At the same time as this improvement in their baking plant was decided on, the committee also decided on extensive alterations in connection with the oatcake factory. These included the removal of the hot-plates from their former situation to the flat immediately above the biscuit factory, at a cost, including structural alterations, of over £2,000.
COMPLETION OF M‘NEIL STREET BAKERY.
No sooner were these alterations carried through successfully than the committee turned their attention seriously to another project which had been receiving consideration at intervals for some time. This was the completion of the Govan Street, M‘Neil Street, Adelphi Street, South York Street square by the erection of an entirely new block on the site of the old buildings at the South York Street and Adelphi Street corner—the north-west corner of the square; and at the quarterly meeting held on 20th September 1913 they were granted powers to proceed. The plans for the new building provided for a workers’ dining room in the basement flat. The ground floor was to form an extension of the biscuit factory, which had become congested in recent years and was too small to enable the Society to meet the demand for biscuits. The first floor was to be used as an icing room, and the icing room then in use it was proposed to utilise as a cake factory, building four Scotch ovens for that purpose. The second flat was to be utilised as an extension of the biscuit-packing warehouse; while the upper flat it was decided to fit up as a dressing room for the female workers. The approximate cost was given as £11,000.
The new building was commenced in the spring of 1914, but before much had been done the outbreak of war began to hamper building operations very seriously, and it was not until the summer of 1916 that the building was completed.
A SERIOUS FIRE.
In November 1913 a fire occurred in the top flat of the stables at South York Street. In this flat 180 tons of hay were stored, and before the fire could be subdued the whole of the hay was destroyed and the roof had fallen in. Fortunately, the damage was covered by insurance, and the sum of £543 was received from the insurance company. It was exceedingly fortunate that the fire originated in the upper flat, as otherwise many valuable horses might have been destroyed.
A NEW VENTURE.
For the Christmas trade of 1910 a new branch of trade was started. During the preceding two winters unemployment had been rife, and as a result the trade done in Christmas goods had shown a tendency to fall off, but by the end of 1910 business was getting back to normal again, and in order that Co-operators might be able to take full advantage of the facilities for the production of Christmas luxuries which the Baking Society possessed, a range of Christmas hampers, containing seasonable goods produced by both U.C.B.S. and S.C.W.S., was placed on the market. To popularise these hampers amongst the members of the various societies, contribution cards, enabling the societies to form “hamper clubs,” were distributed. This branch of business proved instantly successful, over 3,000 hampers being sold. Altogether, at the cake show this year, 102 tons of cakes were disposed of, as well as shortbread to the value of almost £2,000.
The Society was now almost continuously successful in their tenders for contracts on a large scale. On several occasions they had supplied the provisions for the children entertained during the summer months in the public parks by Glasgow Corporation, and during this winter they were the successful tenderers for the supplying of five centres for the feeding of necessitous children; while in 1911 they obtained the Corporation contract to cater for 67,500 children at the Exhibition of that year, as well as the contracts for the Coronation dinners in St Mungo Hall and Maryhill. The year 1911 must also have been a busy year for weddings, for it is recorded in the minute of 7th July meeting that already that year 208 bridecakes had been made at M‘Neil Street. Tenders for supplying a number of industrial schools were also accepted, and the contracts for supplying a number of military camps with bread were received. In the following year the contracts for supplying bread to a number of the Territorial camps in Scotland were also secured, and these contracts continued to be held by the Society until the outbreak of war. In the autumn of 1912 a certificate was received from the War Office for prompt and regular delivery of bread to the camps; and this promptness and regularity of delivery had doubtless much to do with the fact that for so many years in succession the contracts for supplying these camps were held by the Society.
For the Christmas trade of 1912 136 tons of cakes were sold, while 80,000 children were supplied on Glasgow Corporation Children’s Day.