Historical information

These stamps, with three of them used as official Common Seals, belonged to the Warrnambool Co-operative Society Limited and its associate business, the Warrnambool & District Artificial Breeders’ Co-operative Society Limited. This co-operative group of businesses was established in 1960 as the Allansford & District Artificial Breeders’ Co-operative Society to provide herd improvement services to district farmers. In the mid 1970s it had become the Warrnambool Co-operative Society Limited with other associated businesses and had a retail store in Timor Street with other services established in other local buildings. The co-operative gradually expanded until by the late 1990s it had 8000 members, 84 full-time employees and 120 casual employees and, by the 21st century a complex of new buildings in Warrnambool. The Warrnambool Co-op, as it was known, closed in 2007.

Significance

These stamps and Common Seals are mementoes of the Warrnambool & District Co-operative Society Ltd, an important group of businesses in Warrnambool for over 30 years. Many local people were members of this co-operative venture.

Physical description

These are four stamps from the Warrnambool Co-Operative Society Limited and its associated businesses:-
1. Circular blue Common Seal on a square wooden base with a black plastic handle.
2. Circular blue Common Seal on a square glass base with a red plastic handle.
3. Oblong black stamp on a plastic base with a grey plastic handle.
4. Circular blue Common Seal on a wood and glass base with no handle.
The four stamps have the relevant printed material on the back of the stamps to indicate the nature of the stamp.

Inscriptions & markings

1. & 2. ‘The Common Seal of Warrnambool Co-operative Society Ltd.’
3. ‘Warrnambool & District Artificial Breeders’ C-operative Society Pty.Ltd. 38 Fairy Street Warrnambool 3280’
4. ‘The Common Seal of Warrnambool & District Artificial Breeders’ Co-operative Society Limited’