National Co-operative Archive
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| National Co-operative Archive | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Interactive map of National Co-operative Archive | |
| 53°29′11″N 2°14′22″W / 53.4864339°N 2.2393531°W | |
| Location | United Kingdom |
| Type | Archive of the British co-operative movement |
| Established | 1903 |
| Affiliation | Co-operative Heritage Trust |
| Building information | |
| Building | Holyoake House |
| Website | co-operativeheritage |
The National Co-operative Archive, located in Holyoake House, Manchester, UK,[1] is home to collections relating to the history of the co-operative movement, that provide an unrivaled resource for the understanding of the co-operative movement from its initial ideas of the nineteenth century to the present day. The archive includes manuscripts, rare books, periodicals, films, photographs and oral histories. The archive is run by the Co-operative Heritage Trust, which also operates the Rochdale Pioneers Museum.[2]
The origins of the Archive date from 1903, when the Robert Owen correspondence collection was transferred to the Co-operative Union,[citation needed] and it has been built up gradually over the last century.[3]
The Co-operative College is also located in the building – it was founded in 1919, and in 1946.[citation needed] It moved away from Manchester, because of the damage caused in its headquarters by bombing raids during the Second World War. It was relocated in Stanford Hall, and two Archives started to be developed there.[citation needed] By the late 1990s, it was agreed that the residential model was no longer required for co-operative training and education and the decision was taken to merge the two Archives with material held by the Co-operative Union which owned Holyoake House, and following the steps to create a National Co-operative Archive, major collections were deposited by other co-operative organisations, enhancing the collection.
The relocation of the Co-operative College at its original home in Manchester enabled the development of the Archive and the Rochdale Pioneers Museum.
In 2007, the National Co-operative Archive received Designated Collections Status, reflecting its importance to the heritage of England. The Co-operative Heritage Trust was formed in this year to independently safeguard the collections relating to the movement's heritage at a time of crisis for the Co-operative Group as a supportive entity. The Trust manages both archive and Rochdale Pioneers Museum[2] – seen as the birthplace of the modern global movement. The Trust became an incorporated charity on the 11th of October 2019, with an independent board of Trustees.[citation needed] The Trust holds accredited status for its museum collections (February 2020).