George Jacob Holyoake 
History of the Rochdale Pioneers [PDF ebook] 

First published in 1893, this tenth edition of The History of the Rochdale Pioneers, is an example of the nineteenth-century tradition of self-help manuals. It describes the origins and the development of the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society, the problems faced by the Rochdale Pioneers through economically tough times and how the collective were able to overcome these difficulties. This book will be of interest to those studying the history of social welfare, class and economics, as well as the Co-operative Movement.