Keith Co-operatives
STRATHISLA CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY 1867-1970
The Earl of Findlater extended Keith east in 1750. In 1817 the Earl of Fife built as a seperate town across the river Isla from Keith. The town was originally intended to be called Waterloo but became known as Fife Keith. This resulted in three towns - Old Keith, New Keith and Fife Keith. The three parts of Keith were formally united in 1889.
The society was formed in 1867 under the name Strathila Co-operative Company, opening it's first store in Fife Keith in April. They were selling to non-members by 1868 but were only paying a dividend on purchases to members. By 1879 a branch store had been opened in Keith. The society changed it's name to Strathisla Co-operative Society around 1885 and continued to only pay a dividend to members. In 1899 the society had groceries, baking and shoemaking, with the plan to open a butcher's store. By 1900 the members had pass book for recording sales. Some time before 1911 the society started to pay dividends to non-members. The society opened a branch in Dufftown in 1950 and by 1960 had a branch in Huntly and later opened a branch in Newmill.
In 1940 there were discussions with the SCWS about a takeover. These discussion proceeded off and on until 1970 when the society was taken over by the SCWS.
| STRATHISLA CO-OPERATIVE COMPANY LIMITED FIFE KEITH | File:SIslaCoop.£1.jpg | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Source | |||
| Filename | SIslaCoop.£1 | ||
| Value | ONE POUND | ||
| Add Desc. | |||
| Size (mm) | 23 | ||
| Manufacture | Copper Bracteate | ||
| Notes | |||
