General Store - Langholm Co-operative

11-15 Charles Street (New)

The co-operative movement is based on the practice of distributing a portion of profits to members of wholesale and/or retail trading operations. An influential early organisation was the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, founded in 1844, whose founding principles have been used as a model for many other co-operatives around the world.

^{Some of the Rochdale Society founders, 1865}

The Langholm Co-operative Society had an abortive start in the 1850s but was relaunched in 1873 as the Langholm Cooperative Store Company Ltd., with 311 members by the end of the year.

On relaunch, its premises were initially at 3 Charles Street (New) and in 1882 it expanded into a remodelled building at 11-15 Charles Street (New). Its departments included a grocery, baker and shoe shop.

^{Part of the Co-op shop front at 11-15 Charles Street (New)}

^{Shoe shop at 11-15 Charles Street (New)}

The company’s secretary was Edward Harkness, who was also the town clerk.

One of its employees, William McVittie (1884-1952) was an assistant grocer and signed up for future service with the Royal Garrison Artillery. His father Alexander (1854-1941) was the manager of the Burnfoot estate, formerly owned by the Malcolm family. In mid-1916, McVittie’s call-up was challenged twice by the Co-op, delaying it by a month on both occasions. A third delay, of two months, was appealed by the military, illustrating tensions between the interests of the army and employers. The military’s appeal was unsuccessful but by late 1916 William had been mobilised and became engaged in signalling and telephony in Italy and Egypt. He was retained after the war in Egypt and Palestine, returning home at the end of 1919.

William’s youngest brother Alec (1894-1916) was killed by a sniper in France in May 1918 while with the 7th/8th KOSB, aged 23. He had been awarded the Military Medal two months earlier for gallantry at Arras. The middle brother, Robert (1887-1968), served with 5th KOSB, then returned to being a gamekeeper.

The Co-op opened a new premises in Market Place in 1923. William McVittie is on the right in the photo below.

[Co-op store in Market Place, 1923]

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Langholm 1915

General Store – Langholm Co-operative