Located in central Manchester, the National Co-operative Archive is home to a wide array of records relating to the history of the worldwide co-operative movement. The collections include rare books, periodicals, manuscripts, films, photographs and oral histories, and provide researchers with an unrivalled resource for the development of the co-operative movement, from the initial ideas of the eighteenth century to the present day.
The arcHive project is a collection of interactive, online resources telling stories from the National Co-operative Archive. The stories you will find here are drawn from the Archive’s wonderful collections which cover many aspects of the UK and global co-operative movement. Although prepared in consultation with subject experts they do not represent definitive histories on any of the chosen themes. Rather, they draw on documentary evidence and make original source material accessible to those who would never have the opportunity to visit the Archive in person.
The arcHive project has been generously supported by Heritage Lottery Fund. For further information about the work of the Co-operative Heritage Trust, contact cht@co-op.ac.uk