CHAPTER VIII.. M‘neil Street.

M‘NEIL STREET.

INCREASING TRADE—THE DIRECTORS’ DILEMMA—M‘NEIL STREET GROUND PURCHASED—THE NEW BAKERY: BUILDING DIFFICULTIES—THE OPENING CEREMONY—AN UP-TO-DATE BAKERY—PROPAGANDA WORK—RECOGNISING LOYAL SERVICE—A STABLE INSPECTOR—FINANCE—AN INVESTMENT—THE PURCHASE OF FLOUR—A SOCIAL MEETING AND ITS OBJECT—A RIGHT OF WAY CASE—THE NEW BAKERY COMPLETED—A NEW VENTURE—THE CHAIRMAN RETIRES—ALL-ROUND INCREASES.

At the end of the preceding chapter we saw that the trade of the Society had become so large that it was forcing the question of a new bakery on the attention of the directors. With the purpose in view of securing the necessary capital, the sub-committee advertised the St James Street premises for sale, but the only offer they received was one to lease the premises. As this was of no use for their purpose at the moment nothing further was done. Circumstances, and the policy of the committee, were responsible for the still more rapid increase of trade. In the beginning of 1885 the price of flour went up with a rush, but as the Federation was in the happy position of having bought a large quantity of flour just before the rise they were able to continue selling their bread at the old price while the other bakers had to raise it, with the result that the trade continued to increase very rapidly. One of the results of this rapid increase in trade was that the Society was once again placed in the position of being compelled to refuse orders because of its inability to execute them. For this reason Blantyre and Burnbank societies, which had made proposals to join the Federation, had to be refused for the time being.

The directors were literally at their wits end. They could not sell their premises. Unless they got new premises they could not hope to provide for the trade which came pouring in in ever-increasing volume, and they did not know what was the best thing to do. To begin with they got a firm of architects, Messrs Bruce & Hay, to prepare a sketch plan for a new bakery on the St James Street site which would contain twenty-four ovens, together with ample accommodation for storing flour, and stables, a breadroom, and a van yard. When the architects came to prepare their plans, however, they found that the space available was not large enough to give all the accommodation desired. The plans, when submitted, showed a bakery with twenty-three ovens, stable accommodation for nineteen horses, van shed, offices, breadroom, and store, and the cost was estimated at £6,200.

The committee decided that before they would proceed further they would consider carefully the progress which had been made by the Society in the ten years which had elapsed since 1875, and this study of the work which had been done showed that the ratio of increase in trade had grown larger in the two years immediately preceding 1885, while the trade which was being done at the moment warranted them in believing that this rate of progress would be maintained. This being so, the conclusion at which they arrived was that, even if they did build at St James Street, only a few years would elapse before the accommodation would be too small. They decided, therefore, to bring their difficulties before the quarterly meeting and leave the decision with them.

PURCHASE OF M‘NEIL STREET GROUND.

Three schemes were laid before the quarterly meeting, including the rebuilding of the St James Street premises, which, however, the directors deprecated. The proposals were discussed at length by the meeting, but no decision was arrived at, the question being remitted back to the committee for further consideration and inquiry. The questions which were remitted for consideration were: The cost of land in or near Glasgow, and the cost of erecting thereon a bakery large enough to meet the wants of all the members; or, alternatively, the cost of land in or near Paisley, and the cost of erecting a branch bakery there large enough to meet the demands for bread from the societies in the West.

There was evidently a desire to reopen the question of a branch in Paisley, which had been closed since the end of 1876, but the delegates to the special meeting which was held on 11th July to hear the report of the committee on the question of whether a new central bakery should be built or whether they should content themselves with a branch in or near Paisley, decided by an overwhelming majority in favour of a central bakery in Glasgow, and remitted to the committee the selection of a site.

The sub-committee went about their business of securing a site expeditiously, with the result that at the meeting which was held on 22nd August they were able to inform the committee of two sites, one in Fauld’s Park, Govan, the price of which was 12/6 per yard; and the other at M‘Neil Street, costing 15/6 per square yard. It was also intimated that the latter site had some buildings on it which might be of use to the Society. The members of the committee visited both sites, and after having inspected them came to the conclusion that the M‘Neil Street one was best suited to their purpose, and empowered the sub-committee to offer £4,000 for it, with power to go to £4,500 if necessary. At the meeting of committee which was held on 19th September it was intimated that the “Nursery Mills,” M‘Neil Street, had been bought for £4,500, that a deposit of £500 had been made, and that the keys had been given up to the Society. The property had been insured for £1,000. The engine and boiler in the building were inspected, and Messrs Bruce & Hay were instructed to prepare plans of a bakery containing twenty-four ovens, a travelling oven for biscuits, and three or four ovens for pastry, as well as van sheds, stabling, etc. On 13th October the committee empowered the officials to pay the full cost of the site and take possession of the title deeds. It was also decided to dispose of the boilers contained in the property, and at a later date, of the engines; the total sum received being £207, 10s.

When the plans for the new bakery were submitted to the committee decided disapproval was expressed, on the ground that the site was not being utilised to the best advantage, that the existing buildings were not being used, although they were worth from £1,200 to £1,300, and that provision was made in the plan for a courtyard out of all proportion to the requirements of the Society. It was decided to ask the architect to prepare other plans, and instructions were given that the buildings at present on the site were not to be interfered with, and that another architect was also to be asked to prepare plans, with the same instructions. At the same time it was agreed to sell the St James Street property for £4,500 if a sale could be effected, and if not that it be rented, the rent to be £300 per annum. For the next week or two the committee met weekly. On plans being submitted for the second time those of Messrs Bruce & Hay were adopted, with some alterations suggested by the committee, and a building committee was appointed to supervise the work of erecting the bakery. Some little difficulty was experienced, however, in getting the plans through the Dean of Guild Court. Objection was taken at the Court to the fact that the stable gangway was not fireproof, and the plans were sent back for alteration. Presumably all was in order at their next presentation, for nothing further appears in the minutes on the subject. An inspector of works was appointed for the job, contracts were fixed up, and the work commenced. The financing of the building scheme was also considered by the committee, and they agreed to appeal to the societies for the necessary money, at the same time recommending, as an inducement to the societies to subscribe, that the interest on the loan capital be increased from 4½ per cent. to 5 per cent. This recommendation was agreed to by the delegates to the quarterly meeting, and the committee were also empowered to reopen the private loan fund if they considered such a course advisable. One result of the decision of the quarterly meeting was that at the committee meeting held a fortnight later it was reported that already £2,080 had been received as loans from three societies—Thornliebank, Glasgow Eastern, and Kinning Park—while 150 additional shares had been allocated. At the same meeting the Secretary intimated an offer from Kilbarchan Court, A.O.F., offering £400 on loan. This kind offer the committee had to decline, however, on the ground that the loan fund was as yet only open to Co-operative societies.

BUILDING DIFFICULTIES.

The building work was proceeding satisfactorily, but the same could not be said of the joiner work. The Dean of Guild Court had been pushing the Society to get the work of barricading the building and laying down a pavement done The joiner had erected the barricade and made the footpath in M‘Neil Street, but refused to do this in Govan Street, stating that he would “go to Court first.” The Society had written to him, informing him that if he did not do the work, for which he had contracted, the Society would have it done and deduct the cost from his account. There was also delay in pushing on the joiner work in connection with the building itself, which was delaying the remainder of the work of building.

The duties of the committee at this time were arduous and engrossing. They had set out with the intention of erecting a bakery which would be second to none in the city, and with this object in view they were not too bigoted to change their minds when any suggestion was brought to their notice which was likely to be an improvement on the course they had decided on. One such alteration was in connection with the new engine for driving their machinery. The fact that the engine which they had decided on was too powerful for the work for which it was needed had been brought to their notice, and they at once made inquiries and consulted with the maker. After he had given the matter his attention this also was his opinion, and he therefore offered them a less powerful engine at a reduction in price of £65, and they decided to have it put down. Then “with the object of securing the latest improvements in bakery machinery, a deputation, consisting of the managers, foreman baker, and two members of the committee, were appointed to visit the exhibition of bakery machinery at Edinburgh, see the machines at work, and report.” As one of the results of this visit machinery to the value of £500 was purchased.

The committee continued to complain of the slow progress which was being made with the new building, and the architects were appealed to to endeavour to get the contractors to speed up by putting more men on the job, but with little success. The lessees of the St James Street premises had been promised entry by Whitsunday 1887, but as time passed the committee began to get anxious about their ability to fulfil this part of their contract. The engines and machinery, also, were ready to put in, but this could not be done because the other contractors were behind with their sections. So bad did the position become that ultimately the committee were forced to put the matter into the hands of their agent. However, this difficulty also was overcome without further friction. The lessees of St James Street bakery now began to press for entry, and the committee were compelled to ask for their forbearance, as they were afraid that the new bakery would not be ready for occupancy at the time stated.

It was agreed that a social meeting be held on the occasion of the opening of the new premises, and that the premises be open to the general public for inspection during the whole of the opening day. A band was engaged to play selections in the courtyard for three hours in the afternoon, and the building was decorated with flags. Finally, such progress was made with the equipment of the premises that the committee were in a position to fix 21st May as the opening day, and preparations for the great event went forward rapidly.

THE OPENING CEREMONY.

The opening ceremony is said to have been one of the most imposing Co-operative functions ever held in Scotland. The buildings were gay with flags and bannerettes, while a military band discoursed sweet music in the courtyard. The premises were thrown open to the public, and it is estimated that more than 30,000 people passed through the building between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. More than 500 delegates were present at the luncheon, when Mr Alexander Fraser, president of the Society, presided. Stirring speeches were delivered, and the premises were declared open amid a scene of great enthusiasm.

In the evening a monster social meeting took place in the Wellington Palace, at which there were present upwards of 1,000 people. Speeches were delivered by Mr William Maxwell, chairman of the S.C.W.S., and Mr Henry Murphy, Lanark. It was generally admitted that the demonstration had proved the greatest advertisement which Co-operation in Scotland had ever received, and that the virtues of the movement had been brought to the notice of thousands of people who had never before given it a thought. The result was that a great impetus was given to the movement in Glasgow, and the great development of Co-operation in the city which has made Glasgow a stronghold of the movement began about that time. No doubt further stimulus has been given from time to time—the Congress of 1890, the opening of the S.C.W.S. central premises in Morrison Street, the Seaside Homes bazaar, the various Co-operative festivals all had an influence—but to the Baking Society much of the original impulse is due, just as to it also—through the refusal of the directors to increase the price of bread unnecessarily in the early months of the war—the latest impulse must be credited.

AN UP-TO-DATE BAKERY.

The bakery was planned on what were then the most modern lines. It contained twenty-eight ovens. Twenty-four of these were Scotch bread ovens, while three were specially built for the production of pastry, scones, etc., and one was a revolving oven for the production of pan loaves. In the original plan there was a proposal for a travelling biscuit oven, and space for this had been left in the bakery. The flour loft was on the top floor of the building, and everything was arranged for convenience and rapidity of output. The facilities provided for an output of some 700 sacks per week, and when the new premises were planned it was thought that there would be ample accommodation to meet the requirements of the Society for a number of years, but so great had been the development of the Society’s business while the bakery was in course of erection, and so rapid was the increase when the new premises were opened, that soon the question of extensions was again to the front.

PROPAGANDA WORK.

In tracing in a connected form the work of the committee in deciding on and carrying through the work of erecting the new bakery, however, we have been compelled to leave other important work unnoted. Just at the time when the discussion of the proposals for a new bakery was taking place intimation was received from Kilbarchan Society of that society’s intention to begin baking on their own account. The letter from the society was read to the meeting which was called to consider the erection of a new bakery, but had no effect on the decision, and shortly afterwards the Kilbarchan people changed their minds about baking for themselves and decided to remain members of the Federation. It was otherwise with some of the societies further west. Greenock East-End Society withdrew in September, Greenock Central and Paisley Equitable soon afterwards, while Partick Society was in a bad way, and a deputation from the board was sent to the committee of that society in order to try and make some arrangement about regular payments. This they were able to do, as the Partick committee agreed to pay for the bread they received at the end of every week, at the same time making payments toward the reduction of the balance which they owed the Federation.

But if societies were withdrawing as they became strong enough to start bakeries of their own, other societies were coming in to take their places, while the societies in Glasgow were growing stronger and stronger. Gilbertfield and Cambuslang societies joined up early in 1885; Cessnock Society, an offshoot from Kinning Park, became a member a month or two later. South-Eastern Society and Parkhead, two societies which had been members in the early days but had withdrawn, were again admitted to membership; Renfrew Society again became purchasers; Newton Mearns and Maryhill societies became members; Westmuir Economical Society became a purchaser and, later, a member. Newton Society also joined the Federation, and Blairdardie returned to the fold after an absence of several years. Then came Hallside, and by the end of April 1888, Shettleston, making the thirty-sixth member of the Federation. All this increase in the membership was not spontaneous, however; it was the reward of much propaganda work, the writing of many letters and the paying of many visits by the members of the committee. They were building, and, later, they had built a huge bakery. It was their intention that it should be working to its full capacity at the earliest possible moment, and so they went about their propaganda in a systematic manner, dividing up the area into districts, which were placed in charge of certain members of the committee, to be worked up at every opportunity.

RECOGNISING LOYAL SERVICE.

During the whole of the time which it took to build the new bakery the Society was working at a disadvantage. Notwithstanding the leasing, first of Scotland Street bakery and then of that in Hill Street, it was impossible to keep pace with the demand for bread. The result was that the committee decided to sound the foreman baker on the question of whether the men would be willing to begin work an hour earlier in the mornings. The men when approached agreed readily, and thus the difficulty was met to some extent. In recognition of this willingness on the part of the men to meet them, the board decided spontaneously to advance the men’s wages by 1/ per week. One cannot help but contrast this willingness of the men to help the Society in a difficulty with incidents which have occurred at later dates, when the bakers could not be induced on any terms to work extra hours in order that difficulties might be overcome. The first attitude rather than the second one is that which makes for the avoidance of friction and the creation of a fraternal spirit between the directors of a Co-operative concern and their fellow-members who carry on the work of the Society. It is, unfortunately, a fact which is to be deprecated that employees are disposed to treat Co-operative societies worse instead of better than they treat other employers, and the process of reasoning which leads to such results is somewhat difficult to follow.

A STABLE INSPECTOR.

Away back in the second year of the Federation’s existence Mr Ballantyne had been appointed stable inspector to the Society. The appointment had been made by the committee, but evidently the committee of the period with which we are dealing were unable to find any record of the fact, and seem to have taken exception to his work, which, according to one minute, “was independent of the board, and how or when he had been appointed could not be discovered.” The difficulty was not a great one, however. It was remitted to the sub-committee for investigation and, doubtless, a consultation with Mr Ballantyne, the gentleman in question, would put them on the track of the necessary information. Mr Ballantyne, during practically the whole period of the Society’s existence, had exercised supervision over the horses which were the property of the Society. He made a regular examination, and recommended the committee to dispose of horses which he considered unfitted for the work of the Society. The committee were evidently satisfied with the report which was made to them, for at the next meeting they endorsed and confirmed Mr Ballantyne’s appointment and agreed to pay 20/ a quarter for a monthly report from him on the condition of horses, vans, and all matters connected with the stable department—the appointment to be an annual one.

FINANCE.

The question of the proper depreciation of the property, fixed and live stock of the Society, to which attention had been called by the auditors on many occasions, had not yet been placed on a satisfactory basis. The committee brought in several amendments of rules for the purpose of putting the matter right, but these were not accepted by the delegates; nor was a counter proposal, that a sum of £200 be taken from the reserve fund and applied to reducing the value of the horses and plant. This latter proposal received a majority of the votes at the quarterly meeting, but as a majority of three-fourths of those voting was necessary before any money could be withdrawn from the reserve fund, and the majority was not large enough, both proposals dropped, and the old, unsatisfactory position continued. At a later date the question was again brought up by Mr Macintosh, who, in response to a request by the committee, outlined a scheme for putting this important branch of the Society’s financial arrangements on a sound footing. The practice had been to allocate a certain percentage of the profits each quarter to depreciation account; Mr Macintosh urged that for this method they should substitute that of allocating a fixed percentage of the initial cost, and that this should be regarded as a charge on the trade of the Society and should be allocated before the profits were ascertained and irrespective of whether there were any profits. The committee were in favour of the proposed alteration, but considered the time inopportune to have it made as so large a proportion of the property was unproductive at that time. They therefore decided to delay the matter for twelve months. It was not until the end of 1888 that depreciation was put on a satisfactory basis.

AN INVESTMENT.

It was during this period that the Scottish Co-operative Farming Association came into being. The Bakery board were supporters of the proposal from the first. In discussing the subject the committee took into consideration the fact that they were spending nearly £200 a quarter for feeding-stuffs and buttermilk for baking purposes, and they thought that if such an association was in existence a large proportion of these articles could be got from the farm. They agreed, therefore, to recommend to the delegates at the quarterly meeting that a special general meeting be held to consider the advisability of becoming members of the Farming Association. When this meeting was held it was agreed that £50 be invested in the funds of the association. Unfortunately, however, the speculation did not turn out a success, as, after struggling on for several years, the association had to succumb to adverse circumstances.

For some considerable time there was a certain amount of looseness in conducting the stable, and the result was that finally the committee felt compelled to make a change there by dispensing with the services of the foreman. There was trouble at Hill Street also for a time, but eventually this was overcome. For some considerable time, however, both before and after the opening of the new bakery, the complaints about the quality of the bread, which for some years had been almost negligible, revived, and sometimes the committee at the monthly meetings had letters from as many as a dozen societies. The causes of complaint were various, but seemed persistent for a time.

Once before the S.C.W.S. had thought that they had reason to complain of the share of the U.C.B.S. trade in flour which was being put past them, and after two or three years had passed the same subject came up again through a deputation from the Wholesale Society waiting on the Baking Society’s Board. The whole subject was gone into minutely, and the Wholesale deputation were told plainly that while the U.C.B.S. directors had every desire to trade with the Wholesale Society they could not do so while such a discrepancy existed between the prices which the Wholesale Society charged for flours and those at which similar flours could be purchased elsewhere. The result of this first meeting was that a second meeting was arranged between representatives of the two societies, when the whole subject was investigated. Both committees, it is stated, “received from each other much valuable information which would be advantageous to both societies.”

Reference has already been made to the propagandist work carried on by the directors at this time. Amongst other work of a propagandist nature, they held, in the autumn of 1887, a social meeting, to which the employees of the various societies dealing with them were invited. The object of the social gathering was twofold. In the first place, they wished to give the employees a good time; but they had also an ulterior object in view, and so they took advantage of the opportunity given by the social meeting to bring to the notice of the employees the good which accrued to Co-operators generally by making the Co-operative movement self-contained and self-supplying, as far as that was possible. It is not possible to say whether this first attempt to secure the co-operation of the employees in pushing the wares of the Society met with much visible success, but it was one of those efforts from which something might be gained but by which nothing could be lost. Since that day the Co-operative employee has been a frequent visitor at social gatherings convened by the U.C.B.S.

In the course of the propaganda campaign carried out by the directors, some peculiar proposals were made to them. By the committee of one society the deputation were informed that the private bakers from whom bread was being bought not only supplied the shops, but delivered bread at the members’ houses as well. In addition, they carried goods from the shops to the members and, in general, acted as delivery vans for the society. Nor was this all. In addition to delivering the bread to the members’ houses, they went the length of absolving the society from responsibility for loss through non-payment by the members of their bread accounts. The Baking Society could not hope to compete against such practices, and the directors said so. In other instances the societies were prepared to assume responsibility for payment of the bread supplied to members if only the Baking Society’s van would deliver it, and the committee were willing to entertain this proposal, but the quarterly meeting of the Baking Society decided that bread should be supplied to shops only of customer societies.

A RIGHT OF WAY CASE.

A paragraph of a rather peculiar character appears in the last minute for 1885. At that time the committee were in the thick of their preparations for the new bakery, and must have been extremely busy. Nevertheless, some time during the month, a letter was received which must have worried the secretary and the sub-committee not a little. It was signed “Thomas Mann,” and was as follows:—

“Gentlemen,—As aiders and abettors in the Kilbarchan Right of Way case I have to inform you that the expenses, amounting to £850. are still unpaid, and that unless an arrangement is made with my law agent within eight days an action will be raised against you in the Court of Session for the full amount.”

The manager had replied wishing to know on what authority Mr Mann had taken it upon himself to state that the Society were aiders and abettors in the action referred to; and in reply was referred to a paragraph in the Paisley newspaper of 15th July 1883, in which the Co-operative Baking Society, Kinning Park, was published as one of the abettors. Mr Mann had no doubt that the statement was correct, and warned the Society that it was necessary to attend to his former letter at once to save future trouble. The Bakery board replied to threat by threat. If any further communication was received from Mr Mann, the matter was to be put into the hands of the Society’s law agent, who was to raise an action against him for trying to extort money on false pretences, as the Society had never paid any money to assist in the “Right of Way” case. Nothing more seems to have been heard of the subject, for nothing further appears in the minutes regarding it.

In August 1887 the building committee, having completed their labours, were thanked for their services, and dissolved. The buildings, plant, and stocks in the new bakery were insured for £16,000, while the buildings and plant in St James Street were insured for £2,000. About this time the directors were called on to consider some grievances under which the employees, and particularly the vanmen, alleged that they suffered. The first of those had reference to attendance at the stables on Sundays. The committee made investigations, and came to the conclusion that no grievance was suffered. Attendance on Sundays to look after the comfort of the horses was not work, they decided, but an act of mercy, which was not paid for anywhere. The other grievance—that the vanmen by the nature of their work did not get regular holidays “and had no opportunity of going to the coast with their families”—the directors thought well founded, and they decided to allow three consecutive days to each man in future, in addition to the holidays they at present received; stipulating, however, that no two men were to be on holiday at the same time.

A NEW VENTURE.

In September, after the new bakery was opened, the Society began the baking of morning rolls, a branch of trade which immediately became popular with the members of the societies. For this trade two light vans and two fast horses were purchased, and the result was that not only was a large trade in breakfast rolls done, but the bread trade increased rapidly also. The baking of rolls had, as a matter of fact, cut the last link which chained some of the societies to the private baker. The bakers did not surrender the trade of the societies without a struggle, however. Finding that they were ousted from the roll trade, they turned their attention to buns as a means of recapturing the lost trade, and for a time they were successful with a number of the societies. But the Bakery directors were alive to the danger, and ere long they also were baking buns at M‘Neil Street.

THE CHAIRMAN RETIRES.

Having seen the new premises in full operation, Mr Fraser came to the conclusion that the time had come when he should resign his position as president of the Society. During his seven years of office he had seen the trade doubled; he had seen the handsome new bakery erected and opened; and he had seen the Society established in an unassailable position. While a member of the committee, during the presidency of Mr Brown, and while he had been president, he had been a hard worker for the success of the Society, and well deserved the words of eulogy in which Mr Slater conveyed the thanks of the committee to him at the last meeting of the board before his retiral. He was succeeded by Mr John Ferguson, Glasgow Eastern Society.

Inside a month or two, he was followed into retirement by Mr Thomas Slater, secretary. Mr Slater had been elected secretary in 1875 when Mr Smith became manager, and had discharged the duties of his office faithfully and well. At the time of his retiral, and indeed for many years before then, he had the longest record of service on the board of the Society. Mr Peter Glasse, St George, succeeded him.

INCREASES ALL ROUND.

At the end of 1887 the Society was doing a trade of over 410 sacks per week, and in the first month of the new year 600 new shares were granted to societies. By the end of the 77th quarter the trade had risen to 446 sacks per week, and a dividend of 1/3 was paid. The increases which were taking place in the numbers of shares held by the societies pointed to increases in membership, and therefore to opportunities for increased trade by the Federation. The directors were fully alive to this phase of the subject, and although they were still a considerable distance from producing the full capacity of the bakery, it was becoming evident that if the present rate of increase continued that limit would soon be reached. At the same time they could be pardoned if they felt that the delegates were not as appreciative of the work which was being done as they might have been. This lack of appreciation was shown in a remarkable and unprecedented manner at the 76th quarterly meeting of the Society when, by a majority of two votes, it was decided to reduce the payments made to them for their services from 3/ to 2/ per meeting. Lack of appreciation could hardly have gone further short of asking them to resign in a body. It was a very shabby return for the years of strenuous work which had made the Baking Society that outstanding instance of Co-operative enterprise which it had become. The directors went on with their work calmly, however, content to merit, even if they did not receive, the appreciation to which their efforts for the success of the Federation entitled them.