The Seven
The Seven Cooperative Principles
Rochdale Pioneers Museum
31 May - 5th July 2025
Exhibition commissioned as part of the UN International Year of Co-operatives 2025 Exhibition Programme.
co-operativeheritage.coop/Event
These seven pieces each represent one of the Cooperative Principles. The designs have been created using imagery, references, and ideas around the Co-operative Movement history incorporating artefacts from the National Co-operative Archive, C.W.S. packaging, logos, and other sources. Some of these include:
- C.W.S. Printing Building, Longsight
- C.W.S. 'Green Olive Soap' Playing Cards, printed at Longsight Printworks
- Defiant Radio Designs
- Pelaw C.W.S. Cleaning Products Poster
- C.W.S. Bicarbonate of Soda Packaging Design
- "Ourselves" Publications, various dates including December 1930
- "The Wheatsheaf" Publication, various dates.
- Publication on "C.W.S. Crumpsall" – Information on the Biscuit Works; "The only 8-hour day Biscuit Works in England"
- C.W.S. Cream Crackers Packaging
- C.W.S. Table Jelly Packaging
- Imagery from "Photograph of Thirteen of the Original Members of the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers' Society", 1865
- Visual reference to Amul, which is one of the largest cooperatives in the world, also known as the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF).
This work is a redevelopment of a commission from 2012 for the "Co-operatives United / World Festival and ICA Expo" during The UN International Year ofCo-operatives. Held at Manchester Central, the work was created into "THE AGE OF COOPERATIVES" postcards and promotional materials for the conference commissioned by The Co-operative Membership.
