New Pioneers Short Animation

The Rochdale Pioneers story told in animation in 4 minutes. Produced by Huckleberry Films of Accrington. Even the Crumpsall Biscuit Factory, Manchester gets a mention. Films have always been central to co-operative propaganda (don't be afraid to use that word) and now in 2011 it is on the YouTube.

Hardy Lane Co-op History Talk

Thursday 23rd April 2009 at 1500h
(yes an afternoon meeting)
Tilley's Coffee Shop, Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton
(opposite Southern Cemetery).
Chorlton History Group
Talk about the Hardy Lane Co-op Store and the possible last co-op meeting rooms above in shop in the UK. You can read about the project to record the history of Store & Meeting Room at
Hardy Lane Scrapbook. Photographs, video footage, posters are being collated. Lots of material still needed.

East Side History

Good history and memories article and pictures in "East - the magazine about regeneration in east Manchester - edition 8". It's 28 pages, probably not available at all good newsagents but it is online - PDF here. Skip to pages 16 - 21.

Thanks to co-operator John Hacking for putting me on to this.

Women's Day Event

It's someway off yet but a date for people interested in political and co-operative history:

Sunday 9th March 2008 : 1400h GMT
at the Working Class Movement Library, 51 The Crescent, Salford, M5 4WX. A talk by Eleanor Lewington on her mother Ivy Woods - a remarkable campaigning co-operator.

This is to celebrate, the not so widely celebrated International Women's Day which is as ever on the 8th March.

Milk For Spain 1938

90th Anniversary history series continues...
Milk For Spain was a fund-raising campaign during the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939) set up by activists in the Co-operative Union and the Labour Party. It received donations from co-operative societies, and customers could contribute money buying tokens. Advert is from the M&S (Manchester & Salford) Co-operative Herald November 1938 promoting the scheme. The milk in powdered or condensed form was sent from Britain to the Spanish Republican areas.
Wikipedia - Link.

First Co-op Party Candidate

Another in the series of 90th Anniversary Co-op Party pictures. This is part of a leaflet for A.J.May the first Co-operative Party Parliamentary candidate in a bye-election for Prestwich, Lancashire during WW1. It was in January 1918. Click picture for bigger size. A meal is being organised in Prestwich later in the tear to celebrate this event. Note the Vote Early...and the Consumers' and Democratic Candidate. Didn't win well beaten by the Tory candidate.