Heritage NorthScottish Co-operative movement
For the first "Ask the Expert" we have Marij Van Helmond talking about her, recent and ongoing, work on the Co-operative movement in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Marij is well known for her work in the Argyll and Bute Museum Service, and though recently retired, she is still active in the Argyll and Bute Museums forum.
Rather paradoxically perhaps she is asking us and issuing an appeal for memories and artefacts of Co-operation. A phenomenon, which has both a long history and a promising future in the region. There is a press release at the foot of the page with contact details, if you, or anyone you know, has something they want to share.
Remember, though that Marij has a long career in museum work, with special interest in Highland social history and contemporary collecting policies. She will be happy to answer any questions, which will be published here, as and when they are answered. In addition to her own contact details, she can also be found at asktheexpert@heritagenorth.org.uk.
“Cooperation in the Highlands”
Next year, 2007, is going to be the year of celebrating Highland Culture. Culture has become a word that covers a multitude of sins – its meaning depends on what your perspective or interests are. It can mean high culture or popular culture, or a particular form of expression - the arts, literature or sport. But it also covers relationships within particular communities, be they geographical, religious, or more specifically the crofting community, fishing community or farming communities or a town’s community like Dunoon.
However, the extensive programme of events for the year of Highland Culture features a wide range of arts, music, sport and the environment but, with the exception of new displays in the Inverness Museum, little that celebrates a way of life, aspects of the social culture of the Highland communities.
That is why the Scottish Cooperative Group, has commissioned a project celebrating “Cooperation in the Highlands”.
The 19th century saw a great blossoming of the Cooperative Movement in all it aspects in the Scottish industrial and urban areas, but it was much slower to take root in the Highland areas.
It did have its outposts, however, and early Co-operative Societies were established in Thurso, Wick, Elgin, Buckie and Dumbarton with outlets in Dunoon and Helensburgh. Later on several producers’ co-ops developed, such as the Banff Egg Packers Cooperative Society, Findochty Fishermen’s Cooperative, Caithness Pavement Manufacturers or Skye Producers Cooperative. In the 30s – 40s a spate of new retail outlets sprang out throughout the Highlands, including on remote islands.
In the 30s Dunoon boasted a Co-op owned hotel as well as the Airdmhor Cooperative Convalsecent Home.
Little is known about the scores of people involved in the movement.
They were prepared to re-consider the established their relationships with lairds, absentee landowner, private local traders and exchange them for relationships of mutual support and “by the people for the people”. What was the experience of the people who worked in or for the Co-ops? What was the contribution of the women as shoppers and as workers? And just as interesting – what is people’s experience of and commitment to the Co-operative Movement today?
Co-operation, Then and Now
The “Cooperation in the Highlands” project aims to rediscover this new culture which brought people together, even across geographically remote areas (there was a “store” on the Isle of Eigg!!), as consumers, distributors and producers, in order to improve the quality of life of the less prosperous in society.
Not a great deal of documentation is readily available – much has gone lost over time. The Project’s researcher is combing archives and museums collections in search of evidence. More can be found in local newspapers but the process is slow. And of course, the Project is not looking just at the distant past, but also at the major changes brought about by “co-operative culture” in modern times, such as the introduction of the supermarkets, or the formation of post war housing co-operatives, co-operative businesses and such like.
Can you help?
Do you have, or do you know people who have memories of visiting your local “store”, the family’s “divi” number? What did the Co-op mean in the household budget? Remember the Co-op going self-service or supermarket? Remember Co-op outings, dances, social events? Did anybody in the family work for the Co-op, as shop worker, shop buyer, as van driver, in the undertaking business? Anybody presently involved in any way with other types of co-operative ventures?
For any memories, photographs or memorabilia, please do get in touch with the project coordinator and share them with us. The aim is to turn your material into a travelling exhibition and, later in the year, into a publication. The exhibition will be touring a wide range of venues in the Highland Culture 2007 – areas
