please empty your brain below

I can still remember my Coop divi number.
Also near the town hall, Rochdale had a very significant war memorial by Lutyens, one of the seven by him that are grade I listed (out of twenty such in the country).
@John I too remember the Coop divi number, in my case it is my mother's number which I used as a password on the Internet.
If I remember correctly 'It's All Yours' is the first co-op film to show that there is a problem with member attendance at meetings. But it has a lovely beginning where the shop gets ready for the days trade, the manager opens the door and the first customer walks in. 'The owner of the shop has arrived!' If I'm off the mark here I'm sure you or somebody else will correct me.
John references a much-quoted Guardian feature from a while back on what made you working class, which came up with the suggestion that remembering your Mum's Co-op number was a sure sign. Obviously others shared my sense that being working class was cultural and unrelated to ones current job or income ...... I can remember mine too!
Don't know my Co-Op number, there's 18 of them nowadays. What was it in the 'old' days?!

Got fond memories of Rochdale. Spent a day and half there once and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Found the folk very friendly. The meat and tattie pies and ale went down a treat.
My mum's number was 99992 pronounced "double nine double nine two". When I asked if she remembered it she said "no".
Is that the town hall that Hitler admired so much and possibly wanted to use after a successful invasion?

dg writes: Wikipedia suggests yes, although he'd have had it shipped brick by brick to Germany.
Ah, affection for Rochdale/Co-op, how sweet. I presume the nice ladies at the museum 'rescued' you DG.
Yes, I too can remember a divi number..we all used Grannies number...I also remember the tubs of broken biscuits that you could buy by weight..remembering that makes me smile even though I rarely eat biscuits these days.
Ah yes, that makes more sense.
Similar stories can be found on the Internet about Norwich and Walthamstow Town Halls, and Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, respectively intended as the backdrop to a victory parade, a London HQ post-invasion, and a country retreat. No doubt there are others.

Whilst the Rochdale Pioneers have an important place in the history of the co-operative movement, they were by no means the first consumer co-operative (they were not even the first in Rochdale....). [pdf]

But it is from them that the modern movement's principles can trace its roots. The Rochdale Co-Op remained independent until it merged with the larger United Co-Operatives, which in turn became part of the Co-Operative Group - the largest, but by no means the only, Co-operative society in the country.
Good old Gracie. So fond of her hometown she lived in Hampstead and Capri. Still, statues, tourists - yep.

Best not to mention the former enormous Liberal MP...
Just to note that the Co-op's 99 Tea is allegedly named after the major Co-op building rather closer to home at 99 Leman Street.










TridentScan | Privacy Policy