Records of The Manchester Cotton Association
1894-1965
Archives
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Board Minutes 1894-1917, 1926-1949; Board and Finance Committee Minutes 1930-1952, 1959-1963; Finance Committee Minutes 1937-1954, 1961-1965; Protective Committee Minutes 1905-1934; Journal Committee Minutes 1895-1926; Various Committee Minutes 1912-1927, 1931, 1941-1964; Minutes of the Central Bureau for the Sale of Cotton 1908-1930; Shareholders Minutes 1895-1961; Cash Books and Ledgers 1940-1955; Circular Books 1894-1904, 1933-1953; Statistics 1938-1940, 1874-1939; Register of Members 1894-1962 and Directors 1920-1960
Related Material:See also the archives of the British Textile Employers Association (Ref GB124.B14) at the Greater Manchester County Record Office
Place:/Manchester/Manchester/Lancashire/England
Title:
Records of The Manchester Cotton Association
Date of work:
1894-1965
Reference number:
GB127.M26
Level of description:
Fonds
Custodial history:
With the opening of the Manchester Ship Canal in 1894, the Federation of Master Cotton Spinners' Association (Manchester) planned to import raw cotton direct to Manchester. Because of the opposition of the Liverpool Cotton Association, they were compelled to establish a separate Cotton Association to regulate matters. The Manchester Cotton Association was first housed in Victoria Arcade, but later moved to the Royal Exchange Building. The initial membership of 265 was largely composed of spinners, but over the years, practically all the Manchester cotton merchants and brokers joined.
Its functions were defined in 1899 in the following terms:
(i) to frame suitable and authoritative forms of' contract, and to make rules and regulations for the proper conduct of the trade.
(ii) to supervise and facilitate the delivery of the importations of cotton at the Manchester docks to the various consignee..
(iii) to provide and maintain trustworthy standards of classification.
(iv) to procure and disseminate useful information on all subjects pertaining to the trade.
(v) to act in concert with Chambers of Commerce and other bodies through out the world for mutual protection.
(vi) to establish a market for cotton at Manchester.
Direct importation of' raw cotton increased from 64,400 to 395,000 bales the first five years of the Association's existence. During the 1920s 1 at the height of' its importance imports for each season were over one million bales. Between one quarter and one third of the cotton imported into the United Kingdom was shipped through Manchester Docks at the time of' its dissolution.. It was largely due to the initiative of' the Association that the Government appointed the Cotton Control during 1914-1918 War. It also played an important part in the establishment of the American Universal Cotton Standards in 1923.
The decision to go into liquidation, which was taken at a Special Board Meeting on 10th May, 1965, was the result of contraction of the raw cotton trade and the changing structure of' the textile industry. As the industry diminished and large combines replaced the hundreds of relativley small mill units, the number of merchants brokers and agents in Manchester decreased and with them the membership and usefulness of the Association.
Access restrictions:
UnrestrictedThis material is stored off site and we require 2 weeks' notice in order to retrieve it.
Use restrictions:
Unrestricted
Record types:
COLLECTION
Language:
English
Record number:
7187756
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Total copies: 1