Rochdale store named as one of England's most historic industrial sites

Where a global movement started – Toad Lane, Rochdale Pioneers Museum

The home of the global co-operative movement has been named as one of England's most historic industrial sites.

The grade-II listed Rochdale Pioneers Shop on Toad Lane has been named as one of Historic England's ten historic industrial sites that shaped the country.

The ten sites were chosen by Tristram Hunt, director of the V&A Museum, for the campaign, A History of England in 100 Places. Over 700 nominations were received from the public.

A spokesperson for the museum said: “We are very pleased with the selection and proud to celebrate our shared industrial and cultural heritage. Rochdale [is] a great place to work together to get things started.”

Councillor Janet Emsley, cabinet member for Neighbourhoods, Community & Culture, said: “Our very own Pioneers Museum in Toad Lane, has been selected as one of the most significant historical sites in the country as part of Historic England campaign.”

In 1844, 28 local workers began trading as a co-operative at 31 Toad Lane, selling a simple selection of high quality goods at honest prices under the name the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers.

Unlike earlier co-operative attempts, this was based on a set of principles that would guide co-operative societies across the world to this day. The Rochdale Principles stipulated that provisions should be of high quality and sold at full weight, that there should be equality of the sexes in membership and that the shop's patrons should receive a dividend of the profits. 

The Pioneers' original store on Toad Lane was rented by them until they moved away in 1867 and is regarded as the home of the co-operative movement.

It was later purchased by the movement, and opened as a museum in 1931, telling the story of how the co-operative movement developed through self-help to increase productive employment and overcome poverty.