Samuel Ashworth (15 January 1825 – 2 February 1871) was an English

co-operative movement The history of the cooperative movement concerns the origins and history of cooperatives across the world. Although cooperative arrangements, such as mutual insurance, and principles of cooperation existed long before, the cooperative movement bega ...

organiser, flannel weaver, shop worker, and founding member of the

Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, founded in 1844, was an early consumers' co-operative, and one of the first to pay a patronage dividend, forming the basis for the modern co-operative movement. Although other co-operatives preceded it, ...

. He was the son of fellow Rochdale Pioneer

Miles Ashworth Miles Ashworth ( bapt. 29 January 1792 – 13 April 1868) was an English co-operator, weaver, chartist, and marine. In 1844 he was a founding member of the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers and served as the society's first president. He ...

Biography

Ashworth was born on the 15 January 1825 near Rochdale, Lancashire to Miles and Jane Ashworth. Miles was a weaver who was also active in the co-operative movement. Like his father, Ashworth became a flannel weaver. In 1844 Ashworth was, alongside his father, a founding member of the

. He and

William Cooper William Cooper may refer to: Business *William Cooper (accountant) (1826–1871), founder of Cooper Brothers * William Cooper (businessman) (1761–1840), Canadian businessman *William Cooper (co-operator) (1822–1868), English co-operator * Will ...

were the co-op's first shopkeepers. In 1847 he moved to

Minster Lovell Minster Lovell is a village and civil parish on the River Windrush about west of Witney in Oxfordshire. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 1,409. Minster Lovell village has three parts: Old Minster, Little Minster and New ...

to work as a farmer as part of the Chartist Land Plan but after six months he sold his plot and returned to Rochdale and his previous employment. Ashworth became the Pioneers' first buyer and later manager. In 1866 Ashworth left the Rochdale Pioneers to become chief buyer and salesman of the North of England Co-operative Wholesale Society (later the English Co-operative Wholesale Society). Ashworth died on 2 February 1871, aged 46, following a lengthy illness and was buried in Rochdale cemetery. He was survived by his wife and two of his children.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashworth, Samuel 1825 births 1871 deaths Rochdale Pioneers British cooperative organizers British weavers Owenites People from Rochdale