·C ·W ·S · Tobacco - (Antiquarian Nicotiana Brittanica Vol. 15)

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
ASx3kTI.jpg


nr0VXlA.jpg


AeWDtLp.jpg


This number of the Antiquarian Nicotiana Brittanica edition will dig into CWS.
CWS was a massive concern which made absolutely everything under the sun.
Including pipe tobacco.
I had never heard of the organization and had to look it up.
Wikipedia gives a condensed but understandable glimpse:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Co-operative_Wholesale_Society
See also:

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Co-operative_Wholesale_Society_%28CWS%29
They're still up and running today and their own website gives some historical footnotes:

http://www.co-operative.coop/corporate/aboutus/ourhistory/
But for intense deep reading (I only scanned the book so far, didn't really read it), this looks like it covers the whole gamut:

Building Co-operation: A Business History of The Co-operative Group, 1863-2013

https://books.google.com/books?id=YfxoAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
Being an American, I was totally unfamilar with the large enterprise known as CWS.
I'd love to hear from someone who actually has experience with these stores!
I like the concept and I love how they executed it all with some really neat stuff:


S70qrbC.jpg


NmvhRKi.jpg


ath9GF2.jpg


MpCCP56.jpg


bsbfN8s.jpg


9jqlYBy.jpg


BKLLCuV.jpg


WsQjCjX.jpg


8GeXwmO.jpg


wJE25s0.jpg


PsInl5n.jpg


iozrToF.jpg


Indeed,

CWS did make everything!
Including bicycles...


MNdPlTZ.jpg


Sgu1H5a.jpg


tO4zCeg.jpg


ZIBrALE.jpg


4ebuQK6.jpg


f6OUeVv.jpg


RkeASan.jpg


ORR1ozd.jpg


9JS1fkO.jpg


That's all fine and good, also very interesting, but finally now, we're getting close to the tobacco section...


CRpbsHc.jpg


GfXELVd.jpg


...and,

here we are.
CWS leaders discussed beginning tobacco manufacture as early as 1872, but anti-tobacco activists protested and plans were shelved. Although some protests continued, in 1896 the Board was granted authority to begin manufacture, and in 1898 it opened a Tobacco Factory in Manchester, not far from its Balloon Street headquarters.
In 1900, CWS reported that its annual trade in tobacco, cigars, and snuff amounted to £215,000, of which about 70 per cent was common tobacco ‘of the class retailed at about 3d. per oz’.
The factory was known for its high welfare standards, operating from its inception on an 8-hour day. It was also the original home of the CWS Brass Band, which started at the Tobacco factory in 1900.
In the Co-operative Society of England and Scotland's Annual Report for 1900 they included a description of their Manchester Tobacco Factory. They said that, "The establishment of this factory was due to the rapid growth of the trade, which appeared to promise a profitable investment for the members of the C.W.S., the annual trade in tobacco, cigars, and snuff amounting to £215,000. Of this sum no less than 70 per cent represents the proportion paid for common tobacco of the class retailed at about 3d. per oz.
&
The Wholesale decided in 1896 to commence the manufacture of tobacco, and after mature consideration a building in Sharp Street, within easy reach of Balloon Street, was acquired, and fitted with all the necessary equipments for the business.
Very soon after work was started it became apparent that extension would be imperative, and considerable additions have already been made to the original premises.
The result of the first 15 weeks' working was a profit of £351.
This was a remarkably good beginning, as it is not always possible to show a balance on the right side of the account during the first period of the working of a productive department. For the first year ending June, 1899, the profit realised was £3,312. At the present time (June) nearly eleven tons of manufactured tobacco are sent out every week, and the factory has secured more than half of the trade of the societies.
These facts afford weighty testimony to the excellence of the varieties of tobacco, and it is hoped that all Co-operative worshippers at the shrine of "baccas" will see that the incense they offer as a burnt sacrifice comes from the Sharp Street Factory.


PRnFmDC.jpg


giDPI9G.jpg


JhCirfe.jpg


FBFW8PH.jpg


PhMTycB.jpg


weAt8a1.jpg


Dp5yAno.jpg


This old tobacco spinning machine from CWS Manchester was gifted to a local museum after the factory closed in 1990:
saO200F.jpg

http://www.mosi.org.uk/collections/about-the-collections/how-do-we-collect.aspx

CWS had a fair number of available blends...


osX3SGj.jpg


uQhFKR6.jpg


L7G3iVT.jpg


4D1ZzEK.jpg


VQfMHsO.jpg


cIkE3wS.jpg


uR54o1v.jpg


33RJbqN.jpg


3wYPoYY.jpg


XShAdBb.jpg


v4jICJ7.jpg


zmCyqL5.jpg


RbrCy7E.jpg


T5G2Xao.jpg


ujV3GU0.jpg


mxgH25G.jpg


4X6CsSt.jpg


Oivs8Ab.jpg


TDYt3pR.jpg


svVXb1P.jpg


vDtxAhf.jpg


3AYbMOu.jpg


QahPYO3.jpg


voCmpKc.jpg


OH2CrQ4.jpg


jGJGJAC.jpg


kR12gnH.jpg


CIMblbu.jpg


GgKhn5j.jpg


BdGkhkh.jpg


4St3YTB.jpg


04He0Bl.jpg


vnrlttC.jpg


m9nHHYp.jpg


oViAEwl.jpg


There was also the Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society, or SCWS, aka Shieldhall, and they made a few different blends also...


GIFtGZF.jpg


rteh9N9.jpg


iByAmte.jpg


ia69opF.jpg


eHpRvkJ.jpg


NtrBUld.jpg


KW3c8sa.jpg


NrVLQmR.jpg


Of all the CWS brands,

Mahogany Flake proved to be quite popular, and very long lived - it's still in production today!


Z9XoAKI.jpg


JTSoxX6.jpg


jJ1Bjor.jpg


iHZ9Y6Y.jpg


CKdMD7F.jpg


C23qHLR.jpg


mCGEkRA.jpg


LpOQ9v7.jpg


iahH2Gk.jpg


61qouoM.jpg


9EqNw7F.jpg


Qs1a7HM.jpg


h6TbPiT.jpg


The above tin was recently acquired via Bedinarose on ebay. I haven't opened it yet.
I think it'll be interesting despite the bad reviews on TR, which are generally negative:
http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/1173/manchester-tobacco-mahogany
But I like many of the trad Brit flavored stuff and I'm hoping to have a similar experience to that of Tantric, whose review I enjoyed reading.
The newer stuff, by the way, is made by Gawith Hoggarth:


JR0gwhQ.jpg


Qink5GI.jpg


For some unknown reason adding the "mellow" modifier to the name?
Don't ask me why.
Currently available only in England it seems...

https://www.thebackyshop.co.uk/products/gawith-hoggarths-kendal-mellow-mahogany-broken-flake-pipe-tobacco
But how'd it end up being made by GH?
At some point, the manufacturer name changed from CWS (they were looking to get out of the baccy business when the cultural climate shifted and they sold their holdings) to New Century Tobacco Co. Ltd., at least judging by that one tin, and later at some point changed again to The Manchester Tobacco Co.
Manchester also made Revor Plug, which also ended up being made by G.Hoggarth.
Japan Tobacco International had ended up buying Manchester Tobacco at sometime in the 90's --- I'm unclear if JTI bought it directly from CWS or if it had already fallen under new ownership, it would logically seem that at some point, given their mission, that CWS would want to detatch themselves from the baccy industry.
JTI owns the trademarks for both Mahogany and Revor and I believe they're made for them under contract by G.Hoggarth.
It's always messy sorting this stuff out and sometimes it gets to a point where I gotta just let it lay, being too depleted to continue eye-watering searches and agonizing over it --- gotta recharge and perhaps pick it up again at a later date if it ever strikes my fickle fancies.
But at this point, the finer details elude me, so I'll just leave it there.


9NtXHlm.jpg


tQQBRIa.jpg

 

thefalcon

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 23, 2012
241
2
Lovely work my friend, try and stay as cool as you can this week friend and drink plenty of water. Happy Smokes and till we meet again!
Cheers,--Eric

 

thefalcon

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 23, 2012
241
2
Oh yeah, almost forgot, love the old store front display windows, Don't you?
Cheers,--Eric :)

 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
Thanks gents!
And thanks for the kind words Booker,

I very much enjoy digging this stuff up!
...try and stay as cool as you can this week friend and drink plenty of water. Happy Smokes and till we meet again!
been drinking Arnold Palmers all day,

very refreshing,

but still a sweaty mess in this heat!
Looking forward to the next meet-up my good man.
Yep,

I love the old window displays,

sadly only few and far inbetween on the baccy shops.
Always enjoy reading these posts but always feel bad thinking of how things used to be compared to today.
Same here,

the contrast between the earlier and later tins is very dramatic.
It is a sort of melancholy exercise searching all this stuff out,

although we have gained much,

it seems we have lost much more.
Wow I had no idea it was that extensive
Nor I.
Astounding it was to see the full breadth!
:!:

 

jkrug

Lifer
Jan 23, 2015
2,867
8
Very nice! I never tire of browsing through these historical posts. Thanks. :puffy:

 

buroak

Lifer
Jul 29, 2014
1,867
14
misterlowercase, I feel like I owe you tuition. Perhaps someday I will at least be able to buy you a drink.

 

thefalcon

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 23, 2012
241
2
...try and stay as cool as you can this week friend and drink plenty of water. Happy Smokes and till we meet again!
been drinking Arnold Palmers all day,

very refreshing,

but still a sweaty mess in this heat!
Looking forward to the next meet-up my good man.
Never had Arnold Palmers, is that the bottled Tea? If so need to try it. I was raised on sweet Tea, when I was born I was allergic to milk, and guess what? Had to have Tea over my cornflakes, Don't laugh too hard guys...it was the only way I could have cereal. I can drink milk now, but usually only have it with Cornbread or if I'm having sweets.
Cheers,--Eric
 
Status
Not open for further replies.