As part their 'Forging Ahead' development, museum bosses will recreate the Number 11, ‘Hawne’ branch of the Halesowen and Hasbury Industrial Co-operative Society.

The Halesowen and Hasbury Industrial Co-operative Society was founded in 1871, opening its first shop in Peckingham Street. The Hawne branch on the Stourbridge Road was its eleventh opening, in 1930, after a strong period of expansion, well positioned to serve the large-scale development of the Short Cross area of Halesowen. 

The building, with its distinctive steep pitched roof and square frontage, was designed by local architect, Stanley Beach and built by a local contractor, Mr Tate.

Co-op shops were popular in the Black Country, stocking household names as well as their own Co-op brands. Phyllis Taylor, who shopped at the Wollescote branch and later worked at the Colley Gate shop, recalls:

“They did all their own stuff, Co-op soup and Co-op rice pudding, it was lovely, and it was always a couple of pence cheaper! '99 Tea' was the biggest brand going, we used to sell boxes and boxes.”

Museum staff are seeking memories of the Number 11 Hawne branch in the 1940s to the 1960s. Upon completion in 2022, visitors will be able to experience post-war shopping by seeing and experiencing a newly modernised self-service co-op.

Did you or anyone in your family shop at the Stourbridge Road shop? Do you remember your Halesowen & Hasbury ‘divi’ number and where you collected your share from?  Did you shop at other Halesowen & Hasbury Co-ops?

You can get in touch with the team by emailing collections@bclm.com or calling 0121 557 9643.