Friday 17 March 1916

Co-op keen to hang on to bootmaker, slaughterman and drivers

More than a page of the newspaper was given over to reports of recruiting tribunals held across the district. In Shipley, 31 cases were heard, ‘mostly of unmarried men.’ Of these four were upheld as the men were in certified occupations, six were dismissed, seven postponed to a later hearing, while the rest had their enlistment put back between two and five months. Among the cases heard were seven presented by the President and Secretary of Windhill Co-operative Society on behalf of seven employees – a boot maker, slaughter man, branch manager, two bakers, a motor-wagon driver and a motor driver. As well as giving an insight into the workings of the tribunal, they provide a fascinating glimpse of retailing 100 years ago. In addition to the individual cases, the Tribunal had asked the Board of Directors to come up with a plan that would see some of their smaller shops close so that the managers would be free to enlist. ‘The secretary, Mr Morton, observed that the boot maker so far as he understood, was engaged in a reserved occupation. He did some most important and essential work in boot repairing and manufacturing. Scientifically ‘The society did from 800 to 1,000 repairs per week, the whole of which had to be done by this man. There was not another man to do it and it was very difficult to get a man to replace him. In fact the work was very highly skilled and of a technical order. ‘Mr Burton: I understand that it is a machine which this man super- intends. ‘Mr Morton: That is so. The soles are cut out scientifically from the leather. If they were cut in cardboard the process would be simple and a child could do it. ‘A man who is too old to be a soldier could learn how to use this machine, could he not? – Yes, in a few years. ‘One would judge from the

application that a man only required skill to attend to an ingenious machine, now you tell us that it would require a considerable time to learn and that it also involves knowledge of the material that the machine has to work upon. Is this work left entirely to this man? – Yes. ‘How many men are dependent upon what he turns out? – At present we have 15 repairers and if we could get them we could do with considerably more. In addition we have four men who work on the finishing machine ‘Mr Illingworth: What do you mean by scientifically cutting this leather out? – It will perhaps not be unknown to you that some parts of the leather are much better for soles than other parts. If a man cut the leather any way he would waste pounds, apart from the unsatisfactory state of the work.’ After a little more discussion it was decided that the job was a certified occupation so the man was exempt. The Tribunal then turned its attention to the slaughter man, who was engaged upon that particular work four days a week and spent Friday and Saturday in the shop selling. They decided to wait and consider the matter when the Co-op came back with its store closing plan. The two bakers, who ‘spend most of their time in baking bread’ had their enlistment postponed until 1 August. ‘The motor wagon driver whose duties were said to consist of conveying flour from Halifax and Sowerby Bridge etc., was declared to be in a certified occupation. The man described as a motor driver was said to be engaged in delivering goods from the warehouse to the branches. ‘Cllr Rhodes: Have you only one driver? – No we have four. ‘It is possible you may have less to do – I was going to say, we could do with another four and we shall have to get them. ‘Mr Illingworth: Is it a fact that you have instructed your customers to

fetch their own goods? – We have asked them to help us in this direction. ‘Mr Burton: Have you tried persistently to get a motor driver? – Yes, whenever we’ve wanted one ‘But surely you want one now? There is no scarcity of motor drivers if you look about. There are men coming back from the Front who can drive splendidly and even if they have a finger injured they are still able to work as mechanics. – Well, I daresay we could find one a job. Yes, but a man who has not lost a finger is more valuable as a soldier. – We are absolutely at the last pinch. It is not a case of being put to a little inconvenience. ‘If you were to enquire in the right quarter you would find you could get a motor driver for your purpose. It is the duty of the Tribunal to reject every application where they can get a substitute. – If we can find a substitute we shall be only too ready to help the Government in any shape or form.’ The Tribunal decided this driver could be replaced but gave the Co-op until June 1st to find a replacement. Postponed The meeting then had a discussion about the shop-closing proposal and the Tribunal said that because the Co- op had been helpful, they were willing for them to submit a list of men who the company could most do without rather than have the Tribunal make the list for them. While accepting that offer, it was clearly going to be a difficult decision because as Mr Morton revealed they had already postponed opening two new shops and expanding others so to have fewer shops would be a test. Mr Burton, the Army’s representative on the Tribunal said they ‘wished to inflict the least possible hardship upon your undertaking but men have to be found and the suggestion is that if you carefully consider which men should be kept at home and those whom you can do without and bring your conclusions before the Tribunal I am sure the latter will consider it most carefully and sympathetically. I will do so also.’

‘There is no scarcity of motor drivers if you look about. There are men coming back from the Front who can drive splendidly and even if they have a finger injured they are still able to work as mechanics.’