CHAPTER XVI.. From Strength to Strength.

FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH.

STEADY PROGRESS—EXTENSIONS—NEW OFFICES—THE QUALITY OF THE BREAD—THE TEAROOMS—ORDERS FROM EGYPT—ORGANISATION—A SPECIAL COMMITTEE—MR ALEXANDER HAMILTON RETIRES—THE SOCIETY JOINS GLASGOW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE—AUSTRIAN CO-OPERATORS VISIT THE BAKERY—ANOTHER UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS—RAILWAYMEN’S CONGRESS ENTERTAINED—BAND SUCCESSES—PROPAGANDA WORK—CLYDEBANK BAKERY SECURES FIRST PRIZE FOR BREAD AT S.C.W.S. BAKING COMPETITION—THE SOCIETY AND ITS EMPLOYEES—COMPULSORY TRADE UNIONISM—A SHORTER WORKING WEEK—THE OLDEST SCOTTISH SOCIETY—THE CO-OPERATIVE INSURANCE SOCIETY.

The growth of a great organisation may be likened to that of a river. Away up in the mountains where the river takes its rise every stone has weight to turn it aside. It trickles down the hillside with noisy babble, here almost stagnant, there going forward with a rush; ever gathering strength as it is joined by other streams. But by and by it reaches the plain. The strength of its rush down the hillside carries it forward with gradually diminishing pace until finally it subsides into an easy forward motion, placid and smooth, yet deep enough and strong enough to bear on its broad breast the ships of a hundred nations.

So it has been with the U.C.B.S. At first it was like the tiny rivulet, directed hither and thither by the rocks in its path, with its progress seemingly altogether arrested for a time, then going forward again with a rush and gathering impetus as it went. The last great rush may be said to have been taken when it transferred to M‘Neil Street. Its progress down to the final placidity of the valley was rapid but gradually diminishing in speed as it reached the level of the plain, so that having traversed the hills of difficulty and gathered to itself tributaries as it flowed onward, it was now settled into a strong but smooth onward flow. Henceforth the difficulties and dangers were gone; henceforth also was gone the rapidity of the current of prosperity; to be replaced by calm, steady progress which swept forward with the irresistible strength of a mighty river. No longer was there doubling of output in a year or two; no more was it necessary to add extension to extension in order to keep pace with a rapidly growing trade; yet an increase in turnover which averaged 250 sacks per week in a year and 1,000 sacks a week in four years was made. It was a huge increase; actually it was larger than any which had gone before it; yet it was not so impressive as the smaller increases which had preceded, for in relation to the total trade it was much smaller.

EXTENSIONS.

It was not that the work of the Society was not going forward as rapidly in the years 1905 to 1910 as it had done in preceding years, for the progress made in those four years was probably greater than ever before; but that the gradually increasing volume did not call for the same feverish exertion as formerly. In reality the work done during this period was probably the greatest in the history of the Federation until then, and the extensions were also probably the largest. St Mungo Halls were completed; Belfast Bakery was built and extended; while Clydebank Bakery was more than doubled in size. Then the new offices of the Society at the Adelphi Street corner of M‘Neil Street were also erected, making total additions to the value of the Society’s property of something like £40,000. There were other minor alterations and additions also, such as the covering in of Hayfield Street in order to convert it into a garage. Altogether the additions to the productive departments alone were such as allowed an additional turnover of over 1,000 sacks per week.

The new offices were not built before they were required. The old offices had sufficed indifferently well for the needs of the Society when they were built, but the continuous and rapid extension of the business soon made them altogether inadequate, and by the time the new offices were ready for occupation the old ones were absolutely crowded out.

The new offices were built to meet all emergencies, however, and during the eight years in which they have been occupied have proved quite adequate for the growing business needs of the Society and its ever-increasing staff. Just before building was commenced, lengthy negotiations which had been proceeding between the Society and the Corporation of Glasgow for land between the building line and the river were completed through the purchase by the Corporation of the land for £1,000; the Corporation agreeing, in addition, to make and maintain the street. This was a good bargain for the Society, for they had obtained £700 more for the land than it had cost them; while a good part of that £700 would have been swallowed up in making the new street. The covering in of, first, the stable courtyard and, later, of Hayfield Street was also excellent business, which made for the comfort and convenience of the men and horses, and was well worth the £670 which the two operations cost.

THE QUALITY OF THE BREAD.

For a long time little had been heard of complaints about the quality of the bread, but towards the end of 1905 these became so numerous that the committee called a conference of the foremen in the various departments for the purpose of discussing the matter. The case, as put by the committee, was that they were supplying the best materials, that they were paying good wages and giving the best conditions of labour, and that, naturally, they looked for good results. The serious nature of some of the complaints was emphasised by the convener of the productive committee; while Mr Young stated that the last six months had been the worst for ten years, and hoped that a strong effort would be made to maintain the high reputation of the bakery. The runners, in replying, one and all complained of the inferior quality of the flour, especially that which was used in sponging. They also pointed out that the rush to get ready for the morning deliveries was, to a very large extent, responsible for the inferior quality, owing to the limited time allowed for preparing, proving, and firing. A few suggestions were made which it was thought would make for improvement.

THE TEAROOMS.

During most of these years the tearooms continued to be the “lame dog” of the Society. Little or no improvement took place, and balance-sheet after balance-sheet showed a loss in working or an infinitesimal profit. The question cropped up regularly at the quarterly meetings, and countless suggestions for improvement were made. Particularly was this the case with regard to catering for the less wealthy class of the community. A conference with the respective heads of the tearooms took place, with the object of going into the whole question, but it does not seem to have borne much fruit. The suggestions made, as recorded in the minutes, were of a negative character, and nothing was done. Later, Mr Towart, purvey department, was put in charge of London Street and Paisley Road Rooms for a month, with the object of seeing what could be done to improve the position. On the result of Mr Towart’s experiment the minutes are silent; but, from the fact that in less than six months thereafter the Wheatsheaf Rooms were bought over by the manageress, it would seem that it did not give much hope of success for that branch at least.

ORDERS FROM EGYPT.

The fame of the U.C.B.S. was by this time extending, with the result that in August of 1907 an order was received from a merchant in Alexandria for 500 barrels of biscuits. This was followed in October of the same year by a similar order. In the beginning of 1908 the Falkirk depot was closed. The coming of motor transport had made it possible to supply direct from M‘Neil Street the district which had been supplied from the depot. An alteration in the rules which was made in March 1908 allowed the directors to serve, in future, for two years without coming up for re-election. This rule ensured that when a society had been appointed to send a representative to the board, that society should be represented on the board for at least two years.

ORGANISATION.

There has always been more or less controversy amongst bakers as to the respective merits of barm and yeast as an aerating agency for bread, and as the bread at Belfast was baked by the yeast process, while in M‘Neil Street barm was used, it was resolved, early in 1907, to have a test in order to find out which ingredient gave the best results. The nature of the test or how it was carried through is not given in the minutes, but it is stated that the Glasgow bread was favoured by the majority of the directors. On the other hand it was the case that such prizes as were gained at the Agricultural Hall Exhibitions were gained mostly by Belfast bakery; but this might be due to any of a variety of causes, and not affected at all by the variety of aerating agent used.

In March 1907 a resolution was approved by the quarterly meeting delegates, the purpose of which was the appointment of a sub-committee to inquire into and report regarding the duties and emoluments of the members of committee, and the advisability of adopting fixed rates of remuneration in place of payment per meeting. It was agreed that the special committee consist of seven members, two of whom should be members of the board. Sixteen delegates were nominated, and it was agreed that the names of these be printed on ballot papers, which should be sent out to the societies so that they could record their votes. At the June quarterly meeting the auditors reported on their counting of the votes on these ballot papers, when it was found that the elected nominees were Messrs Cadiz, Kinning Park; M‘Pherson, Cowlairs; Gamble, Glasgow Eastern; Smith, St George; and Pringle, St Rollox. At this meeting, also, the special committee was given additional work, for the delegates refused to adopt the report of the committee with regard to the representation of Irish societies on the directorate, and remitted the subject to the special committee for their consideration.

The special committee reported to the December quarterly meeting, the more important of the recommendations being that the board be divided into three sub-committees—two for M‘Neil Street and one for Clydebank, and that the supervision of Belfast be continued on the lines adopted by the board. They recommended, also, that the method of payment per meeting be adhered to, and that payment be continued at the rates in vogue. With respect to the representation of the Irish societies on the board, a deputation of the committee had visited Ireland and had interviewed representatives of societies and others there able to give information, and, as a result, they declared it to be impossible to give the Irish societies representation on the board because of the geographical position of the branch. They recommended, therefore, the appointment of an advisory committee, to be appointed by the Irish societies. These recommendations of the select committee were all approved and given effect to.

Meantime the Society was continuing its policy of doing as much as possible of its work by its own employees, and it now began to add to its work that of completing the building of motor vans, ordering the chassis from the manufacturers and putting on the bodies themselves. Incidentally, it was decided that from the month of July 1907 all the shops west of Govan Town Hall should be supplied in future from Clydebank factory. In September 1907 Mr Alexander Hamilton, who had been a member of the directorate for a number of years, resigned, and was awarded the thanks of the delegates for the services he had rendered to the Society. In furtherance of the methods of the directors, who believed in testing every appliance which was likely to be of use in improving the quality or cheapening the cost of the goods they manufactured, a “Cook” steam hot-plate was installed early in 1908, and was found to work very satisfactorily. At this period the minutes record that the properties and stocks of the Society were insured for £172,000, divided as follows:—M‘Neil Street, £83,500; stables and workshops, £14,350; tenements and halls, £31,400; Clydebank, £29,000; Belfast, £10,500.

In 1908 the board recommended that the Society should become a member of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, and this recommendation was unanimously agreed to by the delegates. During this year one of the most notable events was the visit of a deputation of Austrian co-operators, including Dr Karpeles, who were making a tour of British Co-operative institutions. During one of the days they were in Glasgow the foreign visitors were the guests of the U.C.B.S., and were enthusiastically welcomed. One cannot help wondering whether the welcome would be quite so enthusiastic and unstinted if they were to return to-day. In a speech which he made during his visit to the bakery, Dr Karpeles pointed out that in a Parliament of 517 representatives they in Austria had 88 Labour representatives, and contrasted this with the thirty or so in the British House of Commons. He also referred to Co-operators as all belonging to one family, and stated that the members of the deputation left Scotland, not only full of gratitude for the reception given them, but full also of new ideas for the spread of Co-operation. That was only ten years ago, but to-day Austria is a dismembered wreck, and International Co-operation has received a setback from which it may take a generation to recover.

ANOTHER UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS.

Only three years had elapsed since the last unemployment crisis ended, but at the September 1908 quarterly meeting the chairman felt under the necessity of stating that they were in the midst of the worst unemployment crisis of the last thirty years, and voiced the sympathy of those present with the sufferers, a sympathy which he had no doubt would take practical form ere the meeting ended. Later in the meeting it was agreed that £100 be subscribed to the Lord Provost’s Fund for the unemployed, and, in the course of the discussion of this proposal, it was stated that the Baking Society had already given free bread to the value of £300. It was decided that in order to avoid overlapping the distribution of free bread in Glasgow should cease, but the directors were empowered to deal with applications received from outside Glasgow. The unemployment epidemic continued right through 1909 and well into 1910, and had not quite disappeared in 1911. It was the most serious in its results which had ever been experienced by Britain since it became an industrial nation.

RAILWAYMEN’S CONGRESS ENTERTAINED.

In October of 1908 the annual Congress of the Amalgamated Society of Railway servants was held in Glasgow, and, on the Monday night of the week in which the Congress was held, the delegates were the guests of the U.C.B.S., the whole suite of the St Mungo Halls being placed at their disposal. The guests were welcomed by Mr Gerrard in name of the Society. He said the railwaymen all over the country were a tower of strength to the Co-operative movement, and in every town which was a railway centre there also they would find a strong, well-managed Co-operative society.

In 1909 the price of flour took an upward tendency, but at the time the movement began the U.C.B.S. were well prepared to meet it as they had a stock of 75,000 sacks in hand; sufficient to carry them on for four months. Later in that year the directors had a conference with the directors of the Wholesale Society, as they were dissatisfied with the quality of the flour they were getting from Regent mill. The result of the conference was that they agreed to try Chancelot flour for a time. New trading terms were also arranged with the S.C.W.S. for the sale of biscuits. This year’s sales of cakes and other Christmas and New Year goods were considered very satisfactory, 68¼ tons of large cakes being sold. During the period of cake distribution what was considered a record run was made by one of the Society’s motors; 140 miles being covered in fifteen hours, and goods delivered on the route.

THE BAND.

During the years since its formation, the U.C.B.S. silver band had been gradually increasing in efficiency. At first, when it entered competitions, it was only occasionally in the list of prize winners, and its engagements in the course of a year were not many in number, but as the members gained in knowledge of their instruments and experience as a musical combination, this position gradually bettered, until in 1906 they were winners of three first prizes and several others of lesser value. These successes were followed in the ensuing years by others, so that by the end of the season of 1908 the Iles cup had become their own property, having been won for three successive years, and the prizes were formally presented at a social meeting, which was held on 3rd December of that year. Mr William Miller, who was president of the band, and who had taken a keen interest in its development from the beginning, presided, and stated that the season had been the best on record, as they had had thirty-five engagements during the season. One of the chief aims of the band, he said, was to spread a greater love for brass band music. During the evening Mr Lawson, chairman of the Scottish Central Brass Band Association, presented the prizes which had been won during the season. These included the challenge cup, the Iles cup, and the second-class championship cup. Mr Miller was presented by the bandsmen during the evening with a clock and ornaments in recognition of the services he had rendered to the band during the eleven years it had been in existence. Mr Miller, in returning thanks, hoped that the U.C.B.S. band would be the nucleus of a Co-operative band which would represent the whole movement, and which would be able in time to take its place alongside even the “Besses of the Barns.” Unfortunately, Mr Miller’s hopes have not yet been realised, and now there are two bands in the movement instead of one.

PROPAGANDA WORK.

The Society was continuously devising new forms of propaganda, and extending and developing old forms. Much of this propaganda and advertising work was philanthropic in its nature, and took the form of entertaining various Co-operative and other organisations, but some of it was also utilitarian. For instance, it was usually arranged that the heads of the departments, or some of them, should attend the annual exhibitions of bakery productions in London, and frequently specimens of the Society’s productions were shown there. Then the annual cake show grew to be the most sought after function of the whole year in the Co-operative movement, and committeemen and Co-operative employees from all over the country came to inspect and select, while the departments of the three bakeries vied with each other in devising new dainties with which to please the eye and tempt the palate of Co-operators. Unfortunately, amongst other evils which the war brought in its train was the cessation of this annual Co-operative show.

In another direction, also, the propaganda work of the Society was utilitarian as well as philanthropic. A considerable sum was spent every year on educational work, and much of this money was devoted to the promotion of education and recreation amongst the employees. Then, too, when new instruments became necessary for the band, a grant of £200 was made from the Society’s funds, while uniforms were also provided. Every opportunity of exhibiting the Society’s productions was also seized with avidity, and at the 1906 Congress sufficient space was secured to enable an oatcake baking plant to be set up, thus advertising still further the Society’s products amongst the Co-operators of the South. In 1907 a conference was held with representatives of society members and their employees for the purpose of stimulating the pastry trade. Toward the end of the same year, a society in Amsterdam was granted the use of lantern slides of the bakery for propaganda purposes. Twenty vehicles were sent out to take part in the Co-operative demonstration held in connection with the Co-operative Festival in the beginning of 1908, while every year for a time an inspection of the Society’s horses took place in Glasgow Green on an evening in the summer, and prizes were given to the employees for the best groomed horses and best kept and cleaned harness. During a bakers’ strike at Lanark in the early autumn of 1908, the Bakers’ Union applied to the Baking Society for bread, which they purposed to sell in opposition to the local bakers. This request was complied with on the condition that the Union did not sell in competition with the local society.

Late in 1908, the bakery of Kilbirnie Society was burned down, and that society was supplied with bread until their own bakery was reconstructed again. At an exhibition and test of motor vehicles, which took place towards the end of 1908, an Albion car which was the property of the Society was awarded first prize and a Halley car, also their property, second prize. The prizes, £4 and £2, were given to the drivers. Pie-heaters had been supplied to one society in the Glasgow area by the Baking Society, and these having been found exceedingly useful in stimulating the sales of this variety of the Society’s productions, it was agreed by the directors that any other society which was desirous of using them should have similar facilities. Toward the end of 1909 it was agreed to hold a competition amongst the squads of bread bakers in M‘Neil Street and Clydebank, and to enter bread baked by the winners for the S.C.W.S. bread baking competition. Clydebank branch secured first prize at the bread baking competition of the S.C.W.S., and the championship shield was presented to the U.C.B.S. at a social meeting of the Bakery employees, which was held at Clydebank shortly afterwards. The M‘Neil Street squad foremen who had won prizes also had these presented to them at a social meeting which was held in Glasgow about the same time. Hopes were expressed at the meeting in Clydebank that, having gained the shield, Clydebank would remain possessors of it, but this was probably too much to expect. At all events, no society succeeded in winning it twice while the competition was in being.

In 1910 the miners of Leadhills, who had since become more closely associated with the U.C.B.S., were on strike against the very bad conditions of their employment, and £20 was granted by the Bakery to the strike funds. In March 1910 “Puffing Billy,” the first steam motor owned by the U.C.B.S., was disposed of for £70, after having given some eight years of faithful service.

THE SOCIETY AND ITS EMPLOYEES.

The good terms which existed between the Society and its employees continued during the period with which we are dealing. In great measure this was due to the kindly consideration with which they were treated by the directors and managers generally. In addition to the bonus—and the facilities given, not only to invest it in the Society’s funds through the investment society, and the opportunities which that society’s membership of the Federation gave for bringing grievances before the general body of the members—facilities, by the way, which during the long history of the Society have never had to be used—the directors were continuously thinking out plans for interesting the employees in their work, and as opportunity offered were bettering the conditions under which work was carried on. It is scarcely possible to conceive conditions under which the work of bread bakers will be other than laborious, but the strong efforts made by the directors to inaugurate a natural working day for the bakers—efforts which failed because the general body of the public were more concerned about suiting their own convenience than they were about making a baker’s working life more bearable—showed that the directors had the interests of their employees at heart and desired to make working conditions as tolerable as possible.

With many of the representatives of the societies this idea was also foremost, and doubtless it was because that they recognised that trade unionism was the surest safeguard of the welfare of the employees that, in 1907, they adopted a resolution which made it imperative that where there were trade unions with which it was possible for the employees to become associated they must be members of these unions. Another step which was taken by the directors spontaneously had for its object the wellbeing of the workers. This was the inauguration in September 1907 of a 44–hour week for the oatcake bakers. In later years the number of hours worked by the female employees in all departments was also gradually reduced.

The Society also bore a share of the expenses of the employees’ picnics and social meetings, usually contributing a sum sufficient to clear all or almost all the expenses of the juniors. In 1909 the top flat of the biscuit warehouse was fitted up as an employees’ dining room. In the middle of 1910 the board were called on to arbitrate in a case where three of the blacksmiths employed by the Society had failed to maintain themselves in membership of their trade union and had been dismissed by the manager as a result. After considering the case, the directors upheld the decision of the manager.

THE OLDEST SCOTTISH SOCIETY GOES UNDER.

Until the year 1908 the oldest Co-operative society in Scotland and probably in the world was located in Govan. Govan Old Victualling Society kept painted over its doors while in business the statement: “established 1777.” Doubtless, this statement was legendary and would be difficult to prove, but it is certainly worthy of acceptance in view of the fact that other Scottish societies are known to have existed at a very early date. However, the society had fallen on evil days, and in the beginning of 1907 sent a request to the directors of the U.C.B.S. that its shares should be placed on the transfer list. Towards the end of 1908 it was forced to go into liquidation, but an unsuccessful attempt was made to carry on the business, in order that the deficit of some £900 which the accounts showed might be cleared off. Thus the last remaining link with the Co-operators of the eighteenth century disappeared, after what was doubtless a very useful career of one hundred and thirty years.

THE CO-OPERATIVE INSURANCE SOCIETY.

For many years after the formation of the Co-operative Insurance Society the Baking Society had held aloof from it and refused to become a member, but in later years more Co-operative councils prevailed, and it had become affiliated. On the death of Mr Andrew Miller, secretary of the S.C.W.S., who had been for many years a Scottish representative on the C.I.S. board, Mr James H. Forsyth, cashier of the Baking Society, was nominated and secured election, retaining his office until the taking over of the C.I.S. by the two Wholesale societies.

DEPARTMENTAL MANAGERS

1. WILLIAM MILLER, Distributive Manager, Glasgow.

2. JOHN DAVIDSON, Master of Works, Glasgow.

3. JOHN M‘PHAIL, Delivery Manager, Glasgow.

4. JOHN TOWART, Purveying Manager, Glasgow.

5. WILLIAM NINIAN, Biscuit Production Manager, Glasgow.

6. MURDOCH RICHARD, Bread and Pastry Production Manager, Glasgow. ]

DEPARTMENTAL MANAGERS

1. JOHN REID, Productive Manager, Clydebank.

2. ALLAN STEWART, Distributive Manager, Clydebank.

3. MALCOLM M‘FARLANE, Delivery Manager, Clydebank.

4. DUNCAN M‘INNES, Branch Manager, Belfast.

5. WILLIAM BELL, Productive Manager, Belfast.

6. DUNCAN GRAHAM, Branch Cashier, Belfast. ]

THE SOCIETY’S PROGRESS.

Notwithstanding the difficulties which the depression of 1908–09–10 had placed in the way of increased trade for the Society the progress made was substantial, and the yearly turnover, which was £480,000 at the beginning of 1906, had risen by the end of 1910 to £564,000, while the membership had increased from 143 to 171. At the beginning of the period the weekly turnover in sacks averaged 3,405, while by the end of the period it was 3,795. This was a much smaller increase than in the preceding period, and it was also a decrease of 125 sacks from the trade which was being done in 1907–08, but in view of the labour conditions which prevailed in Glasgow during the later years of the period it was very good indeed, representing as it did an increase in turnover of 10,000 sacks a year.