Rochdale and District Co-operative Laundry

How it all began

Records show that the formation of a district laundry in Rochdale, was first discussed at a Co-operative District Conference in July 1913. During the meeting William Stephenson from the Failsworth Co-operative gave an address on the “question of a formation of a district laundry”. Mr Stephenson was able to draw on his own experience, having been involved in setting up one of the largest laundry co-operatives in Newton Heath, Manchester. By 1912 this laundry employed 152 employees.

Attendees at the Rochdale meeting were very enthusiastic and at the close, the secretary was authorised to call a meeting of the district representatives “to go further into the matter”

The laundry on the corner of Albion Street and Norman Road was purpose built and probably opened around 1914.

An average wage for girl sorters would have been 15 shillings a week. Women engaged in ironing received 3 to 4 shillings a day.

The laundry originally included stables for the horse drawn carts which collected and delivered the laundry around Rochdale.

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