Mexborough and Swinton Times February 17, 1928

The Barnsley British Co-operative Society’s warehouse at Mexborough, which is likely to be converted into a central bakery jointly owned and controlled by a number of South Yorkshire co-operative societies, referred to in the following article.

We stated last week that we hoped shortly to announce an important industrial development in  the Mexborough district. We are able now to state that a scheme is being formulated, under which several co-operative societies propose to establish in combination at Mexborough, a central bakery on a big scale.

The development of the scheme has not yet reached the stage when details can be disclosed, but the proposal is of first-class importance to Mexborough in that, if it matures as expected, employment will be found for two or three hundred persons in addition to scores of transport workers likely to he engaged in a great scheme of distribution. There appears to be no obstacle in the way of development, and we may reasonably assume that within a short space of time a great deal of the bread supply of South Yorkshire will be prepared’ and distributed from Mexborough. Something of the spirit behind this new enterprise was revealed by Mr. Edward Tune, president of the Barnsley-British Cooperative Society in the course of a review of the activities of that great trading organisation at the half-yearly meeting on Monday evening.

Mr. Tune said “We intend to develop our trade in bread and coal, and, to commence dealing in milk. Bread be baked in travelling ovens giving daily quantities and making a cheaper loaf. There will be less home baking with more leisure and more pleasure for the women.”

The scheme involves the taking over of the Barnsley-British Co-operative Society’s Mexborough warehouse by the societies amalgamated for this purpose on the same principle as governed the recent establishment in South Yorkshire of a co-operative laundry.

We understand that the societies interested in the scheme are Barnsley, Rotherham, Sheffield, and Ecclesall, Pontefract, Stocksbridge, Oughtibridge, and Kilnhurst. The project will have very great possibilities, and offers something more even than a better and cheaper loaf.

Why has Mexborough been chosen as the centre for this new enterprise? The answer is that it was found that no other place offered the same advantages. Mexborough is actually the geographical centre of the area of distribution, plant suitable for the purpose was immediately available, and the town is convenient as a centre for a transport system. As to the suitability of the plant, experts have already given all the assurance that was necessary on that point. The site has been carefully inspected, and an eminent architect has presented a report to the societies concerned.

Internal plant will of course, be a big factor in the development of the scheme and nothing but the very latest equipment embodying hygienic and labour-saving principles will he considered. Two firms of baking engineers have been consulted as regards the type of machinery to be introduced.

“The Mexborough. Bakery,” our representative was told, ” will be one of the finest and best-equipped in this part of the country., ‘ In many of the so-called modern bakeries new ideas have been incorporated with old ones, but in the case of the proposed Mexborough plant everything introduced from basement to ceiling will be of the most up-to-date type, including ” travelling ovens.”

Another fact that possibly commended itself to those who have been considering the possibilities of the scheme is the proximity of the Barnsley society’s warehouse to the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Canal. The method of distribution contemplated is motor transport, but as the Barnsley society has a wharf at Mexborough for grain, the operation of the scheme should mean an increase also in canal transport.

Barnsley society will retain their mills at Mexborough, and it is presumed that new ware-house accommodation will be required at Barnsley.

The progress of the scheme will be watched with the keenest interest throughout South Yorkshire.

We hope to be in a position to give further details shortly.