In 1912 the camp was much better organised than in 1911, but it was still far from being what its promoters desired to see it. They were hampered for lack of funds, however, as the Co-operative societies were showing caution and a lack of faith in the enterprise, and were not providing the capital necessary to work it properly as readily as had been expected. The only fault which the committee found with the site lay in the fact that in dry summers the water supply was inadequate. The summer of 1912 also showed them that it was desirable that something more impervious to rain than a marquee was desirable for the gatherings of campers and, in order that these two defects might be put right, they applied to the U.C.B.S. for a loan of £1,000 on the security of the property. This loan was granted them, and so good use did they make of the power which it gave them that, before the time came for opening the camp in 1913, they had put down a huge storage tank for water, capable of storing 20,000 gallons; and had erected a dining hall large enough to dine several hundred persons.
The camp was a very great success in the third year. Its popularity was so great that the committee found it quite impossible to provide accommodation for all who wished to avail themselves of its facilities for holiday making, and this has been the case in each succeeding year, notwithstanding the influence of the war. At the end of the third season, however, the committee of the association came to the conclusion that, if the camp was to be made the success they believed it was capable of becoming, some rearrangement of its management would require to be made, so they invited the Baking Society to take it over as a going concern and work it themselves.
They explained to the directors of the Baking Society that they were not taking this step because they disbelieved in its success, but solely on the ground that they considered that dual control was not good for discipline and did not make for good management.
The directors of the Baking Society promised to consider the matter, and the result was they brought forward to the quarterly meeting, held in March 1914, a recommendation that the camp should be taken over, and this recommendation was accepted by the delegates. Since then the camp has been managed by the U.C.B.S.
In 1914 accommodation was provided for 250 persons, and it is extremely probable that greatly increased accommodation would have been provided before now had it not been for the intervention of the war which, by providing another and much more strenuous form of camping for the past and prospective frequenters of Canada Hill, prevented for the time being such further developments. Doubtless, however, with the return of Europe to sanity, such developments will take place; until, before many years are past, almost the whole of the Society’s seven-acre estate will be covered in the summer and autumn months with the picturesque pyramids of white canvas.
THE SOCIETY’S PROGRESS.
In all its branches, with the exception of the tearooms, the progress of the Society during these four years had been remarkable. In 1913, however, the London Street tearoom was closed, and as soon as the lease of the Union Halls expired they also were given up. At the beginning of the period the output had averaged 3,820 sacks per week, while at its end the average output was 4,648, an increase of 848 sacks per week in four years. The aggregate sales for the year which ended in July 1914 were £692,600. Truly, the Society had travelled far from the days when a small two-oven bakehouse sufficed for all its output. The membership now consisted of 201 societies; which was also a contrast to the eight small struggling societies which had banded themselves together in the last days of December 1868 to form the Federation.
The time had now arrived when the Federation was to be put to a more severe test than ever before since it had attained to years of maturity. Like a thunderclap the war storm which had been gathering over Europe during the month of July burst on an astonished world which had almost come to believe war on such a gigantic scale impossible, and many were the doubts expressed, even by sincere wellwishers of the Co-operative movement, as to how it would weather the storm. The next chapter will tell how one federation kept the Co-operative flag flying and added to the laurels it had gained by its devoted and loyal service to the interests of the common people.
CHAPTER XVIII.
BAKING UNDER WAR CONDITIONS.
THE EARLY DAYS OF WAR—KEEPING DOWN PRICES: THE DIRECTORS’ VIEW—HALF-PAY TO SOLDIER EMPLOYEES—ARMY CONTRACTS—HORSES AND MOTORS COMMANDEERED—PRICE OF BREAD ADVANCED—DEATH OF BISCUIT FACTORY MANAGER—MORE ARMY CONTRACTS—EXTENSIONS AND ALTERATIONS—M‘NEIL STREET BLOCK COMPLETED—BUSINESS ORGANISATION—TEABREAD AND PASTRY SHOPS—THE PRICE OF BREAD—INCREASING OUTPUT—BISCUIT AND TEABREAD TRADE—THE SOCIETY AND ITS WORKERS—DELIVERY DIFFICULTIES—DEATH OF MR DUNCAN M‘CULLOCH.