About the same time—it may have been earlier or a little later, for no information about its beginning can be found—a baking society was formed in Bannockburn, and continued to flourish for a number of years. Of the fact that the members of the other Bannockburn Society were interested in the doings of the baking society evidence is given in a minute of that society in the early ’thirties, in which it is noted that the baking society had agreed to supply Alva Society with bread. Incidentally, this entry would seem to fix a period at which the Alva Baking Society was not in existence. The Bannockburn Baking Society was amalgamated with the Bannockburn Society in 1846.
In the year 1847 one of the most flourishing baking societies in the country came into existence, for on the 23rd June in that year the Bainsford and Grahamston Baking Society was formed. Notwithstanding that general societies have grown up all round the town of Falkirk, this society continues to maintain a separate and flourishing existence, its latest balance-sheet showing a membership of 4,733 and an average output of 371 sacks per week.
Other baking societies were formed in the same district. Quite recently one of these, Stenhousemuir Baking Society, was amalgamated with the Stenhousemuir Equitable Society, after a separate existence of many years. Another baking society was situated in the little village of Carronshore. In the Hillfoots district some time in the late ’forties baking societies came into existence at Alva and Tillicoultry. The baking society at Tillicoultry amalgamated with the Tillicoultry Society in 1905, and the Alva Society with the Alva Bazaar Society a few years later.
BAKING SOCIETIES IN FIFE AND THE NORTH.
In Fifeshire, also, baking societies were coming into being; indeed, the earliest baking society whose name is known was formed at Leven in 1828. In 1840 Kingskettle Baking Society was formed, and it remains strong and vigorous to-day. It is one of the few of these early baking societies about which it is possible to give a little information. The society was only a small affair at the beginning; indeed it is not very large even to-day; but what it lacked in size it made up for in vigour, and since its formation it has never looked back. It is recorded that in its early days the bread was delivered by the aid of a donkey cart; to-day the society has several vans on the road and supplies a population of several thousands with bread.
Somewhat earlier than the formation of the society in Kingskettle a baking society was formed in the village of Leslie, situated a few miles from Kirkcaldy. The reason for its formation was the same as that responsible for the formation of others in these early days—small wages and the extortionate charges for their bread made by the local bakers. The success which attended the baking venture led in 1840 to the formation of a general society. In later years this society split over the question of adopting the Rochdale system of disposing of the surpluses, and a new society was formed which continues strong and vigorous; and with this new society the baking society finally amalgamated. Later still a society was formed in Dunfermline, which in 1866 showed a surplus on working of £493.
Meantime Co-operation was going ahead in the North. Societies had been formed in Kirriemuir, Brechin, Arbroath, and Forfar, and very early in its history Kirriemuir took up the baking of bread. Arbroath West Port Association began the baking of bread in 1846, while in the year immediately preceding—1845—Arbroath Guthrie Port Association, in altering their rules, placed first in the list of the objects of the society “to make bread and to deal in bread,” so that it is evident that the society was then baking or had baking in contemplation. This is the society which is now known by the name of Arbroath Equitable Society.
BAKING IN THE BORDERLAND.
Co-operation does not seem to have found a footing in the South quite as early as it did in the North and West, but the Borderers were not far behind, and they have proved that having once started they believed in perseverance. It was in 1839 that Galashiels Store Company was formed, and the question of bread supply was soon under consideration. In its earliest years the society seems to have had considerable difficulty in getting a satisfactory supply of bread, with the result that by 1844 they had established a bakery of their own. An interesting fact which is related by Mr Maxwell in his “History of Scotland” is that they applied for information about baking to two societies, long disappeared, Coupar Angus and Alyth. Probably some one connected with the society was a native of Forfarshire, and, knowing that these societies had bakeries, suggested that information be got from them. The number of these efforts to cheapen the staff of life must have been very great, for references to them keep cropping up in old newspapers and pamphlets, showing that Co-operative activity, much of it inspired doubtless by the teachings of Owen, was widespread in Scotland.
Hawick Store Company began a few months later than the Galashiels venture, but it was not until 1851 that the members added baking to the list of their enterprises.