History of the Co-operative Society

Dr Tony Webster, former Head of History at Liverpool John Moores University, traces the 150 year history of the Co-operative Wholesale Service (CWS). This is a success story starting in the industrial revolution in Britain through to what is today an international trading conglomerate. The principle belief of those who built this organisation was that a co-operative common wealth was being created.

Tony Webster says of the future, “What we can see is the possibility, over the next 20 to 30 years, of the rise of a new generation of co-ops across the board”.

2 thoughts on “History of the Co-operative Society

  1. Can you advise if there was a Co-op Shop (CWS) in Liverpool 8 during the 1950’s & 60’s it is part of a discussion, a colleague states he remembers his Mum’s Co-op number in Liverpool 8 during this period.
    Regards
    Eric
    Tel: 07736 955554

  2. There were many Liverpool Co-operative Society shops in L8 at that time, The CWS was the manufacturing and wholesale arm of the wider Co-operative movement and, at that time, didn’t themselves operate any retail stores.
    The main shops I can recall were in Lodge Lane, Windsor Street and Park Road.

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