JAMES BAIN.

Mr James Bain, the genial secretary of the Baking Society, has had a long and active connection with the cause of Co-operation in Glasgow. He succeeded Mr John Ferguson as chairman of Glasgow Eastern Society, and was chairman of that society when the Dalmarnock Road premises were opened in 1893. He was also treasurer of the society for a number of years. In the spring of 1895 he was elected secretary of the Baking Society in succession to Mr Glasse, and that position he continues to fill with honour to himself and profit to the Society. Nor, although the secretaryship of the Baking Society would seem to be enough spare-time work for any man, does he rest content with that. Ever since its formation he has acted as president of that beneficent Co-operative institution, the Co-operative Veterans Association. In his work for the Bakery he has always been conscientious and clear, and has also done much work which lies outside his special work as secretary. For example, he read a paper a number of years ago at a conference of representatives of the Glasgow societies, in which he advocated strongly the desirability of establishing a system of bread baking which would enable the bakers to begin their work at a reasonable hour. He is getting on in years now, but his minutes are as clearly written as ever, and his many friends hope that it will be long ere he has to lay down his secretarial pen.

THE PRESENT BOARD.

The members of the present board have served Co-operation well in many capacities, and several of them have had long years of service on the board of the Baking Society. Mr Buchanan, the present chairman, for instance, was elected to the board of the Society in the year in which Mr Bain became secretary. Mr M‘Lean has represented Glasgow Eastern Society for many years, and Mr Young St Rollox for a long period. Mr Monteith had done good work in St George Society before he came to M‘Neil Street, while this is equally true of Mr M‘Lay’s connection with Cowlairs. Mr Hamilton was for a number of years the representative of Pollokshaws Society, and his untimely death while this book was being written served to act as a reminder that “life is but a fleeting vapour.” Another member of the group who has done good service to Co-operation in his own society as well as in the Baking Society’s board is Mr Cadiz, for a number of years the energetic secretary of the Glasgow and Suburbs Conference Association. Mr Johnstone has done good service in Shettleston Society, and Mr Simpson in London Road Society; while Mr Walker, the “baby” of the board—he only joined it two months before the end of the fiftieth year—has been well known for a number of years as a representative of Clydebank Society.

Nor can we close this record of “men who wrought” without reference to some of the men who, while not quite so prominent in its affairs as others, yet had something to do with shaping the destinies of the Society. Prominent amongst such was Mr Alexander, who represented Paisley Provident Society on the board from the election of Mr Brown as president until their society withdrew from the Federation. For the greater part of the time he acted as treasurer of the Federation. Mr Ballantyne, of Thornliebank, also was one of the earliest members of the board, and continued to be associated with its work, as stable inspector, for many years. The late Mr James M‘Murran, of Glasgow Eastern, was the Federation’s last treasurer, the office being abolished during his tenure. Nor must the names of the late Homer Robertson and Michael Shiels be omitted. For a number of years Mr Robertson represented St George Society on the board, while Mr Shiels was for long the representative of Cowlairs Society, and both gentlemen died in harness within a few months of each other. For a long time two gentlemen very well known in another section of the Co-operative movement, Messrs Robert Macintosh and Allan Gray, acted together as auditors of the Society. Mr Wells, the respected secretary of Cambuslang Society, was an auditor of later date, retiring when the amended Industrial and Provident Societies Act of 1913 made it compulsory that auditors of Co-operative societies must be public auditors. He was succeeded by Mr John M. Biggar. The auditor who has served the members of the Society for the longest period, however, is Mr William H. Jack, who has audited the Society’s books for over twenty-one years, having been elected in September 1897 on the retiral of Mr Allan Gray.

The work of many others, who in one way and another helped while they could, has gone to build up the Society. They are gone, leaving often not even a name behind them, but the result of their labours is preserved as by a monument in the strong, virile Society of which we speak so familiarly as “The U.C.B.S.”

STATISTICS.

In general readers do not care much for statistics, but no record of the Society would be complete which did not give in some statistical form the growth which the Society has made during fifty years. The table given is not long, however, nor is it difficult to follow. It gives the position of the Society at the end of the first year, and at the end of each tenth year thereafter. In addition there are given the first balance-sheet issued by the Society and that issued for the 200th quarter. Readers can thus see for themselves the marvellous growth which we have tried, however inadequately, to picture.

Statistical Statement showing the development of the Federation during the Jubilee Period.
Ten-year Periods. No. of Federated Societies. Shares Held. Shares and Deposits. Sales. Profits. Reserve Fund. Depreciation. Paid for Educational Purposes. Paid for Charitable Purposes.
£ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d.
1869 (Commencement of Society) 8
1869 (January 1870) 8 193 12 0 5,081 13 6 23 3 1 30 15 8
1878 (January 1879) 23 4,217 6,251 6 7 27,433 6 10 1,850 5 5 696 11 5 440 1 3 8 2 0 5 5 0
1888 (January 1889) 39 10,037 33,209 9 10 55,699 15 9 3,313 0 5 1,352 10 0 913 9 9 6 0 0 21 0 0
1898 (January 1899) 94 80,231 143,681 12 3 327,328 3 4 26,845 0 2 7,400 0 0 8,890 6 1 474 3 8 309 9 4
1908 (January 1909) 169 155,915 356,254 19 3 567,604 19 5 43,561 9 0 37,400 0 0 13,967 4 9 876 13 10 907 3 10
1918 (January 1919) 211 241,643 556,841 16 6 1,251,224 5 9 62,615 15 5 89,500 0 0 29,845 12 6 1,424 13 1 643 13 9
Dr. CAPITAL ACCOUNT
Liabilities.
To Members’ Claims, as per Share Ledger £193 12 0
„ „ Building Fund 145 0 0
„ Owing Messrs Penman £104 0 0
„ „ Gibson & Walker 150 15 0
„ „ Scottish Wholesale Society 86 19 7
„ „ R. Geddes & Sons 18 7 6
„ „ M. Muir & Sons 34 15 0
„ „ R. Taylor 6 14 0
„ „ P. Bertram 1 5 9
402 16 10
„ Profit 64 4 10
£805 13 8
Dr. CAPITAL ACCOUNT
Liabilities.
241,643 Shares at 20 each £241,643 0 0
Less Unpaid 703 10 0
£240,939 10 0
Societies’ Deposits at 12 Months’ Notice of Withdrawal 93,571 6 1
Societies’ Deposits at Call 104,462 6 6
Surplus Credited to Societies’ Deposits Account 31,837 4 0
£470,810 6 7
Deposits (Private) at 12 Months’ Notice of Withdrawal £55,838 7 8
Deposits (Private) at Call 30,193 2 3
86,031 9 11
Societies Overpaid 5,980 1 1
Bonus for Half-year 4,770 0 4
Rents 12 15 0
St Mungo Hall Rents Paid in Advance 5 0 0
Balance of Taxes, Insurance, and Telephones 4,974 13 5
Goods Account 13,075 14 0
Expenses Account 1,863 9 2
Total Liabilities £587,523 9 6
Reserves—
Reserve Fund £89,500 0 0
Insurance Fund—
Fire and Marine £24,900 0 0
Employers’ Liability 5,680 0 0
Third Party 2,180 0 0
32,760 0 0
Educational and Benevolent Fund 2,337 8 4
Balance to next Half-year 1,845 15 4
126,443 3 8
£713,966 13 2
1869 (January 1870). Cr.
Assets.
By Cash in Bank and on hand £118 2 10
„ Flour, etc., in Stock £87 10 7
„ Rent Due 1 10 0
„ Owing by Societies 244 5 1
„ Fixed Stock 243 15 8
„ New Buildings, Paid to Account 110 9 6
687 10 10
£805 13 8
1918 (January 1919). Cr.
Assets.
Investments, as per Investment Account—
Shares £33,812 18 7
Deposits 348,257 18 6
£382,070 17 1
Goods in Stock—
M‘Neil Street £28,384 13 9
Clydebank Branch 7,255 16 8
Rothesay Branch 278 15 4
Belfast Branch 5,922 15 8
Camp 18 0 0
Purvey Department 413 11 1
St Mungo Halls 17 7 4
42,290 19 10
Stock of Provender in Stables—
Glasgow £445 0 7
Clydebank 101 17 5
546 18 0
Goods Account Prepaid 47,236 8 5
Goods Account £27,841 1 1
Sundries Account 242 7 9
Bread Delivery, Hire, and Shoeing Account 16 17 0
Manure and Hayseed 33 4 10
28,133 10 8
Rents—
Tenements—Govan Street £87 7 6
M‘Neil Street East 96 10 0
Belfast 29 5 0
St Mungo Halls 46 1 3
259 3 9
Land and Buildings 201,500 0 0
Cash in Banks £11,764 14 11
Cash on hand 164 0 6
11,928 15 5
£713,966 13 2