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Earlier Co-operative Efforts
in Barrhead—Life and Trade of Town— Growth of Population—The “Capital” of
Barrhead—Construction of the Railway—-Barrhead Races—Intellectual and Reform
Activities— The Truck System—-A Friendly Employer—Influences which Helped or
Hindered Co-operation.
“I hae walked in noble cities
where Life’s fullest pulses beat,
And I ken rare spots of beauty where the sea and river meet;
But abune them a’ I lo’e the vale where Levern hurries doon,
And I ken nae place sae kindly as mine ain grey toon.”
EARLIER EFFORTS
IT has already been pointed
out that Robert Chambers’s article in the Miscellany formed the point round
which the hitherto indefinite aspirations of the early Barrhead co-operators
gathered. But it is not to be thought for a moment that this was the first
intimation that such an intelligent group of men had of .the new movement.
Fugitive references to the Rochdale effort and to co-operative experiments
nearer home were appearing in many of the journals and newspapers of the
period. In the workshops of the district, and particularly in that of Messrs
Smaft & Cunningham, the subject had been much discussed, and about eighteen
months earlier an unsuccessful effort had been made to interest a sufficient
number of men to warrant a start being made. In the interval between that
effort and the new one of 1861, some of the leading spirits had tried their
hand at co-operative buying on a humble scale, and a small chest of tea, a
few pounds of tobacco, some cheese, and other similar goods had been
procured and divided amongst the co-operators, of whom the principals at
this time were Robert Stark, James Baillie, and Robert Law. At a still
earlier date, some years indeed before this, the Levern Victualling Society
had been formed on the joint-stock principle and with all the profits
devoted to capital. In 1861 the Victualling Society was carrying on business
in a shop near the lower end of Main Street. Its manager was Mr John M'Lean,
long afterwards well known throughout the district and for many years a
highly-respected elder of the U.P. (now Arthurlie U.F.) Church. With the
establishment and success of the new Society, the older effort declined and
soon passed away.
EARLY DAYS OF BARRHEAD
Before we consider in more
detail the growth of the Society, it will be well that we should try to gain
some idea of the life and work of Barrhead at this period of its history. It
was in the year 1750 that the first house called “ Bar-head ” was erected.
At that time the villages of Dealstone and Dovecothall had been for a
considerable time in existence, and in 1770 Mr Gavin Ralston laid out and
built the new village of Newtown-Ralston, near what is now Craigheads. By
this time the one house of Barrhead has had a few others added to it, and
with the establishment in 1773 of the first bleachfields, followed by
several printworks and by the Levern Spinning Mills in 1780, the
Notice of Removal or
Dissolution.
40. In case of any alteration
in the place of business or dissolution of the Society, notice shall be sent
to the Registrar of Friendly. Societies seven days before or after such
removal or dissolution, signed, by the Secretary or other principal Officer
of the Society, and aiao by three or more of the Members of the Society.
Construction of
41. In construing these
rules, -words importing the masculine gender shall be taken to apply to a
female; words importing one person or tiring only shall be talcen to apply
to more than one person or thing; and words importing a class shall be taken
to imply the majority of that class, unless there is anything in the context
to prevent such or oomstrucUun,
CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION OF RULES
population began to grow
rapidly. It is noteworthy that the Levern Mills, which were the second of
the kind to be built in Scotland, can now claim to be the oldest with a
continuous record of work—the first one, which was built at Rothesay, having
long since passed out of existence. Let it be noted here also in passing
that, to the curious in these matters, an evidence of the much taxed
condition of our fathers will be found in the small windows still to be seen
in part of the mill. This was a result of the window tax of that time, a
time when there was also a heavy tax on every copy of a_ printed newspaper,
and when each square yard of printed calico paid to the Government a tax of
3jd. It is recorded that in the year 1830 this calico tax raised from two
out of the many Barrhead p'rintfields a sum of no less than £11,300. At this
time (1830) the industries of the place were bleaching, printing, spinning,
weaving, silk-weaving, net-weaving, and turkey-red dyeing. Some of these
rapidly declined, but most were still in operation, with engineering added,
when in 1861 the Co-operative Society was formed.
GROWTH OF POPULATION
The population, which had
grown to 1,000 in 1800, had risen in 1831 to fully 5,000, this including the
inhabitants of Barrhead, Newtown-Ralston, Grahamston, Dealstone, and
Dovecothall. The form of the village, or rather of the group of villages
named, had undergone many changes, and by 1861 the line of the streets and
the shape of the growing town was not unlike that of the present day,
although much that is now built upon was then vacant ground, and most of the
houses then in existence were very different in construction from those with
which we are now familiar. The buildings were largely of one-storey, with
here and there a more pretentious erection of two-storeys, and in the whole
of Main Street there were only two or at most three buildings which had
attained to the dignity of the third storey. Cross Arthurlie Street was
still more sparsely built upon, and there were stretches of cultivated
fields and country lanes between the houses, whilst most of our side streets
had then no existence.
“CAPITAL OF BARRHEAD.”
In Grahamston and Paisley
Road the one-storey thatched-house still prevailed, but in the former there
was a larger number of two-storey dwellings, and there were also, at its
upper end, the large and, at that time, imposing two-storey tenements, built
by Mr Patrick Graham of the Chappellfield, to accommodate some of the small
army of 700 workers which that extensive bleach-field employed. On the
strength of these larger and more important buildings, the Grahamston people
of that period spoke of their village as “ the capital of Barrhead.” The
fact that the Co-operative Society has chosen Graham Street for the site of
its principal place of business may, perhaps, entitle the district to revive
and retain this ancient boast.
THE COMING OF THE RAILWAY
Up till the year 1848 the
connection of the now thriving town with Glasgow was maintained by means of
the carrier’s cart, the stage coach, and the foot carrier, the latter being
largely employed in conveying small urgent parcels and the newspapers which
were such a necessity for an intelligent and Radical community. With the
completion of the railway, life underwent many changes, and there were also
a number of topographical alterations, the principal of which was the
lowering of Graham Street and Paisley Road to their present levels. The
amount of cutting necessary to effect this may be realised by a reference to
the fact that the older houses in these two streets, which are now reached
by flights of stairs, were built upon what was the original roadway level.
Prior to the erection of the Graham Street and Paisley Road premises by the
Society this difference was still more apparent, for the old thatched
properties, which they displaced and whose foundations were a good twelve or
fifteen feet above those of the present erection, had also been placed on
the old roadway and at the spot where the new road had to be cut down to its
lowest point.
BARRHEAD RACES
The railway brought the town
into closer touch with the outside world, but for a considerable time
Barrhead retained some of its older and more primitive customs. The old “
Barrhead Races ” may be cited as an instance. Until shortly before the
period with which we are concerned these annual races continued to be held,
the actual “ course ” where the racing took place being Main Street, from
Aurs Road to Cross Arthurlie comer—and sometimes the head of Kelbum Street
and back again. On these occasions the roadway on either side was lined with
sweetie stalls, apple barrows, and all the paraphernalia of a country fair.
The “ change-houses ” did a roaring trade, for “ pies and porter ” were the
special treats associated with this event, and the “Jock” who was not
prepared to be lavish towards his “Jenny” in the matter of these delicacies
was regarded as very mean and stingy indeed. For close on seventy years the
races were held in Main Street, but in the fifties this was discontinued,
and they were transferred to a field in Aurs Road where they survived for a
few years longer.
INTELLECTUAL ACTIVITY
From 1800 to 1831 the
population had increased very rapidly., and it continued to grow although at
a much slower rate; by 1861 it was slightly over 6,000, this including, of
course, the inhabitants of Dealstone and Dovecothall. Barrhead was, indeed,
as an old rhymner had called it, “ a thrifty, thriving place,” and this
period was by no means the least thrifty or thriving in its Gareer. It is
not to be thought, however, that its inhabitants, in spite of their energy
in industrial pursuits, had permitted themselves to neglect the more
intellectual duties of life. In the days of Chartism the local weavers and
other Barrhead craftsmen had taken an active share in the agitation, and
amongst the men who afterwards took part in the formation of the
Co-operative Society were some who had carried the pike and had taken part
in the secret drill of those who looked forward to civil war as being the
only way to free themselves and their fellows from the tyranny of the ruling
classes. From this group of Barrhead reformers there is a letter still
extant to William Cobbett, asking him during his tour in Scotland to address
a meeting in Barrhead Secession Church. The reformer was unable to comply at
the time, but promised to do so in the future if opportunity served. The
opportunity, however, never came—at any rate the visit was never made.
MECHANICS INSTITUTE
As a further proof of the
intellectual activity of the people in the district, it may be noted that
the Barrhead Mechanics’ Institute, established in 1825, was the first of the
kind in Scotland, and the second in the kingdom. For eighty years thereafter
this Institute had a history of almost unbroken activity, and its books and
lectures contributed in no small degree to the enlightenment of the
community. Thus the men of 1861, who initiated co-operation, the further
step along the line of social evolution, were either themselves men who had
long lived an active intellectual and reform-loving life, or were the sons
and true successors of such men. It was a time of quick changes. The great
industrial revolution which marked the whole course of the nineteenth
century was gathering force and breaking into its full stride. It swept away
many long-established habits of life and thought, and brought many changes
in its train. It broke up completely the old aristocratic and peasant orders
of society ; and but for the fact that the workers, as a body, were ready to
take advantage of the few opportunities which the new capitalism gave them,
there can be little doubt that this industrial revolution would have had a
very different outcome, and would have fixed upon the toilers an even more
odious form of slavery than that to which it ultimately subjected them.
THE TRUCK ACT
One other thing which helped
materially, at least in Barrhead, to prepare the ground for the seed of
co-operation was the fact that the infamous truck system was still in full
force. Many workers hardly knew what it was to see or handle their own
wages. Most of the shopkeepers had grown so accustomed to the system and to
a book trade that they looked with no favour on the customer who wanted to
pay ready cash. Wages were paid fortnightly or—and this in many cases—
monthly. The workers were tied to certain shops, and before pay-day arrived
the shop books were sent to the works, showing the amount due by each person
employed, and this sum was deducted from his wages and handed to the
shopkeepers. It frequently happened, of course, that instead of there being
anything left to pay over to the unfortunate worker, there was a debit
balance to be carried forward against the next pay-day. The workman had no
redress, and had not even any check against the quantities stated and the
prices charged by the shopkeeper. If he had no money left, and wanted
special articles, such as boots or clothing, he could only procure these
through the grocer with whom his employers had a “ truck ” agreement. It was
a cruel and tyrannical system, and in large numbers of cases the employers
made greater gains from it than the shopkeepers did, since they insisted
upon their pound of flesh in the form of a heavy percentage on the sums they
were called upon to pay over to the dealer. This, of course, the latter
provided against by increasing the cost of commodities to the worker. It was
the usual story of “ wee peerie winkie ” having to pay for all. One local
shopkeeper of that period, who lived to a good old age, has assured the
writer that on a pay-day he, in one little shop, has drawn between £700 and
£800 direct from the offices of the works, and he added significantly: “
These were the days when grand profits were made.”
A FRIENDLY EMPLOYER
Very naturally, the formation
of a society which offered to the worker a means of escape from this
thraldom was met with strong opposition on the part of the employers and of
the shopkeepers. There can be no doubt that this attitude, especially on the
part of employers, did much to restrain the more timid from joining. In some
cases men were given very clearly to understand that it would not be to
their interest to associate themselves with the new movement, and in some of
the works the foremen were particularly active in their opposition.
Fortunately, all the employers were not unfriendly, and it may be worth
while, at this point, putting on record a story which has the merit of being
true, and which is exceedingly creditable to the good sense and broad spirit
of the late Major Henry Heys. It was freely reported that the head of the
South Arthurlie Print Works was strongly opposed to the Co-operative
Society, and some of the foremen in the works were at great pains to keep
the rumour in circulation. This reached the ears of Mr Heys ; and to show
that it was unfounded, and that he looked on the Society with no disfavour,
he promptly became a member, and paid in his £5 of share capital. This sign
of approval from such a quarter was of considerable assistance to the young
organisation, and doubtless encouraged many of the South Arthurlie workers
to join. The story has a pleasant sequel, which seems particularly worthy of
mention. Many years later, at a time when the Society had long got over its
first troubles, objection was raised to some members who had capital
invested with the Society, but were not purchasers of its goods.
After discussion, it was
agreed to intimate to these individuals that they must either withdraw their
capital, and cease to be members, or begin making purchases from the
Society. Amongst those in this position was Mr Heys. He was waited upon by
an official of the Society, and informed that he must either withdraw his
share capital or begin to buy his goods at " the store ” ; but he replied
that there must be some error, as he had no capital in the Society. He was
thereupon reminded of his action in paying in his £5 in the early days of
the Society—an action which had seemingly slipped from his memory—and he was
informed that the sum then lying to his credit was more than double what he
had originally paid. The money was afterwards withdrawn, in conformity with
the decision of the members, Mr Heys remarking that it was one of the best
investments he had ever made.
Such were some of the local
circumstances in the midst of which the Barrhead Co-operative Society was
brought into existence, and such were some of the influences which went
towards the shaping of its destiny. These influences were not all friendly,
but neither were they all hostile. By the help of the friendly ones, and in
spite of the unfriendly, the Society succeeded in getting a firm hold upon
the community, and—as we shall see in our next chapter—entered very quickly
upon a prosperous career unhampered by any serious errors or failures such
as beset the early paths of very many of the societies then springing into
existence. |
