We hold collections on 

Co-operative societies in the UK

The CWS (Co-operative Wholesale Society)

National co-operative organisations

The Co-operative Union

The Co-operative Women's Guild

The Co-operative Film Archive

Co-operative federations

Personal papers

Periodicals

Cultural materials

Advertising and packaging

Searching our collections

You can search Archives Hub for details of what we hold. Please be aware that we have been unable to update Archives Hub since November 2022 and so you need to contact the archive for more information about the material you wish to see.  Not everything is listed on the Hub and so we may be able to advise on further material too.

Click here to search the Archives Hub

Make an appointment

We are open to anyone who makes an appointment to see our materials. Call us on 0161 214 0861 but it is better to email [email protected]

Find us on the first floor of Holyoake House, Hanover Street in the co-operative quarter of Manchester.

You can get to our building from Victoria Station by crossing Corporation Street  and walking up Hanover Street, or by approaching from Shudehill Metrolink stop. There is no on street parking. The closest public car parks are at Shudehill Printworks and on Dantzic Street.

Offering material to us

We collect paper-based and digital material that has significance to the history of the British co-operative movement. Potential donations are reviewed on a case by case basis according to our collecting policy, so please contact us if you have something you would like to donate.

We are particularly interested in records which reflect the recent past of the Co-operative movement.

We may only collect documents and photographs for which rights can be assigned to us by the donor, or where copyright is established.