Rochdale Pioneers Museum — Attraction in Rochdale

The Rochdale Pioneers Museum is housed in the building where the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society started trading on 21 December 1844. The museum is regarded as the birthplace of the modern co-operative movement. It is located in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England.

The museum includes a recreation of the original shop, containing its rudimentary furniture, scales, items that were sold at the store, etc. Moreover, the museum transmits the influence of the co-operative movement on issues such as women's rights, poverty, education, fair trade and social reform. The museum is owned by the Co-operative Heritage Trust, and managed by the Co-operative College.

31 Toad Lane was originally an 18th century warehouse, on a busy road which then extended to the centre of the town. In 1844 the Co-operative Society rented the ground floor, the upper floors being used by the Methodist society. A counter was made with a plank on barrels, and the shop began. From 1849 the Co-op rented the whole building and developed a library, meeting room, and boot and shoe department. In the 1860s other buildings were rented and in 1867 the society moved out to new purpose built premises. The building became a pet shop.

The Rochdale Pioneers quickly became an inspiration for a wide part of the society, and the co-operative movement started to be known nationally and internationally. As a result, the Co-operative Union purchased the building at 31 Toad Lane in 1925, expressly to create a museum that enhanced the birthplace of co-operation. The museum opened for the first time in 1931.[3]

In the 1970s, the museum was closed for some years because structural problems were found in the building; but it was successfully restored. Rochdale Council redeveloped the remaining section of Toad Lane outside of the building, which had been a cul-de-sac since the 1960s. The new characteristics of the area were cobbled streets, flanked by 19th-century gas lamps and a unique Victorian post-box. The official reopening was in 1981 and this commemorative ceremony was attended by Princess Alexandra.

In 2000, the management of the Rochdale Pioneers Museum was transferred to the Co-operative College, and it became recognised as a registered museum in 2001. In 2010 it received a £1.3M Heritage Lottery Fund award, and re-opened in 2012 after a £2.3M revamp, which included an extension with additional rooms as well as restoration of the third floor, and improvements to the displays.

The museum provides an insight into the co-operative movement from its roots in Rochdale, to the circumstances that brought about the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers and to the subsequent social impact and growth of the domestic and international co-operative movement. The museum also wants to highlight importance of the personalities who have had a significant impact on...

The very first time i visited the museum i was there with my friend for over 4 hours and yes it was so interesting we was entrigued,, two years later we revisited with guests from canada in which i brought to the museum how I was so disappointed and embarressed to promote the co-op movement to my friends who travelled over 6000 miles to spend less than 47 minutes. I have emailed several addresses to find information with regards to my own home town and the movement of the founding fathers of the co-op to gather information for my own personnel interest to find out with regards to my own history of my own home town, our for fathers who promoted the co-op and it's belief's i believe is slowly been eroded . i am sorry but i do not feel the need i should contribute for the reasons being are, the founding fathers of the co-op never envisaged profiteering but through the local workers who support the movement are been sacrificed with PROFITS to enrich themselves This is NOT WHAT THE CO-OP MEANS..... the co-op movement encouraged sourcing its products through fair trade and the workers promoting fair trade but now tables have turned, the workers who promote the stock to replenish the shelves, and lets not forget if it was not for ground level shop workers getting the stock on the shelves to sell, distribution wouldnt get paid, diesal for the lorries to be filled wouldnt be filled to deliver the goods, to stock the shelves. Oh yes the C.E.O have given themselves massive bonuses on the backs of the ones who have gone out there for the last 19 months sacrificing their own lives their families lives whilst those at Angel Square have self Isolated providing the Co-op with Millions of Pounds of Profits. Yet the C.E.O and all the rest of the hierachy support reducing hours, staff, or what ever they come up with...

A group of friends went- of a certain age!! So several of us had knowledge of a coop store and how central they were to our family as we grew up. My memory of our local coop store was called Tower buildings in Prestwich- on 3 levels with clothes, hardware, furniture- everything really. A small useful department store- an asset to Prestwich but of course it went long ago. So with strong memories of the coop it was interesting to wander around the 3 floors of this small museum and marvel at the ideas and people who had started the business in such a small way in the 1840’s. I can even recall our Divi number and the uniform staff wore in the grocery. We watched an old film - 1938 black and white with pretty poor sound and not much sign of Lancashire accents , showing how the men- of course!who started the idea and the struggles they had starting the business for the sake of poor Rochdale folk. The museum does tours if you plan ahead so worth giving them a call. Try next door (the Baum) for food and drinks! Excellent place. And it’s free !( with pay for parking in the multi storey car...