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Birmingham (Industrial) Cooperative Society Shops

Vivienne14 said:
Thanks Jim. Yes that looks likely. The sacks seem to have handles on them. Viv.
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Vivienne14 said:
Thanks Jim. Yes that looks likely. The sacks seem to have handles on them. Viv.
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All the coal bags I ever Saw had 2 handles, they were made of rope which went all round the bags in a double loop that also reinforces the bag. Very simple but very effective, some clever member may come with a picture.
Cheers Tim.
 
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Typical coal delivery cart, except never seen coal men wearing white. Size of these bags may have been for coke.
 
I seem to remember our coalmen had a sort of back flap on their hats, and leather waistcoats? (Or was that the bin men?)
I do remember the way the coal dust didn't settle in the corners of their eyes so they had pale "crowsfeet"!
 
Vivienne14 said:
BCS horse and cart. This one's from 1 Great Francis Street. Anyone know the BCS there? Or was it a dairy? Viv.

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Viv,

The first Co-op shop on Birmingham was at 14 Great Francis Street opening in 1881, but by 1884 they had grown out of that little shop. They then moved to larger premises on the corner of Newdegate Street and Great Francis Street and called the shop Co-op No 1. Over the years they expanded along Great Francis St and Newdegate Street taking up most of the corner block.

I don't think there was ever a coal depot there, but there was a coal wharf nearby off Great Francis Street on Pitney Street so that is probably where the coal depot was. There were however stables in Newdegate Street but they were probably shared by coal, dairy & bakery horses who all had depots nearby.

The Great Francis Street shops were succeeded as the headquarters of the society when they moved to new premises in Birmingham High Street in 1916 after they had purchased them in 1913.

Attached are some photos showing the growth of the Great Francis Street premises. I only knew the premises in the late 50's & 60's when most of it was a drapers shop, it was old fashioned even in those early days and all I ever bought from there was underwear and socks.
 

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Having looked through this thread, I see no reference to C0-0p cheques. Anyone remember them? They were the forerunner of credit availability. Used mostly for larger items like furniture and clothing, they could only be used at C0-op stores, usually the one in town at the High St. Later came the "Provident" cheque which could be used anywhere.
Dave A
 
rosie said:
I seem to remember our coalmen had a sort of back flap on their hats, and leather waistcoats? (Or was that the bin men?)
I do remember the way the coal dust didn't settle in the corners of their eyes so they had pale "crowsfeet"!
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I remember the "flaps" and leather waistcoats and think it was the bin men and the coal men.
 
adap2it said:
Having looked through this thread, I see no reference to C0-0p cheques. Anyone remember them? They were the forerunner of credit availability. Used mostly for larger items like furniture and clothing, they could only be used at C0-op stores, usually the one in town at the High St. Later came the "Provident" cheque which could be used anywhere.
Dave A
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Provident cheques were not acceptable everywhere. They usually provided details of stores that accepted them. Many small firms were not on the list. The problem some retailers found was that some unscrupulous folk tried to cash the cheque for money. I am sure it happened but many saw it as a swindle.
 
Radiorails said:
Provident cheques were not acceptable everywhere. They usually provided details of stores that accepted them. Many small firms were not on the list. The problem some retailers found was that some unscrupulous folk tried to cash the cheque for money. I am sure it happened but many saw it as a swindle.
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I guess I should have said "other places than the Co-op". I was a kid back then, what did I know...interesting history of credit in the UK. https://moneytothemasses.com/uncate...story-of-credit-our-changing-attitude-to-debt
Dave A
 
This was the Co-op I remember as a child although I had grown out of needing a pram when I was taken there. It is on the corner of Old Oscott Lane and Aldridge Road.
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from https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...our-old-street-pics.41947/page-71#post-540479
 
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I wonder if this was a corporate style of the Birmingham Co-Op Society. When certain vegetables ad fruit were difficult to obtain during WW2 people shopped around a bit more - and then it was on foot or bycyle, few cars then.
I remember a BCS store, in Baldwins Lane, Hall Green, almost identical to the pic by Old Mohawk, except the end shops were reverse - i.e. butcher at the right, fruit and veg to the left with the grocery in central lace.
 
When I saw the photo I thought it was the Co-Op in Shirley (although I can't remember the order of shops) so I think there must have been a corporate style.
 
This sad building in Lakey Lane also has the BCS logo on the green plaque. As far as I can remember the words "food market" actually refer to what the shop became before it moved to premises down the road. (Image looks a bit odd as taken from street view.)
 

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There was a Co-Op range of shops similar in design to posts 61 and 64 \t the junction Alum Rock Road and Pelham Road.
 
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it's nigh on 70 years since I lived in Tyseley but I think that this was another Co-op, not much evidence remains, anyone confirm my memory? Opposite Cousin's.
Having slept on it I think part of this building was a post office, to the right was a greengrocers, Whittakers, where rabbits were sold and next was a grocer Tennants, (Ron and Ivy)
 
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Found a copy of the laundry picture in a book. Agrees with the 1948 date and confirms that the building is the laundry which eventually closed in 1975, still with its camouflage!
 
I'm a Brummie by birth but live in Lancashire now, the birthplace of the Co-operative movement in Rochdale (Now Greater Manchester). I've been to Toad Lane to see the original premises and museum and enjoyed the conducted tour. I was left in no doubt how big the movement had become and what struck me was that they once built bicycles - in Tyseley! I remember their Crumpsall cream crackers - made by themselves in Crumpsall!

It's quite common in this part of the world to spot old Co-op buildings too but they're usually smaller than the ones in Brum and nearly always had a committee room above as the Co-operative movement has strong links to Labour politics and sponsors some 38 current Labour MP's. I believe that Ed Balls was one of them.
 
BCS shop(s) on the corner of Washwood Heath Road and Bamville Road in the 1960s. Second attached photo shows the site today. Viv.

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Pity it's lost it's decorative top, very typically 'Co-op' . I like the way the Co-op shops made distinct sections in their shops (bakery, greengrocey, meat etc). Even when the shops were purpose built like the Wheelwright Road one, it looks to me that they created separate entrances to the different departments. And where they took over existing shops they seem to have kept the different produce distinctly separate, although linking them with shop signage above. Viv.
 
Interesting to note the remarks by Fireman Sam about Rochdale and - to give them their original name - The Rochdale Pioneers. There was little that the Co-Op did not make or have made for them. The original principle, as most will know, was to provide services and goods for their Members. This eventually expanded to include anyone who had a shilling or two to spend in their stores. :)
There was a time, probably not these days, when the Co-Op paid a slightly higher wage to their employees than the other privately owned retailers. I believe the failure to continue the brand name "Wheatsheaf" was a serious error. At a time when supermarkets have been falling over each other to appear 'green' and 'consumer friendly' (what a ghastly description) the Co-Op rid itself of a homely and totally 'green welly' trade mark.
 
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