| AdminHistory | The Co-operative Women's Guild, an auxiliary organisation of the Co-operative Movement, was established by Alice Acland in 1883. The organisation, originally known as The Women's League for the Spread of Co-operation, changed its name to the Women’s Co-operative Guild in 1885. Its aim was to spread the knowledge of the benefits of co-operation and improve the conditions of women in the United Kingdom.
The guild was run at a national level but was organised into regions, districts and local branches. Annually, district and branch representatives from different parts of the country met at the Guild’s Congress. The organisation expanded rapidly from 51 branches and a membership of 1,700 in 1889 to a peak of 1,500 branches and a membership of 72,000 in 1933. The name of the organisation changed again to the Co-operative Women's Guild around 1960. The national organisation closed as of 2016. |
| Description | This collection comprises the records of the Women's Co-operative Guild Sheffield District Executive Committee, 1970 - 1980 (MD7746/1)
Accompanied by the records of the following Co-operative Women's Guild branches based within the Sheffield District:
Gleadless Road Co-operative Women's Guild, 1961 - 1961 (MD7746/2/1)
Grimesthorpe Co-operative Women's Guild, 1955 - 1982 (MD7746/2/2)
Herdings Co-operative Women's Guild, 1961 - 1964 (MD7746/2/3)
Longley Co-operative Women's Guild, 1929 - 1984 (MD7746/2/4)
Manor Co-operative Women's Guild, 1935 - 1993 (MD7746/2/5)
Sheffield Central Co-operative Women's Guild, 1967 - 2001 (MD7746/2/6)
Shiregreen Co-operative Women's Guild, 1976 - 1983 (MD7746/2/7)
Wisewood Co-operative Women's Guild, 1967 - 1980 (MD7746/2/8)
These records primarily cover the activism and fundraising activities of those involved in the Co-operative Women's Guild, as well as women's issues, and social and political conditions in Sheffield.
There is also a small cache of records contained within this collection that were created by the following other local organisations affiliated with Sheffield District branches of the Co-operative Women's Guild:
Records of Sheffield and Ecclesall Joint Guild Council, 1938 - 1970 (MD7746/3)
Records of the Sheffield and Ecclesall Co-operative Party, 1948 - 1971 (MD7746/4)
Finally, you will find printed material, concerning the Co-operative Women's Guild, the Brightside and Carbrook Co-operative Society, the Sheffield and Ecclesall Co-operative Society Limited and the Co-operative Union Limited, 1916 - 1994 (MD7746/5). |
| CustodialHistory | The collection was found together in a trunk in the Manor Guild Room on Ridgeway Road, Sheffield. |