Co-operative Women's Guild, Yorkshire Region Papers

The collection consists of records relating to the Yorkshire Region Co-operative Women's Guild. These include records relating to the Doncaster District; the Dewsbury and Huddersfield District; the Grimsby District; the Halifax District and the Scunthorpe District and their local branch Guilds. These records include minute books, account books, attendance registers and photographs. The collection also contains some general Co-operative Women's Guild records, such as information on the Annual Congress and Annual Reports.

The Co-operative Women's Guild is a national organisation. The Women's League for the Spread of Co-operation was established in 1883, changing its name to the Women's Co-operative Guild in 1885 and the Co-operative Women's Guild in the mid 1960s. The Guild is run at a national level but organised into regions, districts and local branches. Annually districts and branches from different parts of the country meet at congress.

The Yorkshire Region Co-operative Women's Guild includes the following districts; Doncaster; Dewsbury and Huddersfield; Grimsby; Halifax and Scunthorpe. The Doncaster District includes the branch guilds of Doncaster Central; Bassacarr and Tawnfields; Armthorpe; Warmsworth; Edlington and Bentley New Village; the Dewsbury and Huddersfield District includes the Huddersfield Central Branch; the Grimsby District includes the branch guilds of Grimsby Central; New Clee and Cleethorpes and the Scunthorpe District includes the Crosby Branch. The Doncaster District Co-operative Women's Guild formed in 1891.

Co-operative Women's Guilds were set up to provide women with a voice within the movement. Many of the societies would only allow one member per family and as such it was generally always the man that attended meetings. Some societies refused to accept women as members without their husband's consent. The Women's Guilds started when Alice Acland began an article called 'Women's Corner' in the Co-operative News. The aim of the article was to link co-operative women together and discuss subjects such as cookery, child care and needlework. It was then suggested that an independent guild of women be formed that would hold recreational and instructional classes for women. The first Women's Guilds were formed in 1883 and by 1889 there were 51 branches.

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

Collection transferred from the NCRS - Co-operative Retail Services (Northern Region) records held at the National Co-operative Archive 2009.

None available

Catalogue compiled by Catherine Hoodless, Volunteer, Feb-Apr 2010.

Reproduction can be carried out in accordance with our Reproduction Policy. Please contact the Archive for details.

None expected

LVWG - Co-operative Women's Guild, Lea Valley District Papers held at the National Co-operative Archive

LCWG - Co-operative Women's Guild, Lancashire Region Papers held at the National Co-operative Archive.