Story of the CWS. The jubilee history of the Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd, 1863-1913

Notes:

Detailed narrative account of the Society written by the editor of its then magazine the 'Wheatsheaf', focusing on its production and service activities. Extensive appendices and very many illustrations especially of factories and processes, external and internal. The 28 chapters include: 'Founding the society'; 'First years of business'; 'Established in Balloon Street'; 'Forty years ago'; 'First years at Newcastle upon Tyne'; 'The making of the bank'; 'The entry into production'; 'The attack on London'; 'Lean years and critical days'; 'Renewals of strength'; 'Story of the shipping department'; 'Depots and salesrooms West and East'; 'Constitutional and mercantile'; 'Development of production'; 'A century of flour milling'; 'From Irlam to Pelaw'; 'Producing for wear and for use'; 'Boots, mainly, and the control of industry'; 'Creameries and controversies'; 'In the new century'; Co-operative insurance in the old century and the new'; The Society and its employees'. Appendices include lists of chairmen, officials; 'diagrams illustrating economic history, 1860-1912'; short statistical history; chronology of principal events; etc. c110 illustrations, most of buildings and processes. Some activity-specific chapters appear in BHE as separate entries. In particular covers: production of footwear, wearing apparel, dairy products, soap, tea; banking and insurance services. Much on employees, working conditions, etc