Rochdale Pioneers Museum

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Coordinates: 53°37′07″N 2°09′34″W / 53.6187°N 2.15943°W / 53.6187; -2.15943
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Rochdale Pioneers Museum
Original brick building and 2012 extension
Map
Established1931
Location31 Toad Lane, Rochdale, OL12 0NU
Coordinates53°37′07″N 2°09′34″W / 53.6187°N 2.15943°W / 53.6187; -2.15943
TypeCollection (museum), Heritage centre
Websitewww.rochdalepioneersmuseum.coop/

The Rochdale Pioneers Museum

co-operative movement. It is located in Rochdale, Greater Manchester
, England.

The museum includes a recreation of the original shop, containing its rudimentary furniture, scales, items that were sold at the store, etc. Moreover, the museum transmits the influence of the co-operative movement on issues such as women's rights, poverty, education, fair trade and social reform. The museum is owned by the Co-operative Heritage Trust and managed by the Co-operative College.

History

Interior of the shop, now the entrance to the museum

The building

31 Toad Lane was originally an 18th-century warehouse, on a busy road which then extended to the centre of the town.

Methodist society. A counter was made with a plank on barrels, and the shop began. From 1849 the Co-op rented the whole building and developed a library, meeting room, and boot and shoe department. In the 1860s other buildings were rented and in 1867 the society moved out to new purpose-built premises. The building became a pet shop.[3]

The museum

The Rochdale Pioneers quickly became an inspiration for a wide part of the society, and the co-operative movement started to be known nationally and internationally. As a result, the Co-operative Union purchased the building at 31 Toad Lane in 1925, expressly to create a museum that enhanced the birthplace of co-operation. The museum opened for the first time in 1931.[3]

In the 1970s, the museum was closed for some years because structural problems were found in the building; but it was successfully restored.

cul-de-sac since the 1960s. The new characteristics of the area were cobbled streets, flanked by 19th-century gas lamps and a unique Victorian post-box. The official reopening was in 1981 and this commemorative ceremony was attended by Princess Alexandra
.

In 2000, the management of the Rochdale Pioneers Museum was transferred to the Co-operative College, and it became recognised as a registered museum in 2001. In 2010 it received a £1.3M

Heritage Lottery Fund award, and re-opened in 2012 after a £2.3M revamp, which included an extension with additional rooms as well as restoration of the third floor, and improvements to the displays.[4][5]

The museum exhibition

Part of the first floor: a tea table showing Co-op tea, biscuits, cakes

The museum provides an insight into the

the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers
and to the subsequent social impact and growth of the domestic and international co-operative movement. The museum also wants to highlight importance of the personalities who have had a significant impact on the movement.

The main themes of the museum are:

  • the development of the early co-operative movement
  • the Rochdale Principles
  • inspirational co-operators
  • history of retail
  • the growth of the movement, and its 20th-century social history
  • international co-operation

See also

References

  1. ^ "Rochdale Pioneers Museum". www.rochdalepioneersmuseum.coop/. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  2. ^ Rochdale Pioneers Museum Toad Lane (PDF). p. 7.
  3. ^
    ISBN 9780851953236
    .
  4. ^ "Rochdale Co-op museum gets £1.5m lottery funding". BBC News. 20 July 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  5. ^ "Rochdale Pioneers Museum opens after £2.3m revamp". BBC News. 29 October 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2017.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rochdale_Pioneers_Museum&oldid=1198668299"