National Co-operative Archive

Located in central Manchester, the National Co-operative Archive is home to a wide array of records relating to the history of the worldwide co-operative movement. The collections (rare books, periodicals, manuscripts, films, photographs and oral histories) are an unrivalled resource for the development of the co-operative movement from the initial ideas of the eighteenth century to today. The archive’s small staff works with a variety of users, ranging from interested community members and students to scholars from across the UK and around the globe.

For information on the development of the Archive see 'background'

National Co-operative Archive becomes a Designated Collection

The National Co-operative Archive has received a notable accolade, with the award of Designated Status for the collections.

Designation sets out to identify nationally significant cultural assets in museums, libraries and archives and sets out to raise standards across the sector. Designated collections recognised by the Scheme are expected to work towards the provision of high quality services, which deliver the fullest possible access to their collections.

As part of the Archive Awareness Campaign, the National Co-operative Archive has collaborated with the Working Class Movement Library and the People's History Museum to stage and online exhibition.

The exhibition follows the progress of women from the private sphere to the public sphere through their politicisation, using case studies showcasing the holdings of the three archives.

To learn about the Co-op Women's Guild; Women, the Vote and Labour; how the 1984/5 Miners Strike affected women; and see how much you could buy with a woman clerk's wages in 1922 visit the exhibition website.

The documents that are available for download from this site are for personal use only and must not be reproduced without permission. Please refer to the Accessibility Options for details of the document formats