George Jacob Holyoake - The History of the Rochdale Pioneers

ROUTLEDGE LIBRARY EDITIONS: THE HISTORY OF SOCIAL WELFARE

Volume 9

THE HISTORY OF THE ROCHDALE PIONEERS

George Jacob Holyoake

First reprint of Tenth Edition first published in 1893 by
George Allen & Unwin Ltd.
Second reprint in 1900.
Third reprint in 1907.
Fourth reprint in 1918.
Fifth reprint in 1922.
First published in 1893

This edition first published in 2017
by Routledge
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A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-138-20330-3 (Set)
ISBN: 978-1-315-45977-6 (Set) (ebk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-20471-3 (Volume 9) (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-46885-3 (Volume 9) (ebk)

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The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint but points out that some imperfections in the original copies may be apparent.

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THE HISTORY OF THE
ROCHDALE PIONEERS

CENTRAL STORES, TOAD LANE, 1868.

SELF-HELP BY THE PEOPLE.

THE HISTORY OF THE ROCHDALE PIONEERS

BY
GEORGE JACOB HOLYOAKE
AUTHOR OF "THE HISTORY OF CO-OPERATION IN ENGLAND," "SIXTY YEARS 09 AN AGITATOR'S LIFE," ETC. ETC.

1844-1892

TENTH EDITION REVISED AND ENLARGED

"A tenth edition, revised and enlarged, is conclusive proof, if need there be, of the permanent value of the literary work of this veteran co-operator. The co-operative movement in England constitutes one of the best evidences of the stamina and capacity of the British working man, and has made its mark the world over, as may be seen from the interesting account of the number of translations that have been made of Mr. Holyoake's book into foreign languages." Economic Review .

"A very good account of the growth and success of a practical co-operative enterprise. Mr. Holyoake writes with much force and a certain picturesqueness of style, and his book well deserves perusal." Westminster Review .

"The twenty-eight have left behind them an institution which deals justly, and provides things honest in the sight of all men. If the co-operators had learnt nothing from the vast administrative tasks which have been thrown open to them, if they had reached no higher civic standard, and gained nothing in independence and in character from the new footing which the pioneers secured for them, surely Toad Lane deserves immortality." Daily Chronicle.

"The first complete edition of Mr. Holyoake's ' History of the Rochdale Pioneers,' brought down from l844 to the Rochdale Congress of 1892." Co-operative News .

"A most interesting and valuable book." Rochdale Observer.

FIRST REPRINT OF TENTH EDITION, November 1893;
SECOND, April 1900; THIRD, January 1907; FOURTH, February, 1918.;
FIFTH, October 1922.

THE chapters of this little History were commenced to be inserted in the Daily News (in 1857), as the reader may infer from note to . The breaking out of the Mutinies in India absorbed all space in that quarter, and prevented the completion of the publication in those columns; otherwise, the subsequent chapters might have had the advantage of notes of the Editor of the Daily News (Mr. William Weir), who had great knowledge of, and interest in, Co-operative Associations, abroad and at home.

When the chapters appeared as a book, it became known to many persons, interested in social ideas. Mr. Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune had an edition printed in New York. This was the first reprint. Next, Fernando Garrido, a Spanish dramatic writer and publicist, made a translation in his " Historia de las Asociaciones Obreras en Europa." Professor A. Talandier published a translation in Le Progres de Lyons. Great impetus, the translator reported, was thereby given to Co-operation in Lyons. The Emperor, who had social ideas, commended Co-operation to the Lyonnese, and mentioned it in an Imperial speech. M. Elie Reclus, editor of L'Association, told the moral of this story of the Pioneers to the Parisians, in his fable of "The Blind Man and the Lame Man." Mr. John Stuart Mill, by quoting passages from this little history in his "Principles of Political Economy," did more than any one else to call attention to the proceedings of the Rochdale Pioneers. Mr. Joseph Cowen read chapters of this narrative nightly to pitmen and other workmen who were his neighbours, which led to the formation of the Blaydon-on-Tyne Store, now occupying a street, and owning a considerable farm. Mr. Henry Pitman reprinted the book in the Co-operator. Mr. M'Guiness of Paris made a translation of it in the French Journal Co-operative.

The first principal translation in book form was one in French by Madame Godin (under the name of Marie Moret), for the information of the workmen of Guise. Professor Vigano of Milan published an Italian translation in a quarto volume. M. O. Cambier, a magistrate of Paturage, Belgium, issued a complete translation of 283 pages at Verviers and Paris, including the prefaces of 1857 and 1867, and a biography of the author. Later, Signor Lorenzi Ponti published in Milan a translation from the French of Madame Godin. Herr H. Hantschke published a translation in German, with engravings of the old store in Toad Lane and of the present central store in Rochdale, of which a presentation copy was sent me in ornate Berlinese binding.

The last translation has been that of Dr. St. Bernat of Buda-Pesth into the Hungarian language. The Sociological Society of America issued a small Manual of Co-operation. This epitome, excellently executed by ladies, included some of the following chapters. The Manual was popular, I judge, as a share of profit from it was sent to me. Foreign translations on a subject new to the public do not at first allure readers, and the translators generally lose money by their generous labour. I received no profit from any, nor stipulated for any. On the contrary, I felt under obligation to the translators for being at the expense of introducing to their countrymen an English method of industrial self-help, which otherwise might have remained much longer unknown and unregarded.