Page 106 - The_story_of_the_C._W._S._The_jubilee_history_of_the_cooperative_wholesale_society,_limited._1863-1913_(IA_storyofcwsjubill00redf) (1)_Neat

The Story of the C.W.S.
used in the business at Lower Crumpsall. The price, with the land,
was £3,350. In February, 1873, the Committee announced that
the new works were " in successful operation, turning out a large
assortment of excellent biscuits and sweets, currant bread, &c." But
when a man marries—and troubles began here also. In July the
Committee reported that " the practical management has not been
as successful as we anticipated." A change was decided upon, but
two advertisements brought no satisfactory applicant. Under these
circumstances the Committee fell back upon one of their own number,
the late Mr. Thomas Hayes, of Failsworth. In vain he protested
that he "hardly knew a biscuit from a handsaw." The Committee
were in a position with which they grew to be familiar in those days.
They could obtain clever fellows who turned out to be scamps, or
good men innocent of ability, or men honest and able, but in search
of stepping stones toward entering business for themselves. The
Committee, therefore, preferred a man who, however unused to the
work, was not in any of these categories.
The new manager discovered the plant and machinery to be
antiquated. A new rotary oven was put in, but, the demand being
small, to produce the varieties required it had to be readjusted,
at much inconvenience, three or four times a day. Nowadays the
works possesses a dozen such ovens. Troubles with manufactures,
troubles with employees, and miscellaneous troubles dogged the steps
of the management. The Committee guardedly admitted that, while
their biscuits were of excellent materials, the " surface quality " left
something to be desired ; and the manager privately was instructed
to make certain biscuits " a little more crisp." On one occasion the
works had to be closed for five days " to reduce stock; " on another
the Society was fined £1 for creating a smoke nuisance, and the
manager was asked " to try and heat the oven furnace with coke."
Kindest of heart, the manager nevertheless was obhged to discharge
four men at once " for sHpping oS work and druiking," and for his
leisure moments he had to solve the problem of how to prevent
sweets from sticking to each other in the bottles, or biscuits from
showing the marks of a wire tray, or wet fruit from spoiling jam.
Such obstacles being overcome, the small branches of manufacture
were entered into—dry soap in particular—and extensions were
made, but the depreciation upon the new buildings proved too
heavy for the profits. Even a member of the Wholesale's own
Committee came gloomily before a Quarterly Meeting to express his
conviction that the works " would never pay." But the lane had its
76