THE WEE CO

Paisley is proud to have established the first cooperative society in Renfrewshire. It was founded in 1858 by a small group of weavers from the Charleston area. Typically, the weavers in this district were independent, self-reliant, and progressive individuals who advocated for the working classes in the city. Some were known for their intellectual pursuits, while others excelled in technical skills, leading simple lives with high ideals. When they gathered quietly, they exchanged thoughts and ideas on various topics, from politics to religion, leaving few subjects untouched. One of the discussions was about creating a cooperative to sell supplies. At that time, the situation for weavers was challenging. Food prices were high, the city was still in financial trouble, and the shawl trade was affected by changing fashion trends, resulting in low wages for weavers. Additionally, manual labor was being replaced by electric looms, leaving some weavers unemployed. Samuel Connell and his wife settled in a modest home at 36 Stock Street, where they lived happily until 1834, when the dreaded cholera struck Charleston. Sadly, Samuel's wife fell victim to the disease and passed away. As the epidemic raged, the scenes in Charleston were grim. A child seen playing in the morning had died by sunset, and every family experienced loss. A funeral was held on an open cart covered only by a rug, and to make matters worse, the driver was drunk! Charleston's reputation remained poor in 1858, the year the first cooperative store opened in the back of a weaver's house. Their trusted treasurer brought home the earnings from the first day, accompanied by a man wielding a drawn knife! The handle bore the warning: “Don’t abandon ship!” The Charleston cooperative started with six members, each contributing three pence. The founding fathers took pride in their first purchase, which was a quarter pound of tobacco. This valuable buy, costing fourteen pence, was shared and enjoyed by the members! Over the years, the membership grew, as did the number of their shops. Starting from Stock Street, shops opened on Neilston Road and Duke Street. They sold bread, barley, peas, sugar, tea, butter, cheese, candles, and of course, tobacco! As business expanded, so did the variety of products, including almonds, blue raisins, and the “best low-matured butter.” In the South End of the city, well-designed butcher, bakery, and grocery shops appeared. In 1862, the Charleston Mutual Friendly Society became the Paisley Equitable Co-operative Society, fondly remembered in 20th-century Paisley as the “Wee Co.” Its larger counterpart, the PCMS, became known as “The Big Co.” In 1899, the largest venture of the Paisley Equitable took place on Great Hamilton Street, then referred to as “dirty street.” New buildings were constructed with a series of well-furnished shops on the ground floor. These included a bakery where fresh bread was made, a shop next door to sell it, a butcher, and a dairy section. Above the shops, the society provided “higher quality housing for over thirty families.” Next to the shops, a large hall was built to meet a “long-felt need in the South End of the city.” Over the years, the hall hosted events, Boys Brigade meetings, Band of Hope gatherings, weddings, and family reunions. Generations of Buddies gathered for their “purposes” at the Wee Co, and the hall also served as a gym for the old South School. The Paisley Equitable is no longer around, and Great Hamilton Street is no longer “great.” The often-repeated question on the marble tables of the "Wee Co" has also disappeared: "What is your dividend number?"