Robert Owen - Manchester, UK - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

"Robert Owen (14 May 1771 – 17 November 1858) was a Welsh textile manufacturer, philanthropic social reformer, and one of the founders of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement. Owen is best known for his efforts to improve the working conditions of his factory workers and his promotion of experimental socialistic communities. In the early 1800s Owen became wealthy as an investor and eventual manager of a large textile mill at New Lanark, Scotland. (He initially trained as a draper in Stamford, Lincolnshire, and worked in London before relocating at the age of 18 to Manchester and going into business as a textile manufacturer.) In 1824 Owen travelled to America, where he invested the bulk of his fortune in an experimental socialistic community at New Harmony, Indiana, the preliminary model for Owen's utopian society. The experiment was short-lived, lasting about two years. Other Owenite utopian communities met a similar fate. In 1828 Owen returned to the United Kingdom and settled in London, where he continued to be an advocate for the working class. In addition to his leadership in the development of cooperatives and the trade union movement, he also supported passage of child labour laws and free, co-educational schools." link

The statue is a replica of one erected in Owen's birthplace, Newtown in 1956. It is in the form of a bronze portrait statue of Robert Owen extending his hand to a crouching child. On white granite pedestal which is placed on a brick base. Owen is wearing a long cloak over a tail jacket. The cloak is around the girl's shoulder as though its protecting her.

An information board behind the statue tells the story of the connection between Robert Owen and the Co-operative monument.

The Co-operative Bank

We're proud to have Robert Owen, known as the 'Father of Co-operation' in front of the Co-operative Bank's head office as a symbol of our heritage and continued support of the co-operaive movement.

Who was Robert Owen?

Robert Owen was born in 1771 in Newtown Wales. He came to Manchester a young man learn his trade in Manchester's growing textile industry. He lived in Manchester for thirteen years before moving on to develop an industrial 'model community' in New Lanark near Glasgow.

How did he make a difference?

Owen sawthe terrible conditions of the textile factories first hand and this made him want to bring about change. he was committed to socialist principles, ethical trade and the involvement of workers in business development. he also championed fair working practices including reforming child labour laws and education. he campaigned for people to be able to use credit unions as a fair way to save and invest their money as an alternative to the banks at that time. as a result he bacame known as the Father of Co-operation'.

Why is he important to the Co-operative Bank?

There were many attempts to make Owen's vision of co-operation a reality. The Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society was formed by local workers in 1844 to provide local people with good quality food at affordable prices. The society would be owned and controlled by its members, and inspired other groups to open co-operatives using the same principles. The co-operative Bank was founded in 1872 as the loan and Deposit Department of the Co-operative Society, providing banking services to the growing number of co-operative societies across the country.

This statue was first installed outside the Co-operative Bank in 1994 to reflect on its legacy and is based on a similar statue that was installed in 1956 at Owen's birthplace.

There is a plaque at the rear of the base of the satatue.

THIS STATUE WAS UNVEILED ON 28TH MAY 1994 BY HUGHIE TODNER
PRESIDENT OF THE 1994 CO-OP CONGRESS
IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD MAYOR OF MANCHESTER, CLLR. SHEILA SMITH
THE LEADER OF THE CITY COUNCIL CLLR. GRAHAM STRINGER
THE MAYOR OF NEWTOWN CLLR. DAVID PUGH/THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CO-OPERATIVE BANK TOM AGAR THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE CO-OPERATIVE BANK TERRY THOMAS

URL of the statue: [Web Link]

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