Cowdenbeath Co-operatives
COWDENBEATH CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY 1875-1968
Dunfermline opened a branch in Cowdenbeath in 1869. A society was formed by local people who negotiated to take over this store in 1875[1]. At the first quarterly meeting in January 1876 the society declared a dividend of 2s per £1 for members and 1s per £1 for non-members.
In September 1896 meeting attended by representatives of the SCWS it was reported that the Secretary had absconded and that there was a £6255 deficit[2]. Mr Maxwell, charman of the SCWS, took over the meeting due to objections regarding the society president. The auditor reported that the deficit was a combination of money being appropriated and overpayment of dividends. The money had been appropriated by the use of false pass-books. Mr Maxwell stated that the shares that should be worth 20s were only worth 6s and that the society was facing bankruptcy. He proposed that the deficit be assigned to a redemption fund account and that 50% of the dividends be used to reduce it.He predicted that after 2 or 3 years to deficit would be removed and the society could go back to paying full dividends. The alternative would leave the members with nothing. The proposal was approved and the entire society comittee resigned. In April 1897 it was reported that other societies in Scotalnd and England had donated £1100[3] with 25%o of the dividends being used for the deficit. It was estimated that the share were now worth £10 and that the society should continue for another 2 to 3 quarters with a view to incresing the share value to 12s and disolving the society to start a new one. It was also reported that sales were falling. In July 1897 the society resolved to wind up and form a new society. This was confirmed in a meeting in August 1897[4]. The SCWS did not write off any money against the society and the society continued to use 1875 as it's forming date, indicating that it was not wound up and a new society started. The society's reputation had recovered in 1898.
The society joined with Burntisland in 1968 to form Cowdenbeath & Burntisland, which merged with Lochgelly in 1971 to form West Fife. West Fife merged with Markinch and Kelty in 1980 to form Central Fife. Central Fife joined with Forth Valley joined and Fife Regional at the beginning of 1987 to form Fife and Forth. However Fife Regional was heavily in debt, so the society had to be rescued by a CWS takeover in June 1988.
| COWDENBEATH CO-OPE SOCY LIMITED | ||
|---|---|---|
| File:CbeathCoop.H.jpg | ||
| Source | (DRR) | |
| Filename | CbeathCoop.H | |
| Value | ½d | |
| Add Desc. | BEEF | |
| Size (mm) | 22 | |
| Manufacture | Brass | |
| Notes | ||
| File:CbeathCoop.1.jpg | ||
| Source | (DRR) | |
| Filename | CbeathCoop.1 | |
| Value | 1d | |
| Add Desc. | BEEF | |
| Size (mm) | 22 | |
| Manufacture | Brass | |
| Notes | ||
| File:CbeathCoop.3.jpg | ||
| Source | (DRR) | |
| Filename | CbeathCoop.3 | |
| Value | 3d | |
| Add Desc. | BEEF | |
| Size (mm) | 22 | |
| Manufacture | Brass | |
| Notes | ||
| File:CbeathCoop.1S.jpg | ||
| Source | (DRR) | |
| Filename | CbeathCoop.1S | |
| Value | 1/- | |
| Add Desc. | BEEF | |
| Size (mm) | 22 | |
| Manufacture | Brass | |
| Notes | ||
| File:CbeathCoop.5S.jpg | ||
| Source | (DRR) | |
| Filename | CbeathCoop.5S | |
| Value | 5/- | |
| Add Desc. | BEEF | |
| Size (mm) | 25 | |
| Manufacture | Brass | |
| Notes | ||
| File:CbeathCoop.10S.jpg | ||
| Source | ||
| Filename | CbeathCoop.10S | |
| Value | 10/- | |
| Add Desc. | BEEF | |
| Size (mm) | 25 | |
| Manufacture | Brass | |
| Notes | ||
| COWDENBEATH CO-OPE SOCIETY LTD | ||
|---|---|---|
| File:CbeathCoop.Ha.jpg | ||
| Source | (TCS 11) | |
| Filename | CbeathCoop.Ha | |
| Value | ½d | |
| Add Desc. | ||
| Size (mm) | 24 | |
| Manufacture | Red Plastic | |
| Notes | ||
| File:CbeathCoop.Hb.jpg | ||
| Source | (TCS 11) | |
| Filename | CbeathCoop.Hb | |
| Value | ½d | |
| Add Desc. | ||
| Size (mm) | 24 | |
| Manufacture | Grey Plastic | |
| Notes | ||
| File:CbeathCoop.Hc.jpg | ||
| Source | (TCS 11) | |
| Filename | CbeathCoop.Hc | |
| Value | ½d | |
| Add Desc. | ||
| Size (mm) | 24 | |
| Manufacture | Black Plastic | |
| Notes | ||
| File:CbeathCoop.1a.jpg | ||
| Source | (TCS 11) | |
| Filename | CbeathCoop.1a | |
| Value | 1d | |
| Add Desc. | ||
| Size (mm) | 25 | |
| Manufacture | Light Blue Plastic | |
| Notes | ||
| File:CbeathCoop.1b.jpg | ||
| Source | (ebay) | |
| Filename | CbeathCoop.1b | |
| Value | 1d | |
| Add Desc. | ||
| Size (mm) | 25 | |
| Manufacture | Dark Blue Plastic | |
| Notes | ||
| File:CbeathCoop.2a.jpg | ||
| Source | (DRR) | |
| Filename | CbeathCoop.2a | |
| Value | 2d | |
| Add Desc. | Solid dot below D | |
| Size (mm) | 24 | |
| Manufacture | Black Plastic | |
| Notes | ||
| File:CbeathCoop.2b.jpg | ||
| Source | (Beatson Collection) | |
| Filename | CbeathCoop.2b | |
| Value | 2d | |
| Add Desc. | Hollow dot below D | |
| Size (mm) | 24 | |
| Manufacture | Black Plastic | |
| Notes | ||
| File:CbeathCoop.3a.jpg | ||
| Source | (DRR) | |
| Filename | CbeathCoop.3a | |
| Value | 3d | |
| Add Desc. | ||
| Size (mm) | 24 | |
| Manufacture | Yellow Plastic | |
| Notes | ||
| File:CbeathCoop.6a.jpg | ||
| Source | ||
| Filename | CbeathCoop.6a | |
| Value | 3d | |
| Add Desc. | ||
| Size (mm) | 24 | |
| Manufacture | Green Plastic | |
| Notes | ||
| File:CbeathCoop.1Sa.jpg | ||
| Source | (TCS 11) | |
| Filename | CbeathCoop.1Sa | |
| Value | 1/- | |
| Add Desc. | ||
| Size (mm) | 26 | |
| Manufacture | White Plastic | |
| Notes | ||
