PENICUIK CO-OP

- a piece of the past

exhibition by Penicuik Community Development Trust in the Cowan Institute, Penicuik Town Hall,

for Penicuik’s Open House on 17 January and 28 February 2009

For more than a century, Penicuik Co-op was the town’s principal community-run asset, offering services over a wide area and carrying on a business of many hundreds of thousands of pounds. Penicuik Co-op will be a key theme of the Penicuik Community Development Trust displays in the Town Hall during 2009.

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PENICUIK CO-OP: SUCCESSORS TO THE TRADES BOX OF 1795

PENICUIK CO-OP: SUCCESSORS TO THE TRADES BOX OF 1795

Penicuik Co-operative Association’s earliest premises had once been in the hands of the “Penicuik Trades Box”. In 1795 Sir John Clerk formalised a lease he had made to the Trades Box Society some years earlier.

The TRADES BOX SOCIETY was a kind of locally-managed Community Chest of documents and resources at a fixed address and managed by office bearers to represent the trades in the town and resolve disputes. In 1795 the Trades Box Society was run by John Niven, John Jackson, George Johnston, William Doig, Joseph Ross and John Taylor.

Exactly when Penicuik Trades Box was first formed is not clear. In Dundee, realizing the need to act as a body, tradespeople had formed 'The Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee' as early as 1581, headed by a Convener and Boxmaster. The Boxmaster acted as Treasurer, kept the main keys to the Trades Box in which all monies and important documents were stored and administered the Rules of the Craft.

PENICUIK CO-OP: SUCCESSORS TO THE FREE GARDENERS OF 1828

By 1828 the Penicuik Trades Box was being managed by James Nicol shoemaker, Thomas Muir, schoolmaster, James Muir labourer, Alexander Dewar carter, James Jackson gardener, George Holbrook weaver, John Moffat baker and Arthur Cranston labourer. In that year they passed over the Box premises in the town centre to another benevolent society, the Thistle Lodge of Free Gardeners in Penicuik.

THE FREE GARDENERS had been formed in 1822. They were represented in 1828 by Robert Minto overseer to the Edinburgh Joint Stock Water Company in Glencorse, John Henderson wright, George Lawrence nailer, William Dewar mason, William Sharp papermaker, William Scott tailor, James Dods innkeeper, John Piper merchant, James Bryce papermaker, Michael White smith, Robert Henderson wright, James Henderson gardener and John Borthwick schoolmaster at Glencorse. In due course the Free Gardeners premises came to be used for co-operative trading and passed to the new Penicuik Co-operative Association founded 1860.

PENICUIK CO-OP: FIRST STEPS IN 1859

The idea had begun in 1859 when four local papermill workers James McBeth, Andrew Cowan, Joseph McDiarmid and James Skinner met to discuss principles of co-operation and trading. The mutual trading movement had been exemplified locally by the Galashiels Co-operators in 1827 (refounded 1842) and definitively by the Rochdale Pioneers whose 1844 principles of democratic management and dividends to members were being taken up eagerly all over Britain. As Penicuik’s main local mutual organisation of the time, the Free Gardeners Lodge was the natural starting point for this activity. The new co-operative association began trading on 5 July 1860 and was registered as a legal entity on 7 January 1863. By 1877 over 12,000 co-operative societies would be established across Britain.

YOU CANNOT ADVANCE A SIXPENCE UNLESS I AM FIRST SATISFIED1869

YOU CANNOT ADVANCE A SIXPENCE UNLESS I AM FIRST SATISFIED 1869

The 1869 the Co-op purchased more premises in central Penicuik from Mr Glover the Loanhead postmaster, after due diligence by the legal overseer, John Robertson.

ACCOUNT WITH PAISLEY CO-OPERATIVE MANUFACTURING SOCIETY 1871

ACCOUNT WITH PAISLEY CO-OPERATIVE MANUFACTURING SOCIETY 1871

From the earliest days, local societies like Penicuik were themselves trading members of manufacturing co-operatives. The Penicuik Society’s account is number 23 with the Paisley Society. This old Passbook is printed co-operatively at Balloon Street, Manchester.

ALTERING GROCER SYMINGTON’S CHIMNEY NEXT TO CO-OP1887

ALTERING GROCER SYMINGTON’S CHIMNEY NEXT TO THE CO-OP1887

James Symington’s shop was on the corner of High Street and John Street, where the former Clydesdale Bank now stands. Adjoining it on the left was Penicuik Co-operative Association’s High Street premises. Symington’s architect was George Craig of Leith (1852-1928), a keen freemason who also designed buildings for the Leith School Board and the Highland Railway.

ACCIDENT TO FARMER PATERSON’S HORSE AT POMATHORN STATION1890

ACCIDENT TO FARMER PATERSON’S HORSE AT POMATHORN STATION1890

PLANS FOR FOUR-IN-A-BLOCK CO-OP HOUSES PENICUIK 1901

PLANS FOR FOUR-IN-A-BLOCK CO-OP HOUSES PENICUIK 1901

These were for the “New Street behind Jackson Street” that became Cranston Street. Note the box beds. James M Thomson designed Edinburgh’s Polwarth Crescent and the Union Bank on West Maitland St and Palmerston Place. In 1901 Heart of Midlothian beat Celtic in the Scottish Cup final.

DESTRUCTION OF MAIN PREMISES1904

DESTRUCTION OF MAIN PREMISES1904

Fire ravaged the Co-op’s main Grocery & Furnishing departments beside the Old Well in March 1904. The site was extended around the corner and a new and much larger store with lift access built in its place –the imposing Edwardian building we see today.

REPLACEMENT STOVE IN DRAPERY DEPARTMENT1909

REPLACEMENT STOVE IN DRAPERY DEPARTMENT1909

SHARE WITHDRAWAL BOOKS 1901-1915

SHARE WITHDRAWAL BOOKS 1901-1915

Receipt books record hundreds of withdrawals from share capital by Penicuik citizens.

AN ESTIMATE FOR A FULL PENICUIK CO-OP DAIRY REFIT 1912

AN ESTIMATE FOR A FULL PENICUIK CO-OP DAIRY REFIT 1912

. refers to Penicuik zoology Professor Cossar Ewart The full specification includes a 130-gallon Astra pasteuriser (£27) and Alfa Laval cream separator (£33), Astra milk pump (£6), copper-trough milk cooler (£26), vertical Cresstube boiler with feed pump and indicator (£41), 2 electric motors with controls from the British Thomson-Houston Company (£66), refrigerating plant fitted with a Hall’s CO2 Compressor complete with circulating pump, pressure gauges and thermometers (£162), a Cold Chamber (£47), 60 gallon receiving tank (£4) and a 6-syphon bottle filling machine (£11), and a new washhouse with spraying machines and brushes for bottles and churns (£17).

PAPERMILL HORSE KILLED BY RUNAWAY CO-OP VAN1913

PAPERMILL HORSE KILLED BY RUNAWAY CO-OP VAN1913

Tods were one of many paper mills along the Esk. One of the Tod family had written the local 1880s bestseller on both sides of the Atlantic, “Bits from Blinkbonny”, under the pen name John Strathesk.

STATISTICS FOR PENICUIK CO-OP AT THE OUTBREAK OF THE GREAT WAR: YEAR ENDING 3 SEPTEMBER 1914

STATISTICS AT THE START OF THE GREAT WAR 1914

FACES OF THE GROCERY DEPARTMENT 1917

Photograph: Helen Scott, daughter of Agnes Ryrie

FACES OF THE GROCERY DEPARTMENT 1917

Standing behind the Store premises are the ladies employed by the co-op to replace most of the male staff who’d been called to the War. Agnes Ryrie (front left) -born Agnes Thorburn- was a descendant of one of the original founders of the Association when it started with a few members in a house in Thorburn Terrace in 1860. Also in the picture are Annie Hislop, Ian Glasgow, Nellie McFeate, and Davina Somerville.

CLYDESDALE AND BRITISH LINEN BANK CHEQUES FOR 20 MARCH 1918

CLYDESDALE AND BRITISH LINEN BANK CHEQUES FOR 20 MARCH 1918

GUY MOTORS CATALOGUE FOR CONSIDERATION BY COMMITTEE 1919

GUY MOTORS CATALOGUE FOR CONSIDERATION BY COMMITTEE 1919

SCWS RECOMMEND LEYLAND OR ALBION VEHICLES 1919

SCWS RECOMMEND LEYLAND OR ALBION VEHICLES 1919

“…We have been in communication with Messrs Albion and Leyland Motor Coys and you may be surprised to learn that delivery cannot be had before July 1920 which we are afraid is not of much use to you. Even this date is subject to extension owing to the present English Moulders’ Strike and if the Scottish Moulders follow their English Mates it will be questionable when delivery can be had….” “…You will further note that the foregoing prices are for the chassis only and cost of Body falls to be added to same. As the Van Builders and Cartwrights are presently out on strike for an increase of wages we are only able to give you an approximate idea of the cost of Bodies,

Platform Lorry Body, having Cab Front, Glass Windscreen, Backboard, four wings over road wheels, complete with lamps and horn, …£125

Bread Van Body, having Glass Windscreen, Cab Front, doors at back, side doors, mahogany panelling, ash framing, louvres, roof covered with zinc and iron rail round same, painted, lined, name gilded and varnished, …£180

Combination Platform Lorry Body and Portable Van Body painted lined, lettered and varnished, complete with wings, lamps, horn, etc. ...£220”

ALBION SUGGESTS ONE OF THEIR RECONDITIONED WAR VEHICLES

ALBION SUGGESTS ONE OF THEIR RECONDITIONED WAR VEHICLES

to get over the supply bottleneck for new ones, though still not available till April 1920. Note the Albion’s solid tyres and 14mph speed

THE SCOTTISH CO-OPERATOR NEWSPAPER 1920

THE SCOTTISH CO-OPERATOR NEWSPAPER 1920

– Another Co-op Venture that Penicuik subscribed to.

–

PENICUIK’S NEW CO-OPERATIVE BAKERY OPENED ON 13 OCTOBER 1923

PENICUIK’S NEW CO-OPERATIVE BAKERY OPENED ON 13 OCTOBER 1923

By 1956 192,467 loaves were being produced annually, with £24,155 worth of Fancy Bread

PLANS FOR NEW FIELDSEND BRANCH STORE, PENICUIK APPROVED 1927

PLANS FOR NEW FIELDSEND BRANCH STORE, PENICUIK APPROVED 1927

-drawn up by William Mercer FIAA who had started in practice before 1914 and was working for the Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society (SCWS) Architectural Department in Glasgow in the 1920s and 1930s.

PENICUIK CO-OP TRANSPORT PROBLEMS 1927

PENICUIK CO-OP TRANSPORT PROBLEMS 1927

DR BADGER CONDEMNS BANK STREET CATTLE PENS 1927

DR BADGER CONDEMNS BANK STREET CATTLE PENS 1927

CONNECTED TO ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY1928

CONNECTED TO ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY1928

OVERLAPPING DELIVERIES MILTON COTTAGES1928

OVERLAPPING DELIVERIES MILTON COTTAGES1928

OVERLAPPING DELIVERIES MILTON COTTAGES1928

USING LOCAL CONTRACTORS 1928

USING LOCAL CONTRACTORS 1928

NOT EVEN CIVILITY 1928

NOT EVEN CIVILITY 1928

WEST LINTON, ROSLIN & PENICUIK TO KELVIN HALL1928

WEST LINTON, ROSLIN & PENICUIK TO KELVIN HALL1928

DECEMBER HOWGATE CONCERT 1928

DECEMBER HOWGATE CONCERT 1928

PENICUIK CO-OP SUPPORTED LOCAL & NATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

PENICUIK CO-OP SUPPORTED LOCAL & NATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

PENICUIK CO-OP SUPPORTED LOCAL & NATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

with donations & subscriptions, receiving many begging letters & letters of thanks

ANOTHER DAIRY UPGRADE LETS PENICUIK SUPPLY PEEBLES TOO 1932

ANOTHER DAIRY UPGRADE LETS PENICUIK SUPPLY PEEBLES TOO 1932

TRIP TO STRAND PALACE: DRIVER & CAR A CREDIT TO THE SOCIETY 1932

TRIP TO STRAND PALACE: DRIVER & CAR A CREDIT TO THE SOCIETY 1932

“… in eleven running hours, good going. There is nothing to stop the Committee going their annual trip this way now that we know the roads”

PEARSON PRAMS ORDERED BY THE DAIRY DEPARTMENT 1932

PEARSON PRAMS ORDERED BY THE DAIRY DEPARTMENT 1932

-each carrying 200 pints of milk, to be finished in Penicuik Co-op red. The Dairy Department was supplying over 112,000 pints of milk weekly by 1956

TROUBLE IN THE TEA ROOMS! 1932

On Monday 25 April 1932 in Parliament Arthur Greenwood first took his seat as Member for Wakefield. Reporting on the situation in India, Secretary for India Sir Samuel Hoare noted that damage to telegraph wires was reported from several centres, and that burning of letters in letter-boxes was spreading; in Burma there had been no developments of importance since the breaking up of the main body of rebels and the surrender of their leader Myat Aung. John Colville the MP for Midlothian and North Peeblesshire and Secretary for Overseas Trade reported that a Scottish Trade Mission would soon visit Canada: the steamship "Letitia," of the Anchor-Donaldson Line would leave Glasgow for Montreal on 5th May with the exhibits of 90 Scottish firms aboard. Ramsay Macdonald was Britain’s Prime Minister in London and Herbert Hoover the US President in Washington. In Berlin, as street violence at economic conditions in Germany reached new heights, Chancellor Bruning took steps to ban both the communist "Rotfrontkämpferbund" and the Nazi Sturmabteilung. In West Linton Mrs Isabella Noble, leader of the Womens Co-operative Guild and proprietress of the Linton Tea Rooms, took up her pen to write to the Penicuik Co-op

TROUBLE IN THE TEA ROOMS! 1932

“I am sorry at having to complain about the Sultana Cakes not being fired I get for the Tea room. The week I opened, the Cake was perfect, last week I lost nearly 6^th, this week I have returned it as it was again not fired in centre. The Pancakes are the same: one day they are lovely then back to their burnt state. Now I know they can do both things perfect. Last year I was tired returning stuff. So I am afraid if I am not to get better attention I will have to transfer my orders to St Cuthberts, but I will be very sorry to have to do this when I well know I can get all I require if only a little more attention was paid to orders”

Mrs Noble was keen to keep her business in Co-op hands –St Cuthberts was then the main Edinburgh Co-op and much bigger than the Penicuik Association. Mrs Noble wrote again from her home at Hawthorn Cottage West Linton a day later:

Complaint from the West Linton Womans Co-operative Guild about Cakes sent for Social on Friday April 22^nd. We are very sorry at having to lodge this complaint but at our opening Social the cakes sent were old but we paid and made no complaint with the result that they were still older this time –apparently those in charge of the baking staff think anything will do for West Linton –well they are wrong. I don’t think it was a compliment either to them or us for our Committee to go round the hall with a pail to gather up the cakes and carry them to the burn. It has been the weekend talk up here. But it is the same with the sponges sent up to the Branch on the Saturday, the Members have stopped buying. So I do think it is time some thing was being done, especially when a new shop is being opened. I think it is up to everyone to help to make it a success. Trusting to have better service in the future, Yours faithfully Mrs Isabella Noble (Pres.)

Next day Penicuik Co-op’s Secretary responded decisively “ I received your complaints about the cakes sent up for the Guild Social, and also about the supplies sent to the Tea Rooms. The delegates who attended the Social have confirmed your complaint. I can assure you that the Directors are very annoyed about the matter and they are taking steps to deal with the employees concerned. The matter is being thoroughly inquired into, and I trust that as a result of our inquiries you will have no further cause for complaint”

.

VISIT TO THE SCWS SHIELDHALL ESTABLISHMENT, GLASGOW 1932

VISIT TO THE SCWS SHIELDHALL ESTABLISHMENT, GLASGOW 1932

Meanwhile Alexander Korda was filming Charles Laughton in “The Private Life of Henry VIII” at the British and Dominion Studios, Elstree

CO-OPERATIVE MOVEMENT PROMOTIONAL LEAFLET 1932

CO-OPERATIVE MOVEMENT PROMOTIONAL LEAFLET 1932

Penicuik Co-operative Association ordered 2,000 of these leaflets on 28 September 1932.

On that day Jeremy Isaacs was born in Hillhead, Glasgow.

BIG BROTHER: PENICUIK CO-OP’S VAST NEIGHBOUR 1936

BIG BROTHER: PENICUIK CO-OP’S VAST NEIGHBOUR 1936

Just one year older than Penicuik, the St Cuthberts Co-operative Association in Edinburgh was much, much bigger, with many different branches and farms. Nearly all departments were represented at its Bonnyrigg Branch store. Leith, Portobello and Musselburgh had their own separate Co-operative societies.

VISIT TO WEMBLEY 1938

VISIT TO WEMBLEY 1938

MILK REGISTRATION SLIPS FOR EACH PENICUIK HOUSEHOLD1940s

MILK REGISTRATION SLIPS FOR EACH PENICUIK HOUSEHOLD1940s

PENICUIK CO-OP FLESHING DEPARTMENT RATION CARDS1940s

PENICUIK CO-OP FLESHING DEPARTMENT RATION CARDS1940s

CUSTOMER CARD FROM THE DECADE OF AUSTERITY 1940s

CUSTOMER CARD FROM THE DECADE OF AUSTERITY 1940s

BISCUITS ON THE SHELVES AT FIELDSEND 1943+1949

BISCUITS ON THE SHELVES AT FIELDSEND 1943+1949

TOBACCO & CIGARETTES REQUIRED BY HOUSEHOLDS 1940s

TOBACCO & CIGARETTES REQUIRED BY HOUSEHOLDS 1940s

SPECIAL COAL SUPPLY LICENCES ISSUED 1949

SPECIAL COAL SUPPLY LICENCES ISSUED 1949

ARCHITECT’S FEES 1952

ARCHITECT’S FEES 1952

R.J. Naismith later became well-known. He was the architect and town-planning advisor of Penicuik Burgh Council and later helped to create the form of the Cornbank estate.

VARIOUS WORK BY MESSRS TAIT 1952

VARIOUS WORK BY MESSRS TAIT 1952

SHOEING THE HORSES 1952

SHOEING THE HORSES 1952

GAS SUPPLY & RATCATCHERS 1952

GAS SUPPLY & RATCATCHERS 1952

BAXENDALES BILL 1952

BAXENDALES BILL 1952

Baxendale & Co were specialists in plumbing materials, fires, grates & stoves.

INVOICES FOR BRANDED GOODS 1954

INVOICES FOR BRANDED GOODS 1954

BLUE JEANS RETURNED -PENICUIK DRAPERY 1955

BLUE JEANS RETURNED -PENICUIK DRAPERY 1955

OPENING OF THE THORBURN SUITE 1976

OPENING OF THE THORBURN SUITE 1976

-display in Penicuik Town Hall 17 January & 28 February 2009-

A piece of the past

PENICUIK CO-OP

.For more than a century, Penicuik Co-op was the town’s principal community-run asset, offering services over a wide area and carrying on a business of many hundreds of thousands of pounds.

After a final few decades of decline in the late 20^th century, Penicuik Co-op merged with its Edinburgh neighbour. The official records of Penicuik Co-operative Association –including all the records of its final years – were removed to St Cuthberts Co-operative Association headquarters in Fountainbridge where many are believed to have been since damaged or destroyed by flood.

The records exhibited here were among those left behind for destruction. Fortunately they have been saved.

Penicuik Co-op will be a key theme of the Penicuik Community Development Trust displays in the Town Hall during 2009. Thanks to Portobello friends Norrie Kristoffersen, Margaret Munro and Archie Foley for helping us save Penicuik Co-op material for posterity.

Look out for more displays later in the year

exhibition prepared by Roger Kelly for Penicuik Community Development Trust from the Penicuik Co-op material rescued by the Portobello team.

1917 photograph reproduced with acknowledgements to Helen Scott.

STOP PRESS 2010 HELP US SAVE JACKSON STREET SCHOOL urgently -every second counts www.makers.org.uk/place/penicuikheritage

GALASHIELS CO-OPERATORS & THE IDEAS OF WILLIAM KING

ACTION ON PENICUIK COMMUNITY ASSETS

MORE PENICUIK TOWN HALL DISPLAYS

CLYDESDALE BANK IN PENICUIK

JACKSON STREET SCHOOL

PENICUIK’S CO-OPERATIVE COMMUNITY CAFÉ

PENICUIK’S CO-OPERATIVE FOOD MARKET

PENICUIK COMMUNITY FOOD GROWING PROJECT

PENICUIK GREATS

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