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Erection of First
Property—Second Property—Drapery—The Bread Question—Erection of
Bakery—Stables—Neilston Branch—Neilston Worries—Proposed Branch Uplawmoor—Experiments
in Tailoring —The Coal Trade;—Proposed Fire Brigade—-A Remarkable Meeting —A
Changed Outlook-—Prominent Workers in this Decade.
“And from the discontent of
man
The world’s best progress springs."
—Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
WITH the beginning of the
second decade of its history the Society started upon a period of rapid
expansion and development. Although the shops at the corner of Bank Street
had been gutted out and then specially fitted and furnished to suit the
Society’s requirements, when it entered upon its occupancy there in 1864, it
was soon discovered that the premises were far too small for the steadily
growing trade.
PURCHASE OF FIRST PROPERTY
As early as 1866 the
committee began looking out for property which it might purchase or for a
suitable feu whereon it might build. In the following year (1867) an
unsuccessful effort was made to purchase an old property in Main Street
almost directly opposite the Free Church. At this time the Society would
willingly have become purchaser of the property it then occupied, but as a-
back entrance was desired from Bank Street, and it was found impossible to
secure this at a reasonable price, the idea of purchase had to be abandoned.
In the minutes of the three following years the subject crops up
periodically, and several abortive attempts-are made to secure property.
Finally in 1870 it is reported that an old building at Bourock is for sale.1
It is agreed by the directors to offer up to £250 for thils building, and at
a public sale the Society was the successful bidder at £200. This old
building stood on the part of the site now1 occupied by the central grocery
shop. Adjoining this, and included in the purchase, was an empty plot of
ground, and in November of the same year (1870) it was decided to build on
this vacant ground, and a special committee was appointed to devise a
suitable building scheme. Plans were accordingly prepared and approved by
the members, and in April 1871 the erection of this first building, which
forms the older section of the central premises, was begun. The honour of
laying the memorial-stone was entrusted to Mr Robert Stark, and this was
publicly and ceremoniously performed at a great demonstration on the 20th
October, when various historical records and reports of the Society were
deposited within the stone. It is characteristic of the men and of the
period that the minutes should contain an entry to the effect that “ on this
occasion each workman engaged at the building shall be allowed a founding
pint.” It was their first building, and they were determined that all the
proper and conventional honours should be observed.
SECOND BUILDING
The old property which had
been purchased along with this feu was allowed to stand for a number of
years. It seems to have been a source of frequent trouble, for it required a
great deal of repair and some of the tenants could hardly be induced to pay
rent. Indeed, it is noted that one tenant would neither pay rent nor “
flit,” and he was only induced to take the latter course upon the Society
threatening to put in the sheriff-officer and “distrain” his furniture for
rent. By November 1877 it was formally agreed at a general meeting of
members to pull down this old building, and on its site erect shops and
dwelling-houses. In January of the following year plans were prepared and
were adopted by the members, who further instructed the committee to proceed
as soon as they thought desirable. These plans provided for a tenement of
three storeys, with shops on the ground flat and offices immediately above;
but the committee of that time seems to have been timorous, and took fright
at the size of the undertaking, strongly recommending the members to proceed
with a building of two storeys only. A special meeting was called to
consider the board’s recommendation; but the members showed themselves
wiser, or at least bolder, than the directors, and by a large majority
decided that the original three-storey plan should be adhered to. Building
was accordingly proceeded with, and on the 25th March 1879 the Society’s
grocery business was removed from the old premises at Bank Street to the new
central shops at Bourock. A few evenings later a grand public soiree was
held in honour of the event.
INTERIOR OF BAKERY.
DRAPERY
As we noted at the close of
the preceding chapter, it was found necessary in 1868 to remove the greatly
increased drapery stock from amongst the groceries, and house this in a
separate branch next door to the grocery shop. The stocking of drapery goods
began almost as soon as the Society started business, but only small stocks
were held, and it took close on eight years for the trade to reach a point
at which a separate drapery department was felt to be a necessity. The new
effort was not an immediate success, and for some time it is evident that
many of the members doubted if they had been wise to launch out in this
direction. There was no going back, however, and with the erection of their
own property in 1871, and the provision there of a larger and better shop,
the drapery department became a more satisfactory part of the Society’s
business. It may be noted that up till the erection of the main part of the
central premises the first property was always called "Drapery Building.”
THE BREAD QUESTION
The year 1877 is a notable
one in the records of the Society, for not only did it witness the decision
to proceed with the second part of the central building, but in the earlier
part of the same year it had also been agreed to go on with the erection of
a bakery. It has already been mentioned that the Society had arranged almost
from its opening day to supply members with bread. The intervening years had
seen many changes, and during that time many different bakers had been on
the Society’s list. As we have already pointed out, the system of purchasing
from private bakers and retailing the bread to members was not only in many
respects unsatisfactory, but it appears also to have , been very
unprofitable, only meagre discounts being allowed. As early as 1865 it was
proposed that the Society should bake its own bread. The minutes of the
following years seem to indicate, strangely enough, chat the members were
ripe and ready for action in this matter, but the successive directors were
either too timid, or foresaw much more clearly than their constituents did
the difficulties in the way of such a venture. In 1866, in 1867, and once
again in 1868, general meetings were tested on the subject, and on each
occasion a majority is obtained for the proposal. Still the committee hung
back, and were apparently too fearful to take the necessary action. In the
agitation for a united co-operative baking society in 1868-9, Barrhead, as
we shall see later, played a prominent part, and with the establishment of
the Baking Society the bread problem was for the time being solved.
ERECTION OF BAKERY
By the year 1875 the old
demand for a bakery of their own was revived, and at a special meeting, in
June 1876, power was given to the committee to purchase or to erect premises
for. baking purposes. This resolution was confirmed in November, and Messrs
L,ochhead, M'Cowatt, and Johnstone were appointed a special committee to
look after premises or ground. This committee, after looking about for some
time, finally determined that the best thing to do was to build on the as
yet empty feu at Bourock. This was strongly opposed by the directors, and
the trouble between the latter and the bakery committee became so serious
that a special general meeting had to be called to settle the question at
issue and to decree that the bakery committee must be subject to the board.
The, committee was, accordingly forced to look elsewhere than to the Bourock
site. Eventually a feu was secured from Mr Bams Graham, in Cross Arthurlie.
Terms were concluded by the end of May 1877, and on the 2nd July , offers
for building and fittingrup the bakery were accepted. , At the end, of that,
year the bakery , building: committee had completed its labours, and on
Saturday, 22nd December 1877, the bakery was handed over to the. directors.
Work was started on the evening of Sunday, 23rd December, a fact which
seemingly troubled the consciences of some of the members,, for: a motion
was made, but defeated, to the effect that the start should be delayed till,
Monday evening. ,
The feu thus secured in
Barnes Street was considerably larger, than was necessary for the Society’s
immediate purposes, and in 1879 an offer was made by a Glasgow architect for
part of the vacant ground. Some of the members favoured acceptance of this
offer, but wiser counsels prevailed, and the offer was refused.
STABLES
The erection of the bakery,
and the consequently increasing need for the use of horses, naturally
created a demand for better and more convenient stable accommodation. In
1878 the. erection of the stables at the bakery was determined upon, and the
work was completed in April 1879.
NEILSTON BRANCH
In tracing the growth of the
Society’s property we •have gone somewhat beyond the period at which the
first branch shop was opened. Following upon the erection of the first part
of the central buildings in 1871, the next step in the line of extension was
the establishment of the branch at Neilston. This was first suggested in
1871, and at that time it was agreed to have a lecture in the village from
Mr Borrowman, of Glasgow, with a view to seeing whether enough members would
be found to warrant the starting of A new society or the planting of a
branch from Barrhead. We hear nothing about the direct outcome of this
lecture, but what we may take to have been one of its more or less indirect
results follows in December, when a deputation from Neilston waited upon the
directors, and besought them to open a branch. A fortnight later a special
general meeting was called to discuss the proposal. The members were divided
in their opinions as to the advisability of the step, but finally, by a
majority, it was agreed to open a branch as desired. Meantime, the Neilston
petitioners and their friends were asked to join the Society, and the
committee was instructed to begin delivering goods in -the village three
times a week until the branch could be opened. Two months later (February
1872) a shop was taken from Mr Matthew Waddell, on a six years’ lease, at a
rent of £12 per year. The new shopman who was appointed received the large
wage of £1 per week, and was asked to put down £30 of security. On the 5th
of July 1872 the shop was opened for business, and on the evening of that
day, to quote the pronouncement of the minute-book, “ a soiree was held to
honour the opening of the shop in connection with co-operation in the
village from which the parish takes its name.”
KARNES STREET PROPERTIES.
Left—Second Tenement, Erected 1S95. Right—First Tenement, Erected 1S33.
NEILSTON TROUBLES
The usual troubles and
worries followed. The branch met with the customary failures and successes,
but for some years the Neilston branch seems to have been regarded by many
of the Barrhead members as something of a white elephant; and in 1875 a
suggestion was made that Neilston should be separated from Barrhead and
formed into a distinct society. Neilston members, however, showed no
inclination to accept their proferred freedom, and in February 1876 Mr John
C. Shaw gave notice of motion—“ That the Neilston branch be given up.” At
the general meeting which followed, Mr Shaw’s motion was decisively
defeated, and the directors were specially instructed “ to do everything
they can to further the interests of the branch.” Four years later we have a
revival of the same trouble and dissatisfaction. A series of low profits
ends in the dismissal of the shopman, and again we have a motion (proposed
this time by Mr Robert Murray)—" That we separate Neilston shop from the
Barrhead business, and ask Neilston members to take it over for themselves.”
At the quarterly meeting in May 1880 this motion was hotly debated, and an
amendment, to the effect that the subject he over for three months for
decision, and that the next quarterly meeting be held in Neilston, was
carried by a majority. The next quarterly meeting was held in Neilston, in
accordance with this decision, and at that meeting a motion that no
separation should take place was carried without amendment. The
"separatists” were either routed in argument, or converted from the error of
their ways, or the Kirkhill Brae had proved too much for them; whatever the
reason, they were silent at the Neilston meeting, and that is the last word
we hear on that subject.
PROPOSED BRANCH AT UPLAWMOOR
It is interesting to note
that, after Neilston, the next branching proposal to crop up is one which
even to this day the Society has not realised—namely, the opening of a shop
in Uplawmoor. At a meeting of the directors, in July 1873, the secretary
reported that Colonel Mure of Caldwell was anxious that a co-operative store
should be opened at Uplawmoor. The directors spent some time considering the
question, and the secretary, with Messrs Thomas Hodgson and Alexander
Johnstone, were appointed to meet the Colonel, and get his views on the
subject. Curiously enough, we hear no more of the proposed branch, the
minutes being silent as to the result of that conference with the Colonel
or, indeed, whether it took place at all. It is, of course, known to all
that for the past few years the directors of the Society have been paying
attention to that now steadily developing village. Propaganda meetings have
been held there from time to time, one of these, in the winter of 1909-10,
being addressed by Mr William Ferguson (then president of the Society), Mr
Weir (managing-secretary), and others. The idea, mooted in 1873, that a
branch of Barrhead Co-operative Society might be established there, has
taken a long time to grow, but apparently it has not been wholly abandoned.
In this year of commemoration might it be suggested, as a not unworthy
memorial of the pioneers, that a jubilee branch of the Society should at
last be planted in Uplawmoor?
EXPERIMENTS IN TAILORING
In the beginning of 1872 the
thoughts of the directors were turned towards tailoring. The subject was
anxiously but hopefully discussed, and it was finally agreed that the
experiment should be made. A room was accordingly fitted up in which, by
November, a journeyman tailor— a Mr Cameron—was duly installed. Precise
particulars are given of the prices to be charged for different classes of
work; but the moment was seemingly unpropitious, for the minutes of the
following quarterly meeting show that there was great diversity of opinion
as to the wisdom of the step, and in September of the succeeding year (1873)
the tailoring effort was given up. The subject was not revived again until
1879, when it was agreed to ask prices from two local tailors for making
suits, etc., for members. The replies were not satisfactory, and in the
closing month of that year a deputation was appointed to wait on Mr Douglas,
tailor, “ and see if he will not allow 10 per cent, on all trade we may send
his way.” The deputation would appear to have failed in its effort to induce
Mr Douglas to part with the necessary percentage, for the next minute
records that it was decided " to let each go where they have a mind to get
their clothes made, as formerly.” At a later date a working arrangement was
made with Mr Wylie, tailor, and this continued in operation for a
considerable time ; but a good many years had yet to elapse before the
Society could successfully enter upon tailoring for its members.
THE COAL TRADE
From a very early period the
supply of coal was a subject upon which the minds of the members had been
seriously exercised. After many discussions the sale of coal was added in
April 1867, and a sub-committee was appointed to supervise this department.
At this time no effort was made to deal directly with the supply, the orders
being simply left with the Society and passed on to one of the local agents
with whom an agreement had been made. This method continued undisturbed for
a number of years, but it is evident that the members had often great doubts
as to its wisdom and usefulness. In the beginning of 1877 the directors were
recommended by a quarterly meeting to take a depot for the direct supply of
fuel, but this recommendation the directors seem to have quietly ignored. In
the following year the members repeat their instruction, merely to have it
treated in the same fashion; and it was not until December 1879, and then
only after action had been clamoured for at successive meetings, that it was
finally decided " to put a man at the ree, and start the coal trade on our
own account at once.” The details of the scheme as recorded in the
minute-book suggest a very humble start, for we find that Alexander
Kilpatrick was offered sixpence a week for the use of his box, and John
Purdie, who was appointed " our man at the ree,” was asked to state what
price he would take " for the use of his shovel, barrow, and riddle.” The
modem system of selling coal in cwt. bags was, at that time, entirely
unknown in our district, the trade being practically all done in half or
whole ton lots. At this date the Society possessed only two horses, and so
the committee felt that they could not undertake the cartage of the coal,
and this was, for a period, let to a local contractor.
MENAGE PROTESTS.
At the monthly meeting
following the establishment of the coal depot, there was a heated debate as
to the propriety of extending the "menage” system to the purchase of coals.
Vigorous protests were made against such extension, and it was proposed that
the coal supply should be formed into a separate business and undertaken by
a distinct society. At this time the idea of separation seems to have been
“in the air,” for not only had it been proposed to separate Neilston branch
from the Society, but the same thing had also been suggested in regard to
the bakery. Fortunately, these ideas were entertained merely by a small
minority, and the proposal to cast off the coal supply was like the others
handsomely defeated. The general meetings immediately following show a
continuance of divided opinion on the subject, but this gradually
disappears, and the coal department becomes a permanent addition to the
business of the Society.
FIRE BRIGADE PROPOSED
In January 1880 the Society
had its first experience of fire, when a quantity of hay was destroyed. One
of the results of this was a resolution by the committee to procure
fire-hose and form a fire brigade from amongst the members. The proposal was
accepted at a general meeting, and in March 1880 volunteers were asked to
join the brigade; but there is no evidence that the suggestion ever took
shape, and when the next and more serious fire occurs at the bakery, in
1882, we hear of the work of the Paisley fire brigade, but there is no
mention of any brigade belonging to the Society.
A REMARKABLE MEETING
If the directors of this
period were laggards in the matter of the coal supply there is plentiful
evidence that in other matters their views were far in advance of those of
the members. At meeting after meeting they brought forward proposals for
extension and development, only to have their ideas flouted by the members.
They made proposals for new grocery branches, for a bread shop, and for a
boot and shoe shop, but these suggestions were all in turn rejected. In this
respect one of the most remarkable general meetings of the Society was that
of May 1880, when a whole budget of proposals by the board suffered
indiscriminate slaughter. Thus Mr Robert Murray moved that we establish
branches at Grahamston and Dovecothall—motion overwhelmingly defeated. Mr
Crichton proposed that we create a boot and shoe department by altering a
house in Drapery Building, but the directors were instructed “ to let the
house as usual.” A motion from the committee that the time had now arrived
for the appointment of a manager met with the same fate, and the proposed
giving up of Neilston branch was also defeated. For all these motions the
committee, as a body, or individual directors were responsible, so that it
must have been a sorely chastened board which gathered together when that
meeting was over.
A CHANGED OUTLOOK
In this retrospect of the
second ten years’ history of the Barrhead Society it will be noted that a
decided change has come over the aims, if not the spirit of the
co-operators. In the earlier days the thoughts of the members seemed to run
less on the supply of the immediate necessities of life as an end in itself
and more on the great schemes of productive co-operation to which this
humbler form of trading was to be but the prelude. During the first ten
years, the acquirement of capital and the setting of it to the work of
production seemed to be the chief if not the sole aim of the founders, and
the dividends earned were regarded primarily as the material with which this
was to be accomplished. But in the second decade we have practically no
mention of this side of the movement at all, and we find members and
directors alike settled down to the work of buying and selling; of providing
as many articles of food, clothing, and fuel as possible ; and, at the same
time, earning a dividend on as generous a scale as could be attained to. In
other words, the earning of dividend has become an end in itself rather than
a means towards conquering the whole field of productive and distributive
labour. It is not our business in this book to consider whether this was a
change for better or for worse. That is a task rather for the historian of
the larger movement, and it is sufficient if we note here that this change
in the outlook of co-operators did take place in Barrhead, just as other
observers have noted a similar alteration in connection with other
societies.
PROMINENT WORKERS
Throughout this period we
miss many of the names which were familiar during the first years, and these
are replaced by the names of such active workers as Messrs Alexander
Crichton, Alexander Johnstone, James Williamson, Matthew Stewart, Robert
Murray, James Peters, Angus Wyse, and William Braidwood. |
