Glasgow and District Co-operative Association

This collection contains records created by the Glasgow and District Co-operative Conference Association. It includes minute books and booklets for meetings of the association and its various committees. The collection also contains records created by co-operative organisations that had close ties with the association.

The Glasgow and Suburbs Co-operative Conference Association was established in 1866, although the collection only contains records from 1881 onwards. The aims of the conference were to promote the extension and consolidation of the co-operative movement in the district, and to allow local co-operative societies to combine in order to be represented in public bodies such as local councils and school boards.

Led by an elected council, the association held conferences between delegates from co-operative societies and Women's Guilds in the Glasgow area. The association also had ties with Scottish branches of the Co-operative Party, and the groups sometimes held joint meetings. The council met each month, whilst conferences were held quarterly. The association also often held special conferences in which one topic was discussed in detail. The association also published annual reports and statistical statements on the societies on the area. In addition, the association held weekend schools for the members of local societies in 1928 and 1929.

In April 1920, the name of the association was changed to the Glasgow and District Co-operative Conference. The name of the association was changed again in 1946, when the constitution and rules were amended. These alterations changed the administrative structure of the association, as well as amending its name to the Glasgow and District Co-operative Association (incorporating Glasgow District Council). The objects of this new association were to co-ordinate the work of the local societies, and to receive and discuss suggestions from their members. The association appears to have still been working in 1973, but the collection contains records up to 1970 only.

The collection is open to any accredited reader, subject to the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018.

Some files in this collection are subject to Data Protection legislation as they contain sensitive information and material under 30 years old is closed to access. It is advised that you contact the Archivist before visiting.

Compiled by Rebekah Johnston, volunteer, in June 2012.