The co-op tower

Now  I am a great fan of all things co-operative.

After all the Co-op socities which sprang up in the 19th century offered quality food and other products at reasonable prices and for those who joined, provided a share of the profits at the end of the year.

Our family shopped co-op, I worked for the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society, and I have often written about them.*

So here is another story, this one from Salford, which Andy Robertson encountered earllier in the month.  

It is one of the 54 branches of The Pendleton Co-operative Industrial Society which had been founded in 1860 and by 1911 had shops across Salford.

Its central store which included a grocers, and drapers had opened in 1887 was extended in 1903 and became a listed building in 1990.

The society also boasted a warehouse, bakery, diary, ice making and refrigerating plant, slaughterhouses and a coal office.

And since reposting the story several people have asked where this one was.

To my embarrassment I never asked Andy, where he took the pictures, but here is a list of all of the local co-ops from the 1911 directory which should allow someone to pinpoint our tower.

From the 1911 directory for Manchester & Salford

And spark a hunt for the rest.

Location; Lower Broughton

Picture; the co-op, 2021, from the collection of Andy Robertson

*Celebrating some more of Salford’s finest buildings ........ the Pendleton Co-operative Industrial Society, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2019/07/celebrating-some-more-of-salfords.html