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:
CWS did make everything!
Including bicycles...
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.
http://www.mosi.org.uk/collections/about-the-collections/how-do-we-collect.aspx
Mahogany Flake proved to be quite popular, and very long lived - it's still in production today!
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:
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.