‘The first Co-operative Society on record in Sheffield was started in 1865 at 127, Devonshire Street and its name was ‘The Sheffield Improved Industrial and Provident Society.’
For details about this Society see page 123 of ‘Sheffield and Ecclesall Co-operative Society Ltd. 1874 – 1913 Souvenir to Commemorate the Completion of the New Central Premises’
You can see this book in the Local History section of the Central Library.
The Ecclesall Co-operative Society was established in 1874.
In 1907 these two societies merged to form ‘The Sheffield and Ecclesall Co-operative Society’ The souvenir book is an excellent resource for the story of Sheffield and Ecclesall up to the opening of new Central Premises in 1913 ‘The Arcade’ later to be called
‘Sunwin House.’
From the Sheffield Year Book of 1925
Sheffield and Ecclesall Co-operative Society Limited.
29 Grocery Branches.
16 Butchering.
6 Boot and Drapery.
8 Branch Boot Repairing Factories.
How Brightside and Carbrook Co-op Society Began
It was 1868 and a man called William Shaw happened to notice a clock over a shop in Kilnhurst bearing the words ‘Co-operative Society’. He belonged to a group of artisans in Carbrook who had formed a mutual improvement society, and the subject of ‘Co-operation’ had been discussed with some enthusiasm. Seeing the clock triggered a desire to find out more about Co-operation…’*
by Steve Thompson
For more from this research please see: https://sheffield.coop/wiki/Perspective
