Welsh Agricultural Organisation Society Archive,

Records of the Welsh Agricultural Organisation Society, 1902-1981, including records of Agricultural Organisation Society, 1902-1921; annual reports, 1922-1979; financial records, 1923-1971; and committee minutes, papers and correspondence, 1935-1978; affiliated societies register and financial statements, 1940-1976; records of affiliated societies: Calf Marketing Groups, 1963-1976; North Wales Certified Seed Potato Growers Ltd, 1933-1957; Pig Breeders Association (Wales) Ltd, 1971-1976; Quality Pig Federation of Wales, 1963-1976; Rabbit Clearance Societies, 1957-1964; South Wales Produce Ltd, 1953-1958; Store Lamb Marketing Group, Wales, 1973-1974; Suckled Calves Association, 1972-1975; Suckled Calves Marketing Societies, 1962-1975; Suckled Calves Society, 1964-1968; Welsh Black Cattle Society, 1934-1943; Welsh Cooperative Woodland Federation, 1945-1959; Welsh Farm Supplies Ltd, 1972-1981; Welsh Federal Farm Eggs Ltd, 1956-1981; Welsh Half-Bred Sheep Breeders Association, 1955-1970; Welsh Land Settlement Society Limited, 1937-1959; Welsh Livestock Limited, 1967-1974; Welsh Mountain Sheep Flock Society, 1930-1940; Welsh Seed Growers Federation, 1942-1969; and Welsh Woollen Manufacturers Association Limited, 1955-1962; correspondence and papers relating to agricultural bodies and government agencies, 1949-1975; government inquiries and WAOS submissions, 1942-1967; and papers relating to European cooperatives, farming and the EEC, 1964-1977.

The Welsh Agricultural Organisation Society was founded in 1922 as the central organisation for agricultural cooperation in Wales. Its functions are to promote cooperation amongst Welsh farmers, to represent constituent agricultural societies nationally and locally, and to provide professional guidance and expertise to the societies. The Society originated in the Agricultural Organisation Society, founded in London in 1902, which in 1909-1921 received funding from the Development Commission. In 1902, county councillors from Carmarthenshire, Cardiganshire and Pembrokeshire visited Ireland to study its agricultural cooperative movement, and on their return they promoted the establishment of cooperative societies in Wales. In 1906, the AOS appointed a local organiser for Wales; a North Wales section was created in 1910, a South Wales section in 1914, and a Welsh Provincial Council in 1919. The direct block grant which the AOS received from the Development Commission ceased in 1919-1920. In 1921, the Development Commission proposed restructuring of AOS, and this led to the transfer of all matters relating to Welsh agricultural cooperation to the new Welsh AOS from 1 April 1922. After a troubled start, WAOS secured government assistance in 1931. Since then, the Society has been funded by grants and the affiliation fees of constituent societies. The Society is still active. The Society has accumulated a large collection of records of member societies and companies, in addition to its own records.

Arranged into the following: antecedents and early history; structure; annual reports, bulletins; annual general meetings; central financial and administrative records; affiliated societies; other Welsh agricultural organizations; British cooperative and agricultural organisations including Government departments and Government sponsored bodies; enquiries, reports, memoranda; Europe and the E.E.C.; sister societies; miscellaneous; and non-agricultural material.

Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.

Donated in 1984.

The Welsh Agricultural Organisation Society was founded in 1922 as the central organisation for agricultural cooperation in Wales. Its functions are to promote cooperation amongst Welsh farmers, to represent constituent agricultural societies nationally and locally, and to provide professional guidance and expertise to the societies. The Society originated in the Agricultural Organisation Society, founded in London in 1902, which in 1909-1921 received funding from the Development Commission. In 1902, county councillors from Carmarthenshire, Cardiganshire and Pembrokeshire visited Ireland to study its agricultural cooperative movement, and on their return they promoted the establishment of cooperative societies in Wales. In 1906, the AOS appointed a local organiser for Wales; a North Wales section was created in 1910, a South Wales section in 1914, and a Welsh Provincial Council in 1919. The direct block grant which the AOS received from the Development Commission ceased in 1919-1920. In 1921, the Development Commission proposed restructuring of AOS, and this led to the transfer of all matters relating to Welsh agricultural cooperation to the new Welsh AOS from 1 April 1922. After a troubled start, WAOS secured government assistance in 1931. Since then, the Society has been funded by grants and the affiliation fees of constituent societies. The Society is still active. The Society has accumulated a large collection of records of member societies and companies, in addition to its own records.

Title supplied from contents of fonds

A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the National Library of Wales. The catalogue can be accessed online.

March 2003

Compiled by Annette Strauch for the ANW project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: NLW, Welsh Agricultural Organisation Society Archive catalogue.

Usual copyright regulations apply.

Action: The NLW retained only the records of central administration of the Society and of national or regional affiliated societies. Records relating to local agricultural cooperative societies have been placed with the appropriate county record office..

The majority of the Society's pre-1945 records were destroyed when moving into new premises in 1958.

Accruals are not expected.

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales