Arthur Webb (co-operator)
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Arthur Webb, (8 July 1868 – 16 October 1952) was an English co-operator who is best known for his work in the
Co-operative Permanent Building Society The Co-operative Permanent Building Society was a mutual organization, mutual building society, providing mortgage law, mortgages and savings accounts to its members. Its head office was located at New Oxford House in London.Thomas Burgess Webb and Catherine (née Young) Webb, was born in
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,
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on 8 July 1868. He had an older brother Thomas (26 August 1857 – 14 June 1866) and older sister Katherine 'Kate' (1859 – 29 July 1947). He was educated at Sir Walter St John's Grammar School. His father was one of the founders of the
Co-operative Permanent Building Society The Co-operative Permanent Building Society was a mutual organization, mutual building society, providing mortgage law, mortgages and savings accounts to its members. Its head office was located at New Oxford House in London. and Webb followed in his footsteps when he was appointed secretary of the Co-operative Permanent Building Society in 1892; joined the board in 1927; held the position of managing director between 1928 and 1939, then became president and continued on the board until 1951. According to Mike Cassell, author of ''Inside Nationwide'', Webb believed that "building societies represented a golden opportunity to raise the standard of living for millions of ordinary people" and much of the early success of the Society can be ascribed to Webb's hard work and determination.
Albert Mansbridge Albert Mansbridge, Order of the Companions of Honour, CH (10 January 1876, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England – 22 August 1952, Torquay, Devon) was an English educator who was one of the pioneers of adult education in Britain. He is best know ...
, who wrote ''Brick Upon Brick'', also praised Webb's abilities and focus at the Co-operative Permanent Building Society. In 1930, Webb wrote a short reflective article on the foundation of the Society in which he described the motivation of the Society members to provide houses for people and the value of homeownership to those who had been tenants. Over 50 years, and by 1934, the Society had provided homes for about 208,000 people in 52,000 houses, having provided more than 26 million pounds in mortgages. During the Second World War, Webb's home in Wimbledon was bombed and destroyed on 18 September 1940 and he and his family moved to High Wycombe to share a small bungalow with the family of the Society's secretary who has also lost his home due to bombing. Later that same year, Webb stepped down as president while retaining his place on the board. The minutes record that a cheque for £1000 was to be presented to him in appreciation for his work for the Society and to help recover from the bombing. In 1942, his book ''Signposts of Building Society Finance'' was published. Webb retired from the board in 1951. On his departure he presented the society with a shield which was to be presented each year to the branch or office which had made the most outstanding contribution to the Society's prestige and progress. The Arthur Webb Challenge Cup (as it was known) was then awarded every year until the early 1970s. Arthur Webb died on 16 October 1952 at home in
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, London. His death was recorded in the minutes of the next board meeting of the Co-operative Permanent Building Society. His wife was the cookery writer and broadcaster Mrs Arthur Webb.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Webb, Arthur 1868 births 1952 deaths Businesspeople from London Executives of cooperative societies British cooperative organizers Building society founders English financial company founders