Co-operative Congress

[8] It was attended by a variety of British and foreign delegates,[9] with co-operative activist (and author of Tom Brown's School Days) Thomas Hughes MP acting as its first president.

[15] The Congress has carried on to the modern day as a two-day event, with the only break being in 1944 when war conditions meant it was impossible for delegates to travel.

[16] Verbatim proceedings of Congress used to be published by Co-operatives UK shortly after each event.

Between 1880 and 1960, Congress handbooks were also published giving a history of the area the event was being held in and details of the co-operatives that were based there.

From 1869 to 1899, Congress Papers on topics that would be discussed and debated at the event were also published, often in pamphlet form.