Page 364 - 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 CW.S.

other articles could be counted upon so quickly to complicate a tariff
reform argument. But we cannot linger over its fascinations here.
Enough that cocoanut mat weaving (again with tropical connections)
has been added to the brush making, the whole finding employment
for over two hundi'ed persons, supplying goods that in 1912 were
worth £33,500. From the start the Leeds Brush and Mat Factory
has been steadily profitable.
The three separate works at Dudley, Keighley, and Birtley
usually are thought of together since they came to the CW.S.
simultaneously. The growth of the CW.S. trade in general hard-
ware led to friendly negotiations in 1908 for the taking over of all
three. Through the Newcastle Branch in the case of Birtley, and
through the CW.S. furnishing departments generally in the other
instances, already they were mainly dependent for custom upon the
Wholesale Society, so that the transfers formed a simple matter,
agreed to at the Quarterly Meetings of June, 1908, almost without
comment. Concluding his chapter in Co-operative Production upon
the " efforts to estabhsh co-operation in the iron trades," " from
shipbuilding and marine engine making on the one hand to needles,
nails, and wringing machines on the other," Mr. Ben Jones thus
summarised the record: "All the big efforts have collapsed; but
some of the smaller ones are steadily growing in prosperity." The
Dudley Bucket and Fender Society and the Keighley Ironworks
Society, the historian of 1892 had found upon the cheerful Hst. The
first-named association was registered in 1888, with five members.
It suffered a small loss in its first year's working, a previous failure
having created an obstacle, but subsequently it prospered. The
winding up of the society, for a consideration of 28s. lid. per £1
share, and the coming of the C.W.S., left the works in Charlotte
Street, Dudley, substantially unaffected. Some will say that " the
"
ideal committee consists of one —it would be unfair to ask, " Which
one ? " Behevers in so easy a unity would find encouragement in
the history of some productive societies. More than once the success
has been due to a prime mover and subsequent business head, whose
position has been akin to that of a managing director. In the Dudley
Bucket and Fender Society the leading spirit was IVIr. John Round.
He remained at Charlotte Street as manager under the CW.S. The
workers also retained their posts; and adv'^ances of wages definite^
secured all that under the copartnership constitution they had stood
to gain in bonus. Another special share of the profits previously
had been granted to "capital." This payment, of course, ceased,
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