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PREFACE
THE writing of a preface
provides an author with a convenient opportunity to do several things which
he regards as more or less important. It enables him to explain the plan he
has adopted in the pages that are to follow; to apologise for shortcomings
that he, probably more than any other, is conscious of; and to acknowledge
his indebtedness to friends who have helped him with information or with
words of encouragement and counsel. Under the first of these heads a few
words seem necessary. In preparing this' historical sketch of the formation
and development of Barrhead Co-operative Society the writer has kept
steadily in view the purely local character of his commission. There was
frequent temptation—particularly in the earlier chapters to widen the scope
of the work into a consideration of industrial history in the century
preceding the birth of Co-operation, and of the industrial conditions amid
which the new movement was born. It would have been easy, and in some
respects simpler, to have dipped into the wider Co-operative movement, and
to have shown how great was the army in which Barrhead Society was a
marching unit. But this temptation was successfully resisted, and there has
been strict attention to the local propaganda and the local men, with no
reference to the larger issues unless where such seemed essential.
An effort has been made to
present a clear and fairly definite picture of the Barrhead in which our
fathers lived, and of the social conditions under which they did their
pioneer work for Co-operation. The aim has been to record all the important
steps of the Society’s development, and regret may be expressed that the
need for keeping the book within reasonable limits has necessitated the
exclusion of material for which the writer would fain have found space. As
far as possible, every incident narrated and every fact asserted has been
verified ; and the determination to use only what was unmistakable has
caused the omission of not a few items that would have proved interesting,
but the authenticity of which appeared to be doubtful.
The task has been no light
one, for it involved a great deal of burrowing amongst old records, and it
entailed much interviewing of the yet remaining actors in the historical
pageant which was to be depicted. It meant also the gathering together of a
mass of material far beyond actual requirements, so that the most important
and most interesting portions might be selected. Against this, however, is
to be set down the fact that the work was of a congenial character, and
brought with it a pleasure of a very deep kind. In particular, there has
been a real and heartfelt satisfaction in being permitted to preserve, even
in a fragmentary way, the memories of the able and devoted band of workers
whose efforts created and sustained the young society.
Apologies sometimes savour of
the hypocritical; and, to avoid falling into this error, we will make no
excuses beyond remarking that, whatever faults the critic may point to, will
not, at anyrate, spring from carelessness or want of desire to present the
story of our Society in a reliable and interesting fashion. It will he with
the readers of the book to determine in how far the written record is worthy
of the subject.
In the matter of thanks it is
impossible to indicate all those who deserve to be named. To Mr William
Maxwell we are indebted for information and for a perusal of Mr M'Innes’s
journal, the first Scottish Co-operator. Thanks are also due to Mr Mallace,
of St Cuthbert's, Edinburgh; to Mr A. B. Weir, for assistance and advice; to
Mr James Maxton, M.A., who kindly undertook the correction of the proofs; to
Mr Thomas Dykes, to whom I am indebted for valuable assistance in the
compilation of statistics; and, last, but not least, to the members of the
Jubilee Committee, for their initial confidence in placing the task in the
writer’s hands, and for their continued encouragement and kindness during
the progress of the work.
R. M.
May 1911.
CONTENTS
Chapter I. 1860-61 .
Establishment of the Society
Chapter II. Condition of Barrhead about 1860
Chapter III. 1861-71 : Early Days of the Society
Chapter IV. 1871-81 . Rapid Progress
Chapter V. 1881-91 . Continued Advance
Chapter VI. 1891-1901 . Further Progress
Chapter VII. 1901-11 : Our Own Times
Chapter VIII. Barrhead’s Contribution to the General Movement
Chapter IX. The Pioneers of the Society
Chapter X. The Educational Department
APPENDICES.
Presidents of the Society
Secretaries of the Society
Treasurers of the Society
Barrhead Representatives on S.C.W.S. Board
Barrhead Representatives on Committee of Renfrewshire Conference Association
Admission Lines granted for various Institutions during 1910
Barrhead Representatives on the “Scottish Co-operator" Newspaper Board
Capital Account of Society at December 1910
Statistics of Progress, 1861-1911
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