Forest of Rossendale. 305 



practised on occasional evenings. Being men who were indepen- 

 dent enough to think for themselves, they naturally took a strong 

 interest in politics, and in consequence entered warmly into the 

 exciting questions which agitated the minds of the people at that day. 

 But while contributing their quota to the political life of the nation 

 at the period to which I refer, they deemed it prudent at the same 

 time to put forth a local and personal effort to improve their circum- 

 stances. With wise instinct they laid hold of Co-operation. The 

 fact that many of the articles of daily consumption in their families 

 were grossly adulterated was known to each of them ; to provide a 

 remedy for this, more than the prospect of direct pecuniary gain, 

 prompted their first essay in Co-operation. The original society 

 numbered fourteen persons, and each of these laid down sixpence, 

 making seven shillings, the sum total of the first capital with which 

 they ventured into the market. The number seven has always been 

 esteemed lucky. This sum they spent in coffee, at the shop of a 

 wholesale dealer at Todmorden, and shared it equally amongst 

 them. They were pleased with the result of this their first 

 transaction, for not only had they obtained an unadulterated 

 article — they had purchased it at a cheaper rate than they other- 

 wise could from a retail dealer. Here was an eloquent and 

 practical argument in favour of their venture, which the most timid 

 or querulous member amongst them was unable to gainsay. A 

 grand vista was at once opened up to their mind's eye. To the 

 more thoughtful of them the prospect would be almost over- 

 powering, and they probably looked into the future with anxious 

 forebodings. To stimulate them in their exertions they had, how- 

 ever, the noble example of the Rochdale Pioneers before them, the 

 success of whose enterprise, begun in 1844, was already making 

 itself known. They steadily increased in number, and their capital 

 grew in proportion. The range and value of their purchases 

 extended. Tea, coffee, sugar, soap, and other articles of common 

 domestic consumption were now purchased in quarter cwts. at 

 once ; and the corn-mill carts were employed to convey the goods 

 over the hill from Todmorden to Bacup. A neighbour who was 



