Chapter 11
THE HISTORY OF THE RETAIL COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN ABERDARE.

1. Formation

During a period of intense economic depression in trade in Aberdare, David Thomas, a mechanic at the Llettyshenkin Pit, Cwmbach, was reading articles in the ‘Reynolds News’ about the success of the Cooperative Society in Rochdale, in the autumn of 1859. Hoping thereby to find some relief from the extreme poverty, which afflicted him and his friends, he consulted his friend, a collier named John Rees, who agreed to call a meeting of likely people. On 19th October 1859, a meeting of 56 people met at the Mount Pleasant Inn, Cwmbach, and there decided to form a Cooperative Society. It took them five months to collect enough money to buy stock and to rent premises to start trading. On the 8th March 1860 the Cwmbach Coop Society, the very first in Wales opened for trading. The fifty-six ordinary working people had crossed the threshold of a new world.

2. Operation.

For the first year or two, the men came home from the iron-works and the pit and did the work in the shop themselves. But soon they prospered and they appointed as the first manager the indomitable collier who had led them in the venture.

3. Expansion.

From the word go the venture was a great financial success. In 1874 a branch was opened in Aberaman costing £2,000. In 1886 a branch at Cwmaman. In 1892 a branch at Duffryn, Mountain Ash costing £5,000. In 1894 a central bakery opened at Aberaman with new offices. In 1899 a new store at Cwmbach. By 1900 the annual turnover was £300,000. Profits from 1860 to 1900 were £325,000. The number of members in 1900 was 3,100.

4. Other Cooperative Societies in the Aberdare valley.

Inspired by the success of Cwmbach Coop other societies were set up: —

1. Trecynon Coop in 1865.

2. Aberdare Coop in 1869.

5. Expansion of Aberdare Cooperative Society.

By 1910 the Aberdare Valley Cooperative Societies had expanded tremendously:

Name of Coop.	Trade.	Members.
Cwmbach	£350,000	5,600
Aberdare	£37,000	1,310
Dyffryn	£32,000	615
Penrhiwceiber	£22,000	460
Trecynon	£15,000	500
Total	£456,000	8,485

6. Consolidation of the Coop Societies of the Aberdare Valley.

By 1928 all of the Societies in the valley had been absorbed into the Aberdare Society, which was centrally placed and better managed than the other ones.

Name of Coop.	Trade	Members
Aberdare & District	£2½ million	18,000

 

With an annual turnover of £2½ million, the Aberdare Cooperative Society is big business. It has bakeries, grocery store supermarkets, shoe repairing, hairdressing, pharmacy stores, radio, music, furniture stores and some of the best department stores in Wales. It has 28 branch stores in the Aberdare valley.

(“History of Aberdare Cooperatives” — ‘Aberdare Leader’ 1960).