies, in addition to Belfast, customers for bread. This good result was due to visits which had been paid by some members of the directorate to the committees of the societies. At the same time, Lurgan Society applied for membership and was admitted.
It was not until the middle of November that tenders for the completion of the main building were accepted, and then the committee had not finally made up their minds how much of the work they were going to complete at once, but reserved to themselves power to stop with the completion of the front section if they thought this plan desirable. When the matter was further considered in March, however, the committee were unanimously of the opinion that the building should be two storeys in height.
THE BAKERY COMPLETED.
Some of the difficulties which had worried the committee so much when the first section of the M‘Neil Street building was under construction manifested themselves again at Belfast, and it was found that it was not in Glasgow alone that builders were dilatory. The committee had hoped that the finished building would be ready for opening in September, but it was not until April of the following year that it was completed. The building erected contained provision for eighteen ovens on two floors; but at first only nine ovens were built on the ground floor, the upper floor being used for storage purposes. The ovens were of the draw-plate type, and amongst the machinery installed was an automatic dough-divider and handing-up machine, capable of weighing accurately 2,800 loaves per hour.
Elaborate arrangements were made for the opening ceremony, for truly it was a great day for Ireland. All the societies in the Federation were invited to send delegates to Belfast, and provision for their conveyance and comfort was made by the Baking Society. The U.C.B.S. band accompanied the party, and discoursed sweet music during the journey from Ardrossan to Belfast. After spending the hours of Sunday in whatever manner they felt inclined, the delegates were driven in brakes on the Monday morning to Ravenhill Avenue. The procession, for that is what it amounted to, attracted great attention as it drove through the streets of the city with bands playing. Doubtless, many of the good folks of Belfast wondered what all the noise was about, for at that time Co-operation had but a very small share in the commercial life of the commercial capital of the Green Isle, and it is quite likely that many thousands of the inhabitants of the city knew nothing of the momentous event which was going to take place that morning. To many of them Co-operation was only a word, the meaning of which they did not understand, and to many more even the word was unknown.
At the opening ceremony Mr James Bain, the secretary of the Federation, presided, and, in the short speech he delivered in introducing Mr Gerrard, who was to declare the premises open, he voiced the true spirit of Co-operation. Their meeting, he said, was a public assurance that wherever the brotherhood of Co-operation existed, no matter whether a society was in the throes of adversity or rejoicing in the hope of prosperity, they were ready to lend a helping hand in adversity or to share in the joys of prosperity. When the word had come to Scotland that their Celtic brothers were in need of assistance the U.C.B.S., in season and out of season, had done their best to give the needed help. He was glad that the request they had made had been so far acceded to, and that they were there on that glorious Easter Monday morning to witness its fruition. They looked forward to the new branch as a means of consolidating and advancing Co-operation not only in the North of Ireland but throughout the whole of Ireland. It was only their first branch, but they were looking forward to the time when they would have a great many more branches scattered over the whole of Ireland.
Mr Gerrard had presented to him a handsome gold key with which to open the door of the building. In declaring the premises open, he said they were that day marking an important epoch in the history of Co-operation. In Ireland distributive Co-operation could not be said to be flourishing like the green bay tree. On the contrary, its progress had been slow and its development difficult. In that the progress of the movement did not differ from its progress elsewhere. Everywhere there had been societies which were weak, but in Ireland, as elsewhere, those who constituted the membership had struggled heroically. Under difficulties and discouragements, before which many would have gone under, they had endeavoured to hold fast that which they had, and taking encouragement to themselves from their belief that the principle of associated effort for mutual benefit, which they represented but feebly, would ultimately be grasped by their fellow-countrymen and would work for their common good, they had struggled on.
Later in the day luncheon was served in the Y.M.C.A. Hall, after which more congratulatory speeches were delivered, the speakers including, besides Mr Gerrard, Mr Richardson (president of Belfast Society), Mr James Deans, Mr Duncan M‘Culloch, Mr Robert Fleming, Mr Alexander Hamilton, and others, after which the Scottish visitors joined the steamer again en route for home; which, however, many of them did not reach without discovering that “a life on the ocean wave” was not without its drawbacks.
The opening of the new bakery at once sent the trade up with a jump; so much so that, at the close of the half-year which ended in July, a profit of £550 was shown as compared with a profit of £116 for the half-year which ended in January. During the half-year 3,853 sacks were baked, an increase of 59 per week over the previous half-year, notwithstanding the fact that the large bakery had only been working for three months. From that time onward the output showed a practically continuous increase. The reasons for this were many. The Irish societies in the North were increasing in membership and strength, and new societies were being formed and were joining the Federation. Particularly was this increase in membership and strength notable in Belfast, where the movement has never looked back since the opening of the bakery. The quality of the bread had also something to do with the increase in trade. Before the temporary bakery had been long in existence the foreman sent samples of his workmanship to the Bakers’ Exhibition held in the Agricultural Hall, London, where he was successful in securing first and third prizes. This superiority in the quality of the bread baked has been maintained throughout the life of the branch. So superior, indeed, was the bread baked at Ravenhill Avenue that Belfast Society found their bread trade a useful feeder for their membership roll, customers joining the society as members for bread only at first, and gradually going on to the purchase of other goods until they became full-fledged members purchasing from every department.
The committee were assiduous in their endeavours to maintain and increase the sale of their products. Thus, when owing to lack of enthusiasm Banbridge Society gave up business, the Society decided to continue on the road the van which had been working for that society, employing the man who had done the work for the society, so that the bread connection might not be lost. So successful did this method prove that in a comparatively short time they were employing another horse and van as well. Their bread was becoming so famous in the North of Ireland that grocers in the outlying villages were anxious to become agents for it, and, after consideration, the committee agreed, with the proviso that this should not be done where there was a Co-operative society in the place.