History of Oddfellows Hall
Andrew Walker from The Survey of Lincoln charts this history of one of several empty buildings near the city centre.
ODDFELLOWS’ Hall was built to house the Lincoln branch of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows and nine of its city-based lodges.
The organisation was a friendly society, providing its members with financial support at times of illness. As Lincoln’s mayor noted at the original building’s opening in 1879, friendly societies provided ‘self-help, brotherly kindness and sympathy in time of sickness’. These were important institutions prior to the welfare state’s arrival.
Occupying the north of Unity Square, the building comprises the original structure to the east and a substantial extension, with a frontage on Broadgate, which was opened as part of the city’s celebrations for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee on 22 June 1897.
The original structure, designed by Drury and Mortimer, has an Italian medieval-style frontage. It is built of red brick, from Waddington, with dressings of durable artificial stone, much less expensive than ordinary stone.
This original building can be discerned by the series of foundation stones inscribed with the names of representatives from the original friendly society lodges that were based there. The complex included a large hall, lodge rooms, ground-floor offices for letting, a medical institute with dispensary, and the Medical Officer’s residence.
In 1877, the Oddfellows bought a substantial block of land bordering the northern side of what became known as Unity Square, and part of Broadgate. This included cottages that were demolished to make way for the new hall, and also the ‘Brown Cow’ hotel on Broadgate.
It was decided to purchase this to supply the Hall, and the hotel remained in the Oddfellows’ ownership until 1892. The hotel’s name was changed in 1878 to ‘Unity Hotel’ in order to be ‘in harmony with the objects of Oddfellowship’. This inspired the Corporation’s renaming of the square in front of the Hall, which had been known as Jobbers’ Square, in recognition of the pig dealers who, until relatively recently, had held their market there.
The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows in Lincoln had 1297 members in 1874; by 1900, its membership comprised 6209. This growth prompted the need for the substantial extension - a 72-feet by 36-feet addition. It was designed by William Mortimer and was described as being ‘in harmony with the existing building’ but was three storeys high rather than two.
The Broadgate elevation was designed more elaborately to be in keeping with some of the other new buildings lining the thoroughfare.
The tenants of the Oddfellows included the architect William Mortimer, and the Lincoln Land and Building Society. Two relieving officers and a clerk to the Board of Guardians were also accommodated. By 1919, tenants included the Pearl Insurance Company and the Lincoln Spiritualist Alliance, making rather odd bed fellows.
During the Second World War the building was occupied by the Ministry of Food which administered local rationing. In 1947, Oddfellows’ Hall was acquired by the engineering firm Ruston & Hornsby, opening shortly afterwards as a club, where, on payment of one penny a week, the company’s employees could make use of a library, billiards room, games rooms, a ladies’ room and an assembly hall for whist drives, dances and concerts. Ruston’s Club closed in 1981.
Subsequently, the building has been a venue for wedding receptions, concerts and discos, a hostel and student accommodation. Schemes for the building’s use as a hotel or apartment block have remained unrealised. Hopefully, some future productive purpose can be found for this impressive building.
