THIS week in Down Memory Lane we look back at the start of the ‘Co-op’ in Thurrock.

It was 146 years ago that the first group of Grays businessmen ‘co-operators’ set up the new society in its first shop at the Dutch House, in the Old High Street, which opened on March 22, 1867.

The Grays Co-operative Society had aims to “carry on the trade of a general dealer, both wholesale and retail, including dealings of any description with land”.

It had a motto of ‘Work & Win’ with a traditional beehive logo. A wide range of departments were developed within the business, but interestingly a strong educational theme emerges with an educational department formed in 1875 and a Co-operative Library and reading room in 1885 within the HQ of the society, now established at 68 High Street.

My featured photograph is the West Thurrock No.2 branch shop, piled high with tin cans and uniformed staff in 1900.

In 1923 an experiment in bazaar trading was undertaken with a shop close to the new Grays War Memorial.

A Grays Co-op diary of 1936 in the Thurrock Museum lists 23 branches, from Grays, throughout Thurrock and stretching to Dagenham, Rainham and Hornchurch. At this time 21 departments are listed.

Unusually, beyond the obvious shop retail departments, are coal, opticians, ladies hairdressers, small holders (selling seeds), workers travel agent, insurance, banking and undertaking departments.

In 1936, the society had 31,350 members, with annual sales of £863,000. Any inquiries could be made to the various departments by simply telephoning Tilbury 7.

In January 1950, the Co-op bakery was opened and development of supermarket style shopping was introduced. In 1958, a new Co-op shop in Orsett Road was completed.

Today, the Co-op exists locally in the form of the Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society.