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Birmingham (Industrial) Cooperative Society Shops

Now in my 83rd year, there are two numbers that are ingrained into my brain. My army number, and my mothers Co-Op number....14716. In a recent visit to our local Co-Op, the young man at the checkout asked me if I had a Co-op number (which I do not), and I said "Yes, 14716, it belongs to Mrs Haynes". He looked at me in amazement, realised that I was joking, and said "That is a very old number". I said that had she still been alive, she would be 104.

Eddie
 
Dave89 said:
Hi Janice,

I think it must haver been an early one too. We came to Brum in the early 50's
and our Coop number was 309537.

Kind regards

Dave
Click to expand...

I worked at No 6 Grocery, (Moseley Rd), in the mid 50s and my BCS number was 381776 but we had a TASCOS branch at the Maypole so there was an extra number to be memorised !
 
Any ideas as to what this building was on Stratford Road? It's between Greswold Road and Grove Road. It's dated 1912. Viv.

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Hi mike
Yes I would say you are correct it was a Co/op shop,at the moment I am scouring through my files on the co/op shops, I have got a lot of numbers of there premises for them ,
At this precise moment I am at shop number dated 1915 in the same design frontage
Is which the co/op targeted for there business most was old picture houses
The picture I have in front of me
Is listed as 252 Somerville road, and they claim to have by 1914 there were fifty seven Co/op shops
Through out Birmingham
But many small retailers were unhappy about there Success, believing the dividend was unfair advantage
I will keep searching now, best wishes Alan,,, Astonian,,,,
 
Thanks Alan,.

There's this very tall building behind it and wondered if it's connected to the Co-op. Can't imagine what it was for. Wondering if there was a stream or river running behind the Co-op and by the tall building. Viv.

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Viv
The c1950 map shows the building behind as a bakery. The c 1916 map (though this would have referred to a little before and did not always include all changes) does not show the shop or the building behind. The 1932 Kellys shows no 775 as Co-op but by 1950 the coop has gone and 775 is not listed, but 773 is Short's bakery Ltd.
 

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Hi mike and viv,
A Series of a dozen or so post cards was produced to publicise and commemorate the Golden Jubilee
Of the Birmingham Co/op, major retail or and employer in the city,
An exhibition was held at Bingley Hall to illustrate the range of BCS activities and interest,
A replica was built of the Co/op,s first shop in Birmingham and attracted great interest
The original branch No 1. Had been openened in 1881 at 17 Adderly park road,
Best wishes Alan,,,,Astonian,,,,,,
 
The old pulse shot up for a moment, when I saw that photo, it looked so like the place where I worked in the late 50s.
I used to work in No 6 Branch of the BCS which was on Moseley Rd, Balsall Heath. (Right hand side, the grocery dept., on the left the butchery).
There must have been a standard building for all the branches.
 
Hi maypole
I have a picture of a shop for BCS Ladypool road spark brook
Branch 100 was opened its doors in 1929 at Acocks Green
I will try and find you one out of my files all being well
Best wishes Astonian,,,,,
 
Astonian said:
Hi maypole
I have a picture of a shop for BCS Ladypool road spark brook
Branch 100 was opened its doors in 1929 at Acocks Green
I will try and find you one out of my files all being well
Best wishes Astonian,,,,,
Click to expand...

That's very kind of you
Thanks Alan.
 
As Astonian says the 100th BCS opened 16/11/1929 at 295-9 Fox Hollies Rd. A friend had a Saturday job there in 1950's. I have a picture in a book (Acocks Green by Michael Byrne) of the opening event. Is it OK to scan or would that be a copy right problem? It's true about remembering "co-op" numbers I remember my mom's, 101397 and my gran's, 38255 but not the one we had when we got married. I suppose by then doorstep deliveries were on the decline. The numbers were discreetly pencilled on the front door jamb so the milkman, baker, coalman? could pre-write the "divi" voucher.
 
Hi Devon Jim
My dear old mother used to have a black book passbook what the oriniginal Co/op
Done after setting up business and being so successful and there appreciation was to give divinds
Shares to each member whom shopped with them and at the end of each 3 months quarter
Or it was six months period they would give you. A rebate for your loyalty
You would go up to the city centre store Of the Co/op in the High street
I recall the fifth floor for the cash office and go to the Hatch and asked for a rebate
You gave her your big black pass book and she would asked for your number
Our moms was 23 27 60 and then she would walk away and come back ten minutes later
With your cash it went on for years if mom was ill which was not often
And cannot take it her self she would write a note and put it in an envelope
And we would collect it for her,mom was always fit from early age stage dancing
But her problem was the old man, getting her pregnant she had them many times
They all thought we was forming our own foot ball team, 9 boys and two girls , phew,,
I would not want that myself three is enough for me thank god they are all grown up
But any way it was great for people to get some think back from the good old Co/op
The extra pennies came in handy especially for us big family oh and of Course
The good old penny gas meteor I used to whatch him and count the stacks of pennies he Counted
And listen to him to say here you are Mrs that stack is yours mom would smile
And send us down to old Barnes shop at the bo. of the Terrence of Cromwell Square Lichfield Road
I used to like into the co/op on there lift as a kid
Some time granny held would take mom and us to collect her share ,but granny held
Was a very rich lady and she would say to my mom come on Joyce We will go next door
To mark and spencers store and buy us all loads of clothes for mom and every one of us
Then we would walk down through crooked lane back to the house and coffee shop
Number one New canal street right ext door to typoo factory
Its a pity the Co/op do not do it any more as today state of hardship is just as bad as years gone bye
Best wishes Alan,,, Astonian,,,,
 
Alan you are leading me off thread again! Most of todays super markets have a similar rebate/loyalty scheme. But these days its all done by computers and the voucher comes through the post. No queuing up the High Street! Mind you, you don't get cash, the voucher have to be spent in their store.
 
Hi Devon Jim
I know what you are saying and I am totally aware of today's stannard
But are we really getting a good deal with these in store vouchers
I asked myself, you know and I know,you cannot beat good old hard cash in your Donny
To spend where and when ylku want and co not be stuck in one store only
And remembers some stores or departments put a date expirery on them
Have a nice even I g Devon jim best wishes. Alan,, Astonian,,
 
Hi guys I have a picture of three co/op shop in a row at 549 / 555 Green lane 1960
On the corner of Hobmoor road, they are now an electricle supplies,and fancy goods shop
The Co/op started up here during the first world war with a Bread Depot
On this subject of the Bread Depot does anybody knows or not when did they started the Co/op Bakery in Manner Road Stechford, or did they move down from Hobmoor lane and commence from there
I met my old Dutches. Whom lived up the road from the bakery on the hill
Out side the public telephone box but she does not know when they set up there Bakery there all those years ago
Best wishes Alan,, Astonian,,''
 
The New Co/op chemist shop at Watts Road 1930
All Co/op shops on the Coventry road were designated branch No 2
Where ever they were, and how temperory,
The generous opening Offer was Free Gift of Odel Toothpaste or powder
 
devonjim said:
As Astonian says the 100th BCS opened 16/11/1929 at 295-9 Fox Hollies Rd. A friend had a Saturday job there in 1950's. I have a picture in a book (Acocks Green by Michael Byrne) of the opening event. Is it OK to scan or would that be a copy right problem? It's true about remembering "co-op" numbers I remember my mom's, 101397 and my gran's, 38255 but not the one we had when we got married. I suppose by then doorstep deliveries were on the decline. The numbers were discreetly pencilled on the front door jamb so the milkman, baker, coalman? could pre-write the "divi" voucher.
Click to expand...

sorry for the late response to your question jim...ive been away and just catching up on posts...i cant see a problem so yes please we would love to see that photo you have..:)

lyn
 
Moms divi number was pencilled on a brick next to the front door. Could still be there for all I know too,

The Co-op through time on Kingstanding Road is today still visible for us to see. All the buildings in the lower photo with red dots have at one time or another been part of the Co-op.

image.jpeg
The building in the second photo below looks about 1930s, I expect it was vacated by the Co-op when the arched roof building further along opened (1960s/70s?). Viv.
image.jpeg
 
#35 above. Photo of 100th BCS on it's opening day. Had a look on Google now seems to have been demolished. As a child I was always much more interested in the nearby shop which was the Bon Bon.
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I've learnt something new. The scanned picture was too large to post. So reduced the pixels and here it is.
 
Everybody seems mesmerised by the shop displays except for a small group of children in the middle who seem to have spotted the photographer. Viv.
 
BCS horse and cart. This one's from 1 Great Francis Street. Anyone know the BCS there? Or was it a dairy? Viv.

image.jpeg
 
Thanks Jim. Yes that looks likely. The sacks seem to have handles on them. Viv.
 
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