Banner of the Barnsley British Co-operative Society Ltd Members’ Guild
BBCS started at 16 Market Street, Barnsley, on March 13th 1862 and the first branch store was opened at Dodworth on February 1st 1863. The society grew to over 20,000 members in a largely mining community. In the 1970’s the independent society became part of CRS (Co-operative Retail Services – now part of the Co-operative Group) after falling profits and consolidation.
The banner was hand constructed in 1926 on cotton velvet with cotton sateen lining. The cords are made from artificial fibres with silk tassels. The fringe is silk with uniform block machine stitched lettering sewn onto the background. It measures 120cm high and 75cm wide.
‘Unity is Strength’ is a common motto of the global co-operative movement. The logo of a pansy in blue has the initials of the guild and represents love or admiration for like-minded people, as well as the French verb pense – meaning to think or rationalise.
The Co-operative Heritage Trust 117927
The Trust was formed in 2007 by Co-operatives UK, the Co-operative College and the Co-operative Group to bring together heritage assets of the British Co-operative Movement to educate and inspire audiences about how and why co-operatives developed from the 19th Century.
The Trust cares for Rochdale Pioneers Museum and the Co-operative Archive based in Manchester. In 2012 the National Lottery Heritage funded Rochdale Project took place including a major renovation of the museum building.
The banner and textile collection
As part of the Rochdale Project, conservation of banners in the collection was undertaken at the textile studios of the People’s History Museum, Manchester.
Trades Union style banners were carried by co-operators to reflect the pride of the membership in their societies and to rally support for positive change. As such they are decorated with symbols representing friendship, solidarity and peace.
https://www.co-operativeheritage.coop/
Photography by John Harris / Report Digital. Digital retouching by Adrian Hayes.
Photography, design and print by unionised labour. www.reportdigital.co.uk, www.kavitagraphics.co.uk and www.rapspiderweb.co.uk