Papers of the Derby Co-operative Provident Society - Undertaking Department

Papers of the Derby Co-operative Provident Society's Undertaking Department.

The society was formed in 1850 and had its central premises on Albert Street. By 1887 it had 5,058 members and traded in grocery, drapery, shoes and boots, furnishing, butchery, tailoring, millinery, coal, flour and baking. By 1900 it had 37 branches.

The society started to offer funeral services to members in 1926 with the commencement of their Funeral Furnishings Department.

By 1966 the society had 107,895 members and had premises in all over Derby as well as in Ashbourne and Uttoxeter. It traded in grocery, butchery, bread and confectionery, greengrocery, fruit and fish, beer, wines and spirits, drapery and fashion, men's wear, footwear, furnishing and hardware, electrics, chemists, optical, hairdressing, funerals, photography, seeds and pet food, sports outfitting, travel, motor and cycle accessories; it had building, painting and decorating show rooms; it repaired boots and shoes; and its member services included a restaurant, tailoring and weddings.

On 15 January 1970 the society merged and became Derby and Burton Co-operative Society.

Sources: The Co-operative Union directories. Publications: David Boydell, "Centenary Story: 100 years of co-operation in Derby" and George Jacob Holyoake and Amos Scotton, "Jubilee History of the Derby Co-operative Provident Society Ltd"

All open materials, can be viewed by previous arrangement, Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm. Contact the Archivist at:National Co-operative Archive, Co-operative College, Holyoake House, Hanover Street, Manchester, M60 0AS, archive@co-op.ac.uk www.archive.coop

Deposited by Mrs F Terry, February 1998.

Description compiled by Heather Roberts, Archive Assistant, September 2013.

The National Co-operative Archive holds the following published histories of the society: David Boydell, "Centenary Story: 100 years of co-operation in Derby"; George Jacob Holyoake and Amos Scotton, "Jubilee History of the Derby Co-operative Provident Society Ltd"; W. Leslie Unsworth, "Seventy-five years co-operation in Derby". The archive also contains the following document: Report on Law Case: Derby Co-operative Provident Society Ltd v John Wells.