Page 86 - 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.

already, they would have been forestalled. As it was, the Newcastle
conference went further than any of its kind in Manchester, by
concluding with a public meeting, and securing a long report in
the Newcastle Daily Chronicle, the journal which Cowen founded.
Yet it did not lead to any material achievement. After all, in 1862
the societies of Northumberland and Durham numbered some thirty
only. Their total membership of about 4,000 merely equalled that
of the Rochdale Pioneers' Society alone. Their combined trade of
some £100,000 a year was feeble beside the Rochdale figures of a
quarter of a million. Hence it is not surprising that, with the
Manchester institution actually coming into being in 1863-4, we hear
little further of an independent central federal store in Newcastle-
on-Tyne. Nevertheless, the need of a wholesale society within the
district still remained, for in April, 1867, when the first request for
a Newcastle Branch of the C.W.S. came through Mr. Spoor, of South
Shields, not more than ten Northumberland and Durham Societies
were in touch with Manchester, and only about half this number
were giving any considerable support.
On May 20th, 1871, nine years after the first effort, the delegates
of twenty-nine societies met to consider again " the advisabihty of
estabUshing a wholesale society in Newcastle." Mr. Joseph Cowen
was present, and once more unanimously was voted to the chair.
The discussion resulted in the carrying of a resolution " by a large
majority," requesting the North of England Society to open a
Newcastle Branch. This time the request was entertained. At
their meeting on the following Saturday the Manchester Committee
decided to enter into negotiations. On receipt of this information
a conference of Northumberland and Durham Societies was arranged
for, and held on the 17th of June. Following this, a deputation
from the committee of the northern movement—Messrs. Richardson
(Durham), Dover (Chester-le-Street), and Mc.Kendrick (Newcastle)
—went to Manchester. The deputation established its case, and,
on their own recommendation, the North of England Committee by
the Quarterly Meeting of August 19th, 1871, were "authorised and
instructed to open a branch of our establishment at Newcastle- on-
Tyne." William Marcroft, of Oldham, strangely enough, opposed
the step, but he stood alone.
This record is becoming matter of fact; but now the comic
spirit enters to enhven it through the good offices of a trio of
northern merchants. It was reported in a trade journal that
" the managers {sic) of a number of co-operative societies in
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