Page 285 - The_story_of_the_C._W._S._The_jubilee_history_of_the_cooperative_wholesale_society,_limited._1863-1913_(IA_storyofcwsjubill00redf) (1)_Neat

CHAPTER XXI.

A Century of Flour Milling.
Biscviits and Bread—Wliy the C.W.S. Waited—Co-operativo Flour Milling in
1797—and in 1857—The Old Order and the New—In Unity or Separation ?
—Dunston Flour Mill—Silverto\vn and Avonmouth—The Question of the
"
Lancashire and Yorkshire Mills—The Transit of the " Star —And the
"
Rising of the " Sun —A Real Achievement—Years 1795-1913.
STRANGERS to the C.W.S. must find it a little difficult to
understand why its first productions should have been biscuits
and sweets. Taken by themselves these were unsubstantial foods
for a democracy in business. It would have been more fitting if
the " republic of consumers " had begun with flour milhng and
bread making. And, as distmct from the Wholesale Society, the
co-operative movement did origmally apply itself to these first
necessities. When in 1873 the Wholesale Society commenced
production, co-operative flour milling already existed as an old
industry; and it was a sincere desire not to mjure other co-operative
institutions which kept the C.W.S. out of the business until the
opening of the Dunston mill in 1891.
By that time the co-operators were within four years of the
centenary of consumers' flour milling. In 1795 certain " poor
inhabitants " of Hull, to preserve themselves " from the invasions of
covetous and merciless men," took the action which resulted in the
Hull Anti-Mill Society. Bread, which had cost l|d. per lb. in 1768,
had advanced to 2Jd. Wheat was at an average price of 72s. lid.
per quarter. " The price is much reduced at present," said the
founders of the Anti-MiU, " yet we judge it needful to take every
precaution . . ." The need was proved by the average price
of wheat rising to 119s. in 1801. These Hull co-operators proposed
to pay Is. Id. per week each for four weeks and 6d. per week for four
weeks more, toward building a mill which the subscribers and their
heirs might possess for ever. Having reached this point, they
petitioned the mayor and corporation for further assistance. With
help from individual members of the town council the mill was
bunt, and well built ; and according to the English Chronicle of June
13th, 1797, quoted by Mr. Ben Jones in Co-operative Production, it
was opened, even in those early days, in the true co-operative style.
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