Mortgage number 10, granted in April 1885, went to the Ardsley Co-operative Society to buy a shop and bake house for £350.

He had worked hard to build a national network of agents for the Society and thought the name should represent this enlarged coverage.

The Society agreed on 29 July 1904 to lend £2200 for builders to create the first garden city in Letchworth (Founded by Sir Ebenezer Howard and planned by Barry Parker and Raymond Unwin).

Members of the board at the time also visited the site to inspect the work done, as they wanted to check on the quality of the housing being built.

At the early stages in the war, the Society moved to seek insurance through Lloyds to protect all mortgage properties against loss or damage caused by aircraft or bombardment.

The growth of the economy improved throughout later 1930s, with an average of 350,000 new homes being built every year and the Society continued to prosper in this housing boom.

The Society prepared for the outbreak of war by purchasing Chiltern House, just outside High Wycombe in 1938 to move many head office functions out of London.

The Society’s ambitions for growth were thwarted at this time due to the emphasis by the post-war government on public sector housing.

The Society created this magazine due to their branch network expansion and the need to maintain close co-ordination between staff.

The appointment of Herbert Ashworth as chief executive paved the way for more growth with his fresh energy, enthusiasm and vision to grow the branch network.

The Society also benefitted from a new government which was enthusiastic about encouraging home ownership and supported a large house building programme.

It was thought that such a close association with the Co-operative Movement might be hindering their growth and narrowing their appeal to potential members.