Journal of Co-operative Studies 54(4) 28-38

Abstract

The Sheffield Co-operator was published every month from May 1922 to July 1939 by the Sheffield Co-operative Party in the UK. With a guaranteed circulation of 30,000 copies, it reported on issues which were of interest to people in Sheffield and refuted the negative reporting from the mainstream press towards co-operatives at that time. The complete collection of 170 editions bound in four volumes was donated to Sheffield Libraries (Local Studies) by the Sheffield Co-operative Party. Largely the work of one man — Albert Ballard, the Secretary of the Sheffield Co-operative Party — the Sheffield Co-operator survives as a unique example of a locally produced co-operative newspaper. This article provides an overview of its mission, purpose, content, and influence.

References

Adams, T. (1987). The formation of the Co-operative Party reconsidered. International Review of Social History, 32(1), 48-68. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020859000008324
 
Alexander, A. V. (1925, October). Co-operation and unemployment. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 7. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Alexander, A. V. (1932, February). The Government's abject failure. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 96. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Alexander, A. V. (1936). The monopoly menace: Present tendencies of legislation and their effects on the co-operative movement. Co-operative Union Ltd.
 
Ballard, A. (1923, April). Facts for co-operators. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 11. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Ballard, A. (1926, March). Editorial. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 39. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Barrott, C., Brown, M., Cumbers, A., Hope, C., Huckfield, R., Jump, C., McInroy, N., & Shaw, L. (2017). Alternative models of ownership. Report to the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and Shadow Sectary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy. Labour Party. https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Alternative-Models-of-Ownership.pdf
 
Barton, A. (1927, September). The triumph of sane socialism in Sheffield. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 53. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Bell, E. (2018). The 2017 Labour general election campaign: Ushering in a 'new politics'? Revue Française de Civilisation Britannique, 23(2), 1-20.  https://doi.org/10.4000/rfcb.2029
 
Boughton, J. (1985). Working class politics in Birmingham and Sheffield, 1918‑1931. (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Warwick, UK.
 
Carbery, T. F. (1969). Consumers in politics: A history and general review of the Co-operative Party. Manchester University Press.
 
Cole, G. D. H. (1944). A century of co-operation. (3rd ed.). George Allen & Unwin.
 
Co-operative Home Magazine (1948, March). Sheffield's tribute to A. V. Alexander. Co-operative Home Magazine. Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives.  https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk 

Co-operative Party (1932). Britain reborn No. 7: Civic ideals. Co-operative Party.
 
Enfield, A.H. (1922, May). Good wishes: A message to the co-operator. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 1. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Gurden, H. (1999). Feminism and the politics of working women: The Women's Co-operative Guild, 1880s to the Second World War by Gillian Scott [Book review]. Work, Employment & Society 13(2), 414-416. 
https://doi.org/10.1177/0950017099013002018
 
Mathers, H. (1979). Sheffield municipal politics: 1893-1926. (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Sheffield, UK.
 
Mercer, T.W. (1929, July). Hon. A. V Alexander, P.C., M.P. The new ruler of the king's navy. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 71. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Neima, A. (2021). The Utopians: Six attempts to build the perfect society. Picador.
 
Patricia. (1925, July). Home notes. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 33. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Penny, J. (1922, June). Cost price. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 2. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Pollard, S. (1971). The foundation of the Co-operative Party. In A. Briggs & J. Saville (Eds.), Essays in Labour history, 1886‑1923, (pp. 185-210). Palgrave Macmillan.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-00755-4_8
 
Rose, W.M. (1922, May). From obscurity to success: A message from W. M. Rose. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 1. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Sheffield Co-operative Party (1922, February 7). Minutes of the Executive Committee. (NRA 17109). Sheffield City Archives, Sheffield, UK
 
Sheffield Co-operator (1922a, May). Co-operators and politics. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 1. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Sheffield Co-operator (1922b, May). The man who will fight Mr Arthur Neale, MP. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 1. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Sheffield Co-operator (1922, June) Co-operation is life, Competition is death (Masthead). Sheffield Co-operator, No. 2. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Sheffield Co-operator (1922, October). Home notes. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 6. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Sheffield Co-operator (1922, November). A. V. Alexander's address to businessmen. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 7. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Sheffield Co-operator (1922, December). Alexander speaks for the unemployed. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 8. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Sheffield Co-operator (1923a, January-February). Home notes. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 9. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Sheffield Co-operator (1923b, January-February). Neutrality. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 9. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Sheffield Co-operator (1923, March). Labour and co-operation. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 10. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Sheffield Co-operator (1923a, April). Nationwide co-operation. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 11. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK
 
Sheffield Co-operator (1923b, April). The National Traders Defence League. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 11. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.
 
Sheffield Co-operator (1923, August-September). The Daily Herald. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 15. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1924, March). Mr A. V. Alexander, MP. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 19. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1924, August). Co-operation and the state. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 24. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1924, October). Co-operatives and the municipality. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 25. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1925, June). Co-operative politics. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 32. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1926, April). Toryism versus co-operation. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 40. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1926, July). Co-operation as an economic factor. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 42. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1927, March). Return of Mr. A. V. Alexander MP. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 47. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1927, October). Co-operators prepare! Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 54. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1928, October). The Member for Hillsborough: Summary of Mr A. V. Alexander’s Parliamentary work on the last session. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 64. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1929, July). Hon. A. V Alexander, P.C., M.P. The new ruler of the king’s navy. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 71. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1929, November). Co-operative and Labour Party’s Manifesto. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 74. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK

Sheffield Co-operator (1930, May). Co-operate to defeat poverty. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 79. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK

Sheffield Co-operator (1930, November). Co-operators and the elections. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 84. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1932, April). Co-operative Party’s constructive lead. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 98. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1932, October). The Co-operative Party Autumn campaign. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 102. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1933, March). Penal Class Legislation. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 106. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1933, April). Sheffield Co-operators protest. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 107. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1936, May). Co-operative Party’s Peace Policy. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 138. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1936, October). The monopoly menace. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 142. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1936, December). The co-operative commonwealth. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 144. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1937, October). Home notes. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 152. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator (1939, March). Home notes. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 166. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator Bulletin (1939, October). Editorial. Sheffield Co‑operator Bulletin, No. 1. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator Bulletin (1940a, October). Editorial. Sheffield Co‑operator Bulletin, No. 4. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Sheffield Co-operator Bulletin (1940b, October). Message from the First Lord. Sheffield Co‑operator Bulletin, No. 4. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Smith, R. (1926, February). Co-operators at home and abroad. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 38. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Smith, R. (1927, April). The growth of trusts and combines. Sheffield Co‑operator, No. 49. Local Studies Library, Sheffield City Libraries, UK.

Tilley, J. (1995). Churchill's favourite socialist: A life of A. V. Alexander. Holyoake Books
 
Whitecross, A. (2016). The wasted years? The Co-operative party during the 1930s. In A. Webster, L. Shaw & R. Vorberg-Rugh (Eds.), Mainstreaming co-operation: An alternative for the twenty‑first century? (pp. 131-150). Manchester University Press.
https://doi.org/10.7228/manchester/9780719099595.003.0008