The President of Co-operative Congress has been a prominent position in the British co-operative movement. Co-operative Congress is the national conference for the movement.

Beginning with the first modern Congress in 1869, a Congress president was elected to preside over the event: to begin with, a president was elected for each day of Congress, but from 1896 a single president was elected for the whole event. Being president was considered the highest honour in the UK Co-operative Movement, with societies nominating individuals for the position in recognition of their contribution to the movement. The President was presented with a commemorative medal, and gave a keynote address to the conference.

The Congress voted to abolish the position of president in 2007, with Alan Gill (former chief executive of Leeds Co-operative Society) being the last to serve in the position.

Congress presidents (1869–1895)

Year/Location Presidents Society/Location/Affiliation Delegates 1869 London Thomas Hughes MP (day 1)Anthony Mundella MP (day 2)Walter Morrison MP (day 3)Hon Auberon Herbert (day 4)Activist(Political)(London)(Political) 107 1870 Manchester Walter Morrison MP (day 1)Rev. W. Nassau Molesworth (day 2)John Tomlinson Hibbert MP (day 3)Lloyd Jones (day 4) PoliticalVicar of Spotland, Rochdale(Political)Activist 109 1871 Birmingham Hon. Auberon Herbert MP (day 1)Charles C. Cattell (day 2)Walter Morrison MP (day 3 & 4) Political(Birmingham)(London) 113 1872 Bolton Thomas Hughes MP (day 1)Edward Vansittart Neale (day 2)Lloyd Jones (day 3) ActivistCo-operative UnionActivist 183 1873 Newcastle upon Tyne Joseph Cowen, Jun (day 1)Dr John Hunter Rutherford (day 2)Thomas Hughes MP (day 3) (Proprietor, Newcastle Chronicle)Ouseburn Engine WorksActivist 199 1874 Halifax Thomas Brassey MP (day 1)Walter Morrison (day 2 & 3) Political(Late MP for Plymouth) 189 1875 London Prof. Thorold Rogers (day 1)Thomas Hughes QC (day 2)Walter Morrison (day 3) University of OxfordActivist(London) 114 1876 Glasgow Professor Edward Caird (day 1)George Anderson MP(day 2)Mr Crabtree (day 3) Glasgow University(MP for Glasgow)(Hebden Bridge) 116 1877 Leicester Hon. Auberon Herbert (day 1)Lloyd Jones (day 2)Abraham Greenwood (day 3) PoliticalActivistCWS 162 1878 Manchester Marquess of Ripon (day 1)James Fraser, Bishop of Manchester (day 2)Dr. John Watts (day 3) Honoured GuestHonoured GuestActivist 273 1879 Gloucester Professor James Stuart (day 1)John Thomas Whitehead Mitchell (day 2)Mr Crabtree (day 3) Cambridge UniversityCWS; RochdaleHebden Bridge 131 1880 Newcastle upon Tyne Joseph Barber Lightfoot, Bishop of Durham (day 1)R.S. Watson (day 2)H.R. Bailey (day 3) Honoured Guest(Solicitor, Newcastle)Co-op Printing, Manchester 174 1881 Leeds Lord Derby (day 1)Thomas Hughes QC (day 2)James Crabtree (day 3) Honoured GuestActivistNorth Western Section (possibly Hebden Bridge) 310 1882 Oxford Lord Reay (day 1)Cllr Henry Pumphrey (day 2)George Hines (day 3) Honoured GuestLewes BuildingIpswich 294 1883 Edinburgh Rt. Hon. William Edward Baxter MP (day 1)William Maxwell (day 2)John Allan (day 3) Political (MP for Montrose)SCWS(Glasgow) 394 1884 Derby Sedley Taylor, MA (day 1)Amos Scotton (day 2)J. Hartley (day 3) (Trinity College, Cambridge)(Derby)Lincoln 454 1885 Oldham Lloyd Jones (day 1)Frank Hardern (day 2)Lewis Feber (day 3) ActivistOldham IndustrialOldham Equitable 578 1886 Plymouth Earl of Morley (day 1)Arthur Dyke Acland MP (day 2)J. H. Young (day 3) Honoured GuestPolitical; Oxford UniversityPlymouth 406 1887 Carlisle George Holyoake (day 1)Sir Wilfrid Lawson MP (day 2)Councillor Rule (day 3) ActivistHonoured Guest (Carlisle)(Gateshead) 464 1888 Dewsbury Edward Vansittart Neale (day 1)Marquess of Ripon (day 2)John Cave (day 3) Co-operative UnionHonoured GuestDewsbury 581 1889 Ipswich Professor Alfred Marshall (day 1)Ben Jones (day 2)George Hines (day 3) Cambridge University(London)Ipswich 435 1890 Glasgow Earl of Rosebery (day 1)William Maxwell (day 2)James Deans (day 3) Honoured GuestSCWSKilmarnock 654 1891 Lincoln Arthur Dyke Acland MP (day 1)Duncan McInnes (day 2)Joseph Hepworth (day 3) PoliticalLincolnCoventry Watchmakers 580 1892 Rochdale John Thomas Whitehead Mitchell, JP (day 1)Abraham Greenwood (day 2)T. Cheetham (day 3) CWS; RochdaleCWSRochdale 871 1893 Bristol Councillor George Hawkins (day 1)Joseph Clay (day 2)William Henry Brown (day 3) Oxford; CWS London Branch(Gloucester)(Newport) 645 1894 Sunderland Thomas Tweddell, JP (day 1)James McKendrick (day 2)William Crooks (day 3) Hartlepool; CWS Newcastle Branch(Newcastle)(Blaydon) 722 1895 Huddersfield George Thomson (day 1)Thomas Bland JP (day 2)James Broadbent (day 3) William Thomson Industrial Partnership, Huddersfield(Huddersfield)Huddersfield Industrial 849

Congress presidents (1896–1944)

Year/Location President Society/Location/Affiliation Delegates 1896 Woolwich Ben Jones Parliamentary Secretary; Tenant Co-operators; London CWS 900 1897 Perth William Maxwell, JP SCWS 1000 1898 Peterborough Duncan McInnes Lincoln 932 1899 Liverpool Frank Hardern, JP Oldham Industrial 1205 1900 Cardiff William Henry Brown Newport 1027 1901 Middlesbrough Joseph Warwick North Shields 1138 1902 Exeter George Hawkins Oxford; CWS London Branch 1006 1903 Doncaster John Shillito CWS; Halifax 1150 1904 Stratford Alfred Golightly Stratford (London) 1376 1905 Paisley William Maxwell SCWS 1318 1906 Birmingham J. C. Gray, JP Co-operative Union 1320 1907 Preston William Lander Bolton 1492 1908 Newport Thomas William Allen Blaina 1334 1909 Newcastle upon Tyne W. R. Rae Sunderland 1556 1910 Plymouth Henry Wilkins Plymouth 1442 1911 Bradford George Thorpe Dewsbury 1615 1912 Portsmouth William Openshaw CWS London 1489 1913 Aberdeen James Deans Kilmarnock 1247 1914 Dublin Robert Fleming Belfast 1367 1915 Leicester George Bastard Leicester 1410 1916 Lancaster William Gregory, JP Preston 1345 1917 Swansea E. R. Wood Ton 1044 1918 Liverpool Thomas Killon CWS 1268 1919 Carlisle Fred Hayward Burslem 1559 1920 Bristol G. A. Ramsay, BA (West Country) 1669 1921 Scarborough George Major Rotherham 1515 1922 Brighton Margaret Davies Co-operative Women's Guild 1411 1923 Edinburgh Robert Stewart SCWS 1571 1924 Nottingham Chas Saxton Worcester 1546 1925 Southport W. E. Dudley, JP CWS 1709 1926 Belfast William James McGuffin, JP Belfast 1411 1927 Cheltenham J. T. Jackson Gloucester 1734 1928 Hartlepool Alfred Whitehead Co-operative Union 1662 1929 Torquay Henry May, OBE, JP ICA; Royal Arsenal; Co-operative Printing 1558 1930 York Thomas Liddle, MBE, JP Hartlepools 1572 1931 Bournemouth William John Salmon, JP Colchester 1619 1932 Glasgow John Downie Wishaw 1633 1933 Birmingham Joseph Millington, JP Birmingham 1621 1934 Rhyl Arthur Pickup Birkenhead 1734 1935 Cardiff Wyndham Edwards, JP (South Wales) 1814 1936 Newcastle upon Tyne George Riddle, CBE Carlisle 1772 1937 Bath E. G. Haskins, JP Bath 1889 1938 Scarborough Joseph Worley Leicester 1944 1939 Margate William Neville, JP Royal Arsenal 1957 1940 Glasgow William Gallacher, JP SCWS 1517 1941 Edinburgh Sir Fred Hayward, JP Burslem 1063 1942 Edinburgh Neil S. Beaton, JP SCWS 1263 1943 Edinburgh Thomas Lawther Amble 1354 1944 Cancelled on account of War conditions

Congress presidents (1945–2007)

Year/Location President Society/Location/Affiliation Delegates 1945 Nottingham Robert Palmer, JP Co-operative Union 1584 1946 Blackpool J. Bradshaw, JP Co-operative Union 1721 1947 Brighton G.L. Perkins (Winchester) 1770 1948 Edinburgh A.J. Tapping Co-operative Press 1796 1949 Scarborough Thomas Harry Gill, JP CWS 1839 1950 Morecambe J.W. Blower, CBE, JP Ripley 1978 1951 Blackpool H. Taylor Kettering Industrial; Kettering Clothing; CPF 2027 1952 Margate Lord Williams CWS 2020 1953 Llandudno J. Corina Royal Arsenal 2015 1954 Scarborough H.J. Twigg Plymouth 2032 1955 Edinburgh J.M. Davidson SCWS 2062 1956 Blackpool G.R. Doulgas, JP Birkenhead 2149 1957 Brighton F. Oakley, BA Mansfield Sutton 2120 1958 Scarborough James Peddie MBE CWS 2127 1958 Blackpool James Peddie MBE CWS 1831 1959 Edinburgh J.A. Stirling, FACCA SCWS 2137 1960 Blackpool A.E. Jupp, CSD CPF 2122 1961 Scarborough John Jacques, BA(Com), JP Portsea Island 2106 1962 Blackpool P.M. Williams, JP Hartlepools 2119 1963 Douglas L. Cooke, OBE, JP CWS 2026 1964 Scarborough Jack Bailey Co-operative Party 2029 1965 Edinburgh D. Shaw, JP, FACCA St. Cuthbert's 1980 1966 Blackpool G.L. Armitage, JP, FCA, FCIS Birmingham 1908 1967 Douglas H.C. Jennings CWS 1667 1968 Scarborough Lord Taylor of Gryfe SCWS 1583 1969 Blackpool Robert Southern, CBE, BA(Com), CHD Co-operative Union 1323 1970 Blackpool H. Kemp, JP, CSD CWS 1162 1971 Eastbourne G. Williams, FACCA Cambridge 961 1971 London G. Williams, FACCA Cambridge 551 1972 Scarborough A. Wilson, FCIS, FBIM CWS 917 1973 Portsmouth B.T. Parry, JP, CMD Blackburn 876 1974 Llandudno J.M. Wood, CHD Parliamentary Committee 924 1975 Edinburgh Mrs. E.M. Dodds CWS; CRS 913 1976 Margate R.L. Marshall, OBE, MA Co-operative Union; Co-operative College 850 1977 Blackpool G.R. Gay, JP, DL St. Cuthbert's 886 1978 Scarborough Sir Arthur Sugden CWS 891 1979 Eastbourne J.H. Perrow, CSD Bolton & Wigan 1002 1980 Douglas H. Bailey, CBE Rushden 857 1981 Edinburgh H.W. Whitehead, JP North Eastern 676 1982 Brighton W.H. Twigg, MBE Brightside & Carbrook 679 1983 Harrogate Mrs. N.E. Willis, JP CRS London 690 1984 Blackpool Mrs. G. Bunn, JP Brighton 650 1985 Bournemouth G. Bromley, JP Leicestershire 616 1986 Llandudno W.H. Farrow, CSD United Co-operatives 588 1987 Harrogate Ted Graham, Baron Graham of Edmonton Political 594 1988 Brighton J. Mason, DL Blackburn 583 1989 Torquay F.R. Pashley Greater Nottingham 571 1990 Glasgow W.P. Anderson Central Midlands 559 1991 Llandudno A. Arlow Greater Peterborough 561 1992 Scarborough David Wise OBE Political; Invicta 548 1993 Portsmouth George Cunningham Musselburgh & Fisherrow 583 1994 Rochdale U.S. Todner MBE East Mercia 660 1995 Edinburgh Alf Morris MP Political 565 1996 Harrogate G.W. Money, MBE Yorkshire 560 1997 Cardiff Pauline Green MEP Political 543 1998 Lincoln Alan Middleton Lincoln 531 1999 Brighton Bob Burlton Oxford, Swindon & Gloucester 428 2000 Manchester Mrs. P. Wheatley United Norwest Co-operatives 489 2001 Birmingham Lord Fyfe of Fairfield Midlands 472 2002 Belfast Sir Graham Melmoth the Co-operative Group 2003 Manchester Gareth Thomas MP Co-operative Party 2004 Manchester Keith Darwin The Co-operative Group 2005 Glasgow Iain Macdonald International Co-operative Alliance 2006 Manchester Meg Munn MP Political 2007 Brighton Alan Gill United Co-operatives

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