Silverdale Equitable Industrial Co-operative Society was founded on March 11th 1861. A group of men from the village of Silverdale near Newcastle - Under - Lyme joined together to form their own co-operative society along the lines of the model created by the Rochdale Pioneers some 17 years earlier.
This site uses orginal materials to outline the background to the society as well as provide some insight into how co-operative societies were formed and run.
By the 1980s many medium to small societies were encouraged to join with their larger neighbours to help them develop. Although financially very strong they decided to merge with the other large potteries society, the North Midlands Co-operative Society in 1981.
100 years of Co-op Advertising
Examine our collection of old adverts dating back to before World War One Members
Co-operatives are ownded and run by their members. Examine how this society's membership grew and find out about the ways it helped educate it's members.
Silverdale Wheatsheaf
The society ran its own newspaper the Silverdale Wheatsheaf between the two world wars. Copies of this publication will be released in batches through this site.
Donate to us
We are constantly looking for more resources about the Silverdale society. If you would like to donate something or simply tell us about an aspect of the society please contact us on this email address.
The society started not far from here in 1861. Until the early 1900s this set of shops were the only ones operated by the society. Its cautious approach to expansion gave it the strong base which allowed its rapid expansion in the early twentieth century.
Chesterton Branch 1980
Silverdale Co-operative Society grew from one small shop into a society with shops over the whole of Newcastle Under Lyme. It's shops had become modern and well purpose built. This shop in Chesterton was opened just before the society merged with the neighbouring society.
Sir Thomas Boughey High School is one of the first Co-operative Business & Enterprise Colleges in the UK. These resources have been developed for educational purposes. Every effort has been made to produce accurate details but inevitably errors will have been inadvertently included. If you would like to correct an error or contribute to this site please e-mail us. The school would like to thank Mr Tom Slack the last Secretary and General Manager of the society for the use of these resources.
All materials copyright ©. Please contact the school if you want to use them