National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
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Wrexham co-operative Society's Procession, Wednesday, July 31st 1912
“Umbrellas down!” urges the cameraman’s bowler-hatted assistant as the Co-operative Society’s annual parade is filmed on a cold, wet day for screening at The Glynn cinema.
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Overview
Co-operators’ Day – a summertime celebration and promotion of the Co-operative Society - dawns cold and wet and the society’s members turn out for the annual parade with their umbrellas. But the event is being filmed for screening at the local cinema – The Glynn – and brollies will spoil the picture so the cameraman’s assistant urges people to brave the rain and show their faces.
The Co-operative movement, operating worldwide, aimed, as it still does, to give more people a better and fairer way of life. By working together food, insurance, banking and other services can be provided at a reasonable price. In the 1900s, the co-operatives also played a cultural role and often became as central to a community as the chapel/church. Many women found outlets for involvement in administration and education via the Women’s Co-operative Guild. Wrexham continues the tradition today with a leisure centre, a Welsh language centre-cum-pub and a football club that are all co-operatively run.
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