Women's Co-operative Guild
Encyclopedia
The Co-operative Women's Guild is an auxiliary organisation of the co-operative movement in the United Kingdom
which promotes women in co-operative structures and provides social and other services to its members.
The Guild was founded in Oxford
, England
, in 1883 inspired by a Mrs Acland. She edited the 'Women's Pages' of the Co-operative News which proved very popular and led to the foundation of the Women's League for the Spread of Co-operation with local branches. It was intended to be an organisation dedicated to spreading the co-operative movement, but soon expanded beyond the retail-based focus of the movement.
In 1884 the League changed its name to the Women's Co-operative Guild and later to the Co-operative Women's Guild. By 1910 it had 32,000 members. Maternity benefits were included in the 1911 National Insurance Act because of the Guild's pressure. The Guild became more politically active, as well as expanding its work beyond the British Isles; their objectives included the establishment of minimum wages and maternity benefits, and in April 1914 they were involved in an International Women's Congress at the Hague which passed a resolution totally opposing war:
After World War I
the Guild became more involved in peace activism, concentrating especially on the social and political conditions that encouraged or gave rise to war, as well as opposition to the arms trade. In 1933 they introduced the White Poppy
as a pacifist alternative to the British Legion's annual red poppy appeal. At this time membership of the Guild was at its peak, with 1,500 branches and 72,000 members.
The Guild still continues today with several local branches, although it does not have the visibility within the co-operative movement it once did.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
which promotes women in co-operative structures and provides social and other services to its members.
The Guild was founded in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in 1883 inspired by a Mrs Acland. She edited the 'Women's Pages' of the Co-operative News which proved very popular and led to the foundation of the Women's League for the Spread of Co-operation with local branches. It was intended to be an organisation dedicated to spreading the co-operative movement, but soon expanded beyond the retail-based focus of the movement.
In 1884 the League changed its name to the Women's Co-operative Guild and later to the Co-operative Women's Guild. By 1910 it had 32,000 members. Maternity benefits were included in the 1911 National Insurance Act because of the Guild's pressure. The Guild became more politically active, as well as expanding its work beyond the British Isles; their objectives included the establishment of minimum wages and maternity benefits, and in April 1914 they were involved in an International Women's Congress at the Hague which passed a resolution totally opposing war:
this Conference is of opinion that the terrible method of war should never again be used to settle disputes between nations, and urge that a partnership of nations, with peace as its object, should be established and enforced by the people's will.
After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the Guild became more involved in peace activism, concentrating especially on the social and political conditions that encouraged or gave rise to war, as well as opposition to the arms trade. In 1933 they introduced the White Poppy
White Poppy
thumb|right|300px|Artificial poppies placed as [[Anzac Day]] tributes on a [[cenotaph]] in [[New Zealand]]; mostly [[red poppy#Symbol|red poppies]] marketed by the [[Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association]], with a lone [[White Poppy]]...
as a pacifist alternative to the British Legion's annual red poppy appeal. At this time membership of the Guild was at its peak, with 1,500 branches and 72,000 members.
The Guild still continues today with several local branches, although it does not have the visibility within the co-operative movement it once did.