Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received
The Editor
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© F.Coakley , 2026
[from A.M Harrision's Descriptive List of Insular Societies]
The Isle of Man Examiner of 4 January 1890 reported the holding of a tea festival and entertainment at the Old Laxey Working Men's Institute and Primitive Methodist chapel respectively, in celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the Old Laxey Equitable Co-operative society.
Mr. Egbert Rydings, the disciple of Ruskin, described the introduction of the cooperative ideal into Laxey and the initial misconceptions arising about a system which, if geared to help the participating members financially, was well qualified to create profit for the consumer 'and to exercise a beneficial influence on the habits of the Population, both morally and physically'. The Rev. J. Spicer, after pointing out the false economy of the drunkard 'forcibly showed the strong tendency of co-operation towards abolishing the credit system, an encouragement to improvident habits'.
Co-operation, on the other hand, encouraged habits of thrift and economy, and was undoubtedly an educational agency of a high order. Captain Killip, one of the mining managers of the district, congratulated the members on the continued prosperity of the society and delivered 'an excellent address upon co-operation', which he characterised as one of the greatest moral agencies for raising the social position of the working classes towards that position they were destined ultimately to occupy. Unusually, 'in dealing with the relationship between capital and labour, he showed the elevating influence of co-operation, as compared with the demoralising principles of socialism, a legitimate, easy and commendable means of bringing about a fair and equal distribution of wealth, and aimed at placing the working classes on a better basis by a gradual process.... They were today in the happy position to say, as a result, over £1000 were now annually divided amongst the members in the way of dividend and interest, and was steadily increasing.'
The report fails to mention that the society was in fact, formed by a breakaway group from the Laxey Industrial Society which refused to establish a branch in the old village centre.
M.N.H.L., Isle of Man newspapers ut supra et passim
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Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received
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