Oddfellows Hall

Hidden within the futuristic landscape of the Manchester Engineering Campus Development stands Oddfellows Hall. A curious time traveler, isn’t she? This ornate Edwardian Baroque building whispers tales of a bygone era. Oddfellows Hall proudly bears the name of the Oddfellows Society, a fraternity established in 1810. Their roots, however, allegedly stretch back to ancient Babylon. The Oddfellows, or “Oddies,” were craftsmen from smaller trades, considered “odd” because they didn’t fit into the established guilds. Oddfellows Hall, built in 1857 and rebuilt in 1916, served as their Manchester home. Their meetings, shrouded in secrecy, took place in lodges, often pubs like “The Oddfellows Arms.” This secrecy, with its passwords and oaths, aroused government suspicion during the French Revolution, forcing the Oddfellows underground. Inside Oddfellows Hall, elaborate Art Nouveau tiles and a terrazzo floor with a mosaic of the Oddfellows crest reveal their motto: friendship, love, and truth. The three links symbolize this motto, a visual language for members who often couldn’t read. In the 1960s, the University acquired Oddfellows Hall, prompting the Oddfellows Society to relocate. The University initially planned to demolish the hall. However, fate intervened, and it became a temporary home for the Manchester Museum of Science and Technology. Later, it played a crucial role in the merger of two universities, forming the University of Manchester. Today, Oddfellows Hall stands as a testament to Manchester’s vibrant past. A charming anomaly amidst the modern structures of the MECD, it reminds us that even in the face of progress, history finds a way to endure.