North-West Durham Co-operative Dairies Ltd

This collection comprises 7 bound volumes of typewritten Board and Committee minutes in date order and 1 clear plastic folder containing draft minutes, handwritten notes and papers relating to the final Ordinary General Meeting in 1986. Each set of minutes has been signed by the Chairman and includes apologies for absence, minutes of the previous meeting, Manager's report, agenda items for discussion, date of next meeting. Meetings were held fortnightly and more frequently if a Special Board Meeting was called. These meetings seemed to be related to financial matters.

A Special Milk Sub-Committee was established on 20 December 1930 to set up a federal dairy or dairies for the supply and delivery of milk to the Durham area. Societies represented were Annfield Plain, Blaydon, Burnopfield, Consett, Craghead, Leadgate, Swalwell, West Stanley, West Pelton and Chester-le-Street. On 14 September 1931 a request was made to the Annfield Plain Society for the transfer of 3190 square yards of land. The purchase was agreed on 21 July 1932 and the North-West Durham Co-operative Dairies Ltd opened on 16 July 1932. The Board met at Annfield Plain.

In 1972 the company's name was changed to Durham Dairies (Annfield Plain) Ltd. On 26 June the change was registered and approved by the Registry of Friendly Societies, after a Special General Meeting held on 18 May at which 3 societies voted for and 1 against.

On 12 February 1981 an Ordinary General Meeting was held where concern was expressed at the future of the milk industry. It was recommended that a survey and report be prepared.

Due to a sudden and dramatic decline in milk and the cancellation of a large contract delivering milk to schools, a resolution was passed to cease processing in order to "minimise trading losses and to preserve assets".

In 1984 at a Special Board Meeting representatives from USDAW and the Co-operative Employers' Association were informed of the possibility of 40 redundancies.

Another Special Board Meeting was convened for 30 August 1984 and preparations were made to issue redundancy notices to staff. These were issued on 7 September. Two remaining members of staff ceased work on 7 December 1984.

In July 1985 the premises at Annfield Plain were sold to Associated Co-operative Creameries. The final Board Meeting took place in October 1986.

Arranged in chronological order.

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.

No other finding aids available.

Bound volumes of minutes.

Description compiled September 2009 by Helen Lindsay, volunteer at National Co-operative Archive.

Copies may be supplied for research purposes, subject to the completion of a declaration form. Please consult the Archivist regarding copyright issues.

None expected.