THE END OF AN ERA - RAINHAM CO-OP TO CLOSE
I had expected to be writing, this month, about the end of Gillingham Borough Council but the last meeting of that authority is arranged for 24th March (a week from the time of writing) so, all being well I hope to comment on this historic event next month. It’s obviously a period of great change as the management of The Rainham & District Co-operative Society Ltd have announced that they are to close all activities here in Rainham on 4th April. This is a terrible blow to the prosperity of the Shopping Centre which will now rely, almost entirely, upon Tesco continuing to trade, remember that they stated that trading would be continued for at least five years after the new store opened at Rainham Mark on 1st February 1994.
One would hope that the closure of the Co-op will encourage Tesco to remain open in the Shopping Centre as so many older folk would find it difficult to shop elsewhere. The level of rents in the centre are of great concern to many of the traders as the last review took place when rents were far higher than now and rents charged under the leases never go down. It’s ironic that we’re dependent upon one supplier for grocery etc in Rainham when, pre war, we had the Co-op, International, Perks, Roses and Quinells and many smaller well stocked shops. I have information on the origin of the Co-op in Rainham somewhere but my ‘big box’ filing system has failed me this time so I am grateful to Mr Aubry who has collated a lot of information on Kent Co-ops and the Labour Party.
On 25th November 1872 a meeting was held to consider opening Co-operative store facilities here in Rainham but nothing developed until 1891 when Sittingbourne Co-op opened a branch shop. At that date Rainham, as part of Milton Regis RDC, was far closer to Sittingbourne than Gillingham. It was just 102 years ago, in 1896, that Rainham and District Co- operative Society Ltd was born. I’m pretty sure they started at 1/2 Station Road which are the top shops on the eastern side immediately below the garden of the Whitehorse PH, that’s where they remained until the Shopping Centre was opened. I do have an advertisement from Kelley’s Directory of 1908 which quotes the annual sales at nearly £16,000 with a profit of £1,500, a membership of 505 when the population of Rainham was around 4,000. The Share Capital was £5,447 with an entrance fee of l/- (5 p). The first telephone was number 4.
The sales covered Grocery, Hardware, Crockery, Tinware, Drapery, Boots, Clothing, Furniture, Bakery, Pastry, Corn, Coal and Meat. Many people worked long hours, often six days a week in the early part of the century so could seldom get to the shops, members would leave notes for the baker ordering replacement boots or items of clothing etc. Many didn’t lock their back door or if they did then those making regular deliveries would know where the key was placed so that they could leave deliveries of bread etc on the kitchen table. The . x Women’s Guild, much involved in the education of women was started in 1900. The early Managing/ Secretary was Mr A.W. Barnes and subsequent managers Mr Harry Budd and Mr Reg Lucas are still remembered. The new large shops and hall, opposite the Church were opened in 1928 costing £10,000, designed by Mr F. Mattocks and I think built by Bridges. It’s ironic that this was opened in the same year that the Extension to the Boundary Act was passed which transferred Rainham to Gillingham and the building has been demolished in the same year that Gillingham is to be absorbed within the new Medway Towns authority.
Many of us remember with affection the dances in the old Co-op hall and the large clock which hung from the frontage until it was considered dangerous during the war and taken down. Many Co-operative Societies were closely affiliated to the Labour Party and Rainham was no exception as most of the Committee were also ardent Labour supporters. I recall the Conservatives putting up candidates in the 1950s in an endeavour to obtain control of the Gillingham Co-operative Society. It was probably because of the political affiliation that the Co-ops played an important role in community activities and the dividend earned on purchases enabled many members to obtain shoes and clothing etc. This dividend was, I think, paid quarterly when members would queue up the stairs to the office in alphabetical groups at advertised times and you will still find those who were very young children in pre war years who can immediately recall their mother’s membership number. At one time tin type coins were issued.
One rather unique feature which each shop used was the overhead cash transmission system (I forget its patent name) whereby the cash and bill were sent in a two piece wooden cup by spring action from the point of sale to the office and in due course of time returned with change and receipt, absolutely fascinating to young children! The Co-op fetes were an outstanding event in pre war years, members’ children were seated in long rows at the Recreation Ground and then supplied with eats and tea, each one taking his or her own mug. There were great urns of tea poured out by helpers in white enamel jugs with sandwiches, buns, various types of slab cake and sometimes fruit and sweets. Much of the excitement came from the free rides, swings, roundabout and various side shows. I believe that non members’ children had to pay for the tea and the sideshows! The Rainham Co-op Treats
The carnival was another pre war feature when decorated horse drawn carts and vehicles paraded through some of our main streets with many youngsters in attendance. Rainham pre war was a hotbed for football and the Co-op had a very successful team in the Wednesday league and won many trophies. I was speaking to Harry Howting recently and he rattled off the team of his era as though they played last Wednesday. Edgar Apps, Joe Cox, Percy Payne, Bill Costen, Sid Norris, Dave Coppins, Sid Muggleton, Harry Howting, Percy Major, Len Stockey, Sid Skinner and later Stan Lacey. I’m sure that older residents will have many memories as Rainham Co-operative Society Ltd had a major influence on our community pre war with many personalities such as the departmental managers like Bill Samson, Mrs Ovenden, Mr Lacey, Mr Norrington (later Maidstone Road) then there were the office staff like Mr Mattocks and Mr Waterman and Committee (like Messrs Bowra, Day, Dartnell and Ransley. I hope that some previous employees or their children will write to ‘Action Forum’ so that far more of the history of the Co-op and those who made it tick may be preserved for posterity.
Freddie Cooper
