Huntly Co-operatives
Huntly, in Strathbogie valley, was a strategic site controlling routes from Moray into Strathdon and Deeside. The town originally consisted of two settlements, Milton of Strathbogie (also knowns as the Rawes) and Torrisoule. In 1769 the Duke of Gordon had the planned town of Huntly laid out and started building it, incorporated the two original settlements. Huntly is the name of the Gordon ancestral seat in Berwickshire.
In the 18th centuries the town became involved in the linen industry, with flax weaving and small mills on the River Bogie. By it was a well established market town, exporting exporting leather, linen cloth and farm products. The slump in the flax based linen trade after 1800 was compensated for by a shift to wool weaving, and a whiskey distillery. By the arrival of a railway station in 1854 the original planned town layout was completed and expansion occurred through enlargement of buildings. The railway increased the importance of Huntly as a market town and shipping centre, with an increase in population from surrounding parishes. Since the late 20th century Huntly has become a commutor town for Aberdeen and larger towns in the area.
STRATHBOGIE CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY 1871-1882
The Society held its first meeting in 1871. In 1879 it had 180 shareholders (members) with the store in 6 Castle Street. In December 1880 the company introduced a scheme where someone could become a member by depositing 1/- , with bonuses being used to make up the 20/- share cost, the member recieving the bonuses when the share had been paid in full. In January 1881 it was reported that trade was dull and debts difficult to recover. In March 1881 the company was taken to court for 19/6 owed to a customer for a chair. The society held back the money because the person who sold the chair had owed this amount on account, with the sum bein marked as for a lodger. The court ruled that the debt was owed by the lodger, who lodger had left. The company held a special meeting in December 1881 and went into liquidation in January 1882.
| STRATHBOGIE CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LIMITED | ||
|---|---|---|
| File:StrBCoop.2.jpg | ||
| Source | (DRR - 2004) | |
| Filename | StrBCoop.2 | |
| Value | Impressed 2, probably for 2d | |
| Add Desc. | ||
| Size (mm) | 25 | |
| Manufacture | Brass Bracteate | |
| Notes | ||
