The Broxburn Co-operative Society was formed in 1879 with the first office-bearers and committee members:
Mr Norman M Henderson (President) | Mr James Woodrow (Vice President) |
Mr David R Martin (Treasurer) | Mr James Owen (Secretary) |
Mr Alexander Williamson | Mr William Ritchie |
Mr James Drysdale | Mr Frank Danks |
Mr John Corstorphine | Mr John McGough |
Mr Thomas Lamb | Mr John Calderhead |
Mr David Clyde | Mr James Mitchell |
Mr William Crombie | Mr William Wilson |
Mr James Hastie |
In 1901, to celebrate their 'majority', the society produced a commemorative spoon. Engraved in the bowl are the dates 'Nov 1879' and 'June 1901' with an outline of the building:
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Premises, initially consisting of a bakehouse and shop, were built by the Broxburn Oil Company on a site at Greendykes Road, Broxburn. They were described “as the finest buildings in the place” until fire reduced the site to ashes on 24 December 1920. By the next morning, a temporary shop, full of groceries and provisions, was setup in the Public Hall. Within a few days, the drapery and bootmakers joined them. The dressmakers and tailors were accommodated at the Labour Hall. New permanent premises had to be found and, by early 1921, they had purchased and moved into the former Cardross Hotel building.
The introduction of new food regulations and several departments being congested, resulted in the society once again looking for new premises and, in July 1929, the society moved into premises on the Main Street. The picture below, showing Robert Muir’s premises on the corner of Greendkyes Road/Main Street, illustrates part of the premises they occupied.
To celebrate their jubilee in 1929, each member was given a printed bound copy of the ‘History of the Society’. During its first fifty years of existence, from 1979 to 1929, the society had returned £700,000 in dividend and interest to its members.