List of Presidents of Co-operative Congress
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 being the last to serve in the position.
Congress Presidents 1869-1895
| Year/Location | Presidents | Society/Location/Affiliation | Delegates |
| 1869 London | Thomas Hughes MP Anthony Mundella MP Walter Morrison MP Hon Auberon Herbert | Activist | 107 |
| 1870 Manchester | Walter Morrison MP Rev. W. Nassau Molesworth John Tomlinson Hibbert MP Lloyd Jones | Political Vicar of Spotland, Rochdale Activist | 109 |
| 1871 Birmingham | Hon. Auberon Herbert MP Charles C. Cattell Walter Morrison MP | Political | 113 |
| 1872 Bolton | Thomas Hughes MP Edward Vansittart Neale Lloyd Jones | Activist Co-operative Union Activist | 183 |
| 1873 Newcastle upon Tyne | Joseph Cowen, Jun Dr J. H. Rutherford Thomas Hughes MP | Ouseburn Engine Works Activist | 199 |
| 1874 Halifax | Thomas Brassey MP Walter Morrison | Political | 189 |
| 1875 London | Prof. Thorold Rogers Thomas Hughes QC Walter Morrison | University of Oxford Activist | 114 |
| 1876 Glasgow | Professor Edward Caird George Anderson MP Mr Crabtree | Glasgow University | 116 |
| 1877 Leicester | Hon. Auberon Herbert Lloyd Jones Abraham Greenwood | Political Activist CWS | 162 |
| 1878 Manchester | Marquess of Ripon James Fraser, Bishop of Manchester Dr. John Watts | Honoured Guest Honoured Guest Activist | 273 |
| 1879 Gloucester | Professor James Stuart John Thomas Whitehead Mitchell Mr Crabtree | Cambridge University CWS; Rochdale Hebden Bridge | 131 |
| 1880 Newcastle upon Tyne | Joseph Barber Lightfoot, Bishop of Durham R.S. Watson H.R. Bailey | Honoured Guest Co-op Printing, Manchester | 174 |
| 1881 Leeds | Lord Derby Thomas Hughes QC James Crabtree | Honoured Guest Activist North Western Section | 310 |
| 1882 Oxford | Lord Reay Cllr Henry Pumphrey George Hines | Honoured Guest Lewes Building Ipswich | 294 |
| 1883 Edinburgh | Rt. Hon. William Edward Baxter MP William Maxwell John Allan | Political SCWS | 394 |
| 1884 Derby | Sedley Taylor, MA A. Scotton Cllr Hartley | Lincoln | 454 |
| 1885 Oldham | Lloyd Jones F. Hardern Lewis Feber | Activist Oldham Industrial Oldham Equitable | 578 |
| 1886 Plymouth | Earl of Morley Arthur Dyke Acland MP J.H. Young | Honoured Guest Political; Oxford University Plymouth | 406 |
| 1887 Carlisle | George Holyoake Sir Wilfrid Lawson MP Councillor Rule | Activist Honoured Guest | 464 |
| 1888 Dewsbury | Edward Vansittart Neale Marquess of Ripon John Cave | Co-operative Union Honoured Guest Dewsbury | 581 |
| 1889 Ipswich | Professor Alfred Marshall Ben Jones Geo Hines | Cambridge University Ipswich | 435 |
| 1890 Glasgow | Earl of Rosebery William Maxwell James Deans | Honoured Guest SCWS Kilmarnock | 654 |
| 1891 Lincoln | Arthur Dyke Acland MP D. M’Innes J. Hepworth | Political Lincoln Coventry Watchmakers | 580 |
| 1892 Rochdale | J.T.W. Mitchell, JP A. Greenwood T. Cheetham | CWS; Rochdale CWS Rochdale | 871 |
| 1893 Bristol | Councillor G. Hawkins Joseph Clay W.H. Brown | Oxford; CWS London Branch | 645 |
| 1894 Sunderland | T. Tweddell, JP J. McKendrick W. Crooks | Hartlepool; CWS Newcastle Branch | 722 |
| 1895 Huddersfield | George Thomson T. Bland JP J. Broadbent | William Thomson Industrial Partnership, 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 | D. McInnes | Lincoln | 932 |
| 1899 Liverpool | F. Hardern, JP | Oldham Industrial | 1205 |
| 1900 Cardiff | William Henry Brown | Newport | 1027 |
| 1901 Middlesbrough | J. Warwick | North Shields | 1138 |
| 1902 Exeter | G. Hawkins | Oxford; CWS London Branch | 1006 |
| 1903 Doncaster | J. Shillito | CWS; Halifax | 1150 |
| 1904 Stratford | A. Golightly | Stratford | 1376 |
| 1905 Paisley | William Maxwell | SCWS | 1318 |
| 1906 Birmingham | J.C. Gray, JP | Co-operative Union | 1320 |
| 1907 Preston | W. Lander | Bolton | 1492 |
| 1908 Newport | T.W. Allen | Blaina | 1334 |
| 1909 Newcastle upon Tyne | W.R. Rae | Sunderland | 1556 |
| 1910 Plymouth | H.J.A. Wilkins | Plymouth | 1442 |
| 1911 Bradford | George Thorpe | Dewsbury | 1615 |
| 1912 Portsmouth | William Openshaw | CWS London | 1489 |
| 1913 Aberdeen | James Deans | Kilmarnock | 1247 |
| 1914 Dublin | R. Fleming | Belfast | 1367 |
| 1915 Leicester | G. Bastard | Leicester | 1410 |
| 1916 Lancaster | W. Gregory, JP | Preston | 1345 |
| 1917 Swansea | E.R. Wood | Ton | 1044 |
| 1918 Liverpool | T. Killon | CWS | 1268 |
| 1919 Carlisle | F. Hayward | Burslem | 1559 |
| 1920 Bristol | G.A. Ramsay, BA | 1669 | |
| 1921 Scarborough | G. Major | Rotherham | 1515 |
| 1922 Brighton | Margaret Davies | Co-operative Women's Guild | 1411 |
| 1923 Edinburgh | R. Stewart | SCWS | 1571 |
| 1924 Nottingham | C.A.W. Saxton | Worcester | 1546 |
| 1925 Southport | W.E. Dudley, JP | CWS | 1709 |
| 1926 Belfast | W.J. 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 | T. Liddle, MBE, JP | Hartlepools | 1572 |
| 1931 Bournemouth | W.J. Salmon, JP | Colchester | 1619 |
| 1932 Glasgow | J. Downie | Wishaw | 1633 |
| 1933 Birmingham | J. Millington, JP | Birmingham | 1621 |
| 1934 Rhyl | A. Pickup | Birkenhead | 1734 |
| 1935 Cardiff | W.I. Edwards, JP | 1814 | |
| 1936 Newcastle upon Tyne | G. Riddle, CBE | Carlisle | 1772 |
| 1937 Bath | E.G. Haskins, JP | Bath | 1889 |
| 1938 Scarborough | J.J. Worley | Leicester | 1944 |
| 1939 Margate | W.B. Neville, JP | Royal Arsenal | 1957 |
| 1940 Glasgow | W. Gallacher, JP | SCWS | 1517 |
| 1941 Edinburgh | Sir Fred Hayward, JP | Burslem | 1063 |
| 1942 Edinburgh | Neil S. Beaton, JP | SCWS | 1263 |
| 1943 Edinburgh | T. 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 | 1770 | |
| 1948 Edinburgh | A.J. Tapping | Co-operative Press | 1796 |
| 1949 Scarborough | Thomas 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, 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, 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 |