Page 468 - 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.
the most successful of the London tutorial classes under the W.E.A.
has been that of the tea department employees, held at Toynbee
Hall. And, incidentally, one may add that the tutorial class which
has earned the highest grant from the Board of Education has had
Sutton-in-Ashfield for its location and has been mainly composed
of C.W.S. Huthwaite Hosiery Factory employees. The direct organi-
sation of co-operative educational work belongs to the Co-operative
Union, and is not within the province of the C.W.S., but for funds,
rooms, and hospitality this branch of co-operative effort historically
is indebted to the federation, and for personal aid frequently to this
or that C.W.S. employee.
Two more institutions alive amongst the employees remain to be
described. The first is the annual picnic. As a yearly event
enjoying official recognition, this dates back to 1880, but an earher
picnic also had the support of the Society through a curious combi-
nation of circumstances. In 1871 a sum of £80 belonging to the
Long Eaton Co-operative Society was stolen from the house of the
treasurer. After a vain effort to make good the loss the then four-
year-old society appealed for outside help. In May, 1872, the C.W.S.
Quarterly Meeting voted £20. But so good had been the response
that only £16 then was needed. The delegates meeting in August
found the remaining £4 waiting their disposal. It had been
mentioned that the employees were arranging a trip to Rivington
Pike, just beyond Bolton. This at once suggested itself as a proper
"
purpose for the £4, or a larger sum," and a resolution was carried
authorising the Committee to meet the expenses of the day. And
on August 31st some fifty persons left Manchester soon after eleven
o'clock for Rivington, cHmbed the Pike, and enjoyed dinner and
sports, at a cost to the Committee of £6. 2s. 2d. precisely. During the
next few years, however, there was no such lapse into gaiety on the
part of the C.W.S. balance sheet. But in 1879 (September 13th) the
London Branch employees beanfeasted at Southend, having obtained
the Saturday morning, a small grant, and the presence of Messrs.
Pumphrey and Goodey, who echoed Mr. Ben Jones' wish that the
outing should be a permanent fixture. And in the following year
the balance sheet confessed to £20 for an employees' trip at
Manchester (to Disley on the August bank holiday) and £9. 9s. for
Newcastle; while the London employees had another Saturday
morning off and went to Windsor. In 1881 there were grants of £20
for Manchester, £10 for Newcastle, £5 for London, and £20 for the
Leicester shoe workers, who at that time were strong upon the
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