Oddfellows' Lodges

The Oddfellows is fraternal society consisting of lodges and which traces its history to the first half of the 18th Century.

The early Oddfellows lodges split along political lines during Jacobite Risings to form the Order of Patriotic Oddfellows (favouring William III of England) and the Ancient Order of Oddfellows (favouring the House of Stuart) before amalgamating as the politically neutral Grand United Order of Oddfellows[1] in 1798.

In the North of England, the 19th Century saw a number of breakaways from the parent Grand United Order organisation, including the Independent Order of Oddfellows (Manchester Unity) in 1810, the Ancient Noble Order of Oddfellows (Bolton Unity)[2] in 1832, and the National Independent Order of Oddfellows[3] in 1846.

The Huddersfield Unity district branch was affiliated to the Grand United Order and was reportedly formed in 1815.

As was the case with other Friendly Societies, each lodge had a name and a number. In some cases, the name was linked to the meeting place where the lodge was initially formed.

The List of the Lodges Composing the Independent Order of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity (1876) gave the following membership totals for the Manchester Unity lodges in the area:

  • Clayton West — 1,398 members in 8 lodges
  • Holmfirth — 1,006 members in 9 lodges
  • Holthead — 517 members in 3 lodges
  • Huddersfield — 2,015 members in 14 lodges
  • Kirkburton — 590 members in 4 lodges
  • Penistone — 272 members in 3 lodges

Local Lodges

The following is an attempt to compile a list of the lodges in the Huddersfield area, based on local newspaper reports:

Lodge No. Lodge Name Locality Affiliation Formed Meeting Places
173 Achieved Longroyd Bridge Bolton Unity 1846 Nag's Head and Electricians Hotel
354 Albion Honley Manchester Unity 1829 Coach and Horses Inn
Band of Hope Stalybridge ? Fleece Inn
435 Beaumont Kirkheaton Manchester Unity 1831 Spangled Bull Inn
573 Benevolence Longroyd Bridge Grand United Albion Inn
1691 Beulah Shepley Manchester Unity 1839 Stag's Head
4415 Blooming Rose Stalybridge Manchester Unity 1852 Mechanics' Arms
550 Bond of Friendship Lockwood Huddersfield Unity 1841 Swan Inn
1083 Bonny English Rose Lockwood Huddersfield Unity 1850 Victoria Hotel
272 Britons Glory Hillhouse Bolton Unity Harp Inn and Thornhill Arms
128 Cawthorne Clayton West Manchester Unity 1824 Jolly Sailors Inn
2416 Children of Israel Holmfirth Manchester Unity 1840 Royal Oak and Albert Hotel
287 Commercial Freedom Dalton Bolton Unity Junction Hotel
675 Conquering Hero Huddersfield Grand United 1841 or 1844 Plough Inn
Cornwallis Huddersfield Manchester Unity 1830 Swan With Two Necks
46 Cornwallis Moldgreen Manchester Unity 1825 Commercial Inn & Kings Arms Inn
429 Dartmouth Almondbury Manchester Unity 1830 Woolpack Inn
Earl of Dartmouth Slaithwaite independent Shoulder of Mutton Inn
698 Economist Huddersfield? Grand United 1845
185 Economy Hillhouse Bolton Unity 1839 Fox and Grapes Inn and Fitzwilliam Hotel
597 Faith Huddersfield Bolton Unity Hope and Charity
182 Fidelity Huddersfield Bolton Unity 1850 Vulcan Inn
499 Friendly Call Netherton Manchester Unity 1831 Fleece Inn, Rose and Crown Inn, Commercial Inn, and Oddfellows' Hall
446 Friendly Drop Heckmondwike Manchester Unity 1830 Blanket Hall
1221 Friendly Refuge Holmfirth Grand United 1858 Shoulder of Mutton Inn
1207 Friendship Meltham Mills Manchester Unity 1837 Friendship Inn and Oddfellows' Lodge Room
241 Friendship Huddersfield Bolton Unity 1852 Albion Hotel and Albert Hotel
27 Friendship Saddleworth Manchester Unity Commercial Inn
5381 Friendship Huddersfield Manchester Unity 1866 Royal Oak Hotel
720 Friendship's Protection Cleckheaton Manchester Unity 1833 Pack Horse Inn
655 Fruitful Vine Huddersfield Grand United 1843 or 1844 Grey Horse Inn and Clothiers Arms Inn
Garibaldi Lindley National Independent Friendly Inn
589 Good Intent Emley Manchester Unity 1832 Oddfellows' Old House
Good Samaritan Lindley Manchester Unity 1829 or 1853[4] Red Lion Inn and Saddle Inn
Good Samaritan Lindley National Independent Saddle Inn
543 Good Samaritan Lepton Manchester Unity 1831 White Horse Inn
698 Good Samaritan Upperthong Manchester Unity 1833 George and Dragon Inn and Royal Oak
94 Grand Union Huddersfield Grand United 1824 Zetland Hotel
792 Harmonic Revived Kirkheaton Manchester Unity 1833 Spinners Arms
784 Harmonium Lindley National Independent 1870 New Inn
Heart of Honesty Huddersfield National Independent White Hart Inn
813 Hill of Glory Shelley Manchester Unity 1834 Commercial Inn
204 Honesty Moldgreen Bolton Unity 1850 Navigation Tavern and Staff of Life
745 Hope Huddersfield Grand United 1845 Pack Horse Hotel and Globe Hotel
864 Hope Penistone Manchester Unity 1834 White Hart
138 Hospitality Holthead Manchester Unity 1823 Dyers Arms
1081 Invitation Huddersfield Manchester Unity 1836 Wheat Sheaf, Ramsden Arms Hotel, Grey Horse Inn, and Albion Hotel
544 Jacob's Tent Honley Grand United Waggon and Horses Inn
746 Jacob's Tent Honley Grand United Waggon and Horses Inn
1061 Lily of the Valley Crosland Moor National Independent 1883 Junction Hotel
2799 Lily of the Valley Stocksmoor Manchester Unity 1860 Clothiers Arms
3446 Lily of the Valley Scissett Manchester Unity 1843 Crown Inn
358 Lily of the Valley Armitage Bridge Manchester Unity 1829 Black Bull Hotel
954 Lily of the Valley Huddersfield Huddersfield Unity 1849 Fleece Inn
748 Lord Viscount Milton Denby Dale Manchester Unity 1833 White Hart Inn
736 Mount Ararat Holmfirth Grand United 1845 Rising Sun Inn
Mount Pleasant Stalybridge ? 1830 Albion Inn
Mount Zion Lindley National Independent Albion
256 Napier Huddersfield Bolton Unity 1854 Old Hat Inn
750 New Creation Huddersfield Huddersfield Unity Albion Hotel
230 New Year Meltham Manchester Unity 1827
4826 Offspring of the Loyal Hope Thurlestone Manchester Unity 1849 Blacksmiths' Arms
443 Peace and Progress Huddersfield National Independent 1851 Old Hat Inn
4960 Peaceful Home Holmfirth Manchester Unity 1861 Waggon and Horses Inn and Crown Hotel
1765 Perseverance Huddersfield Manchester Unity 1840 Green Dragon Inn and Crown Hotel
409 Perseverance Huddersfield National Independent 1858 Saracen's Head Inn
215 Philanthropic Huddersfield? Bolton Unity 1851? Kayes Arms Inn
574 Philanthropist Moldgreen Grand United Green Cross Inn
Poor Man's Temperance Refuge Kirkheaton National Independent 1868 Fox and Hounds Inn
Primrose Primrose Hill National Independent 1871 Primrose Inn
229 Progressive Friendship Huddersfield National Independent Crown Hotel and Plumbers Hotel
728 Properous Kirkburton Grand United (Leeds Unity) Grapes Inn and Rose and Crown Inn
189 Prosper Honley Bolton Unity 1850 Wheatsheaf Inn
208 Prosperity Huddersfield Bolton Unity Boy and Barrel Inn
707 Prosperity Longwood Grand United Rose and Crown Inn
299 Queen of the Valley Huddersfield Bolton Unity 1859 Wharf Inn and Friendly Trade Societies' Club
9 Queen of the Valley Huddersfield Huddersfield Unity? Friendly Trade Societies' Club
232 Redemption Marsden Manchester Unity 1827 New Inn
461 Richmond Huddersfield Bolton Unity 1866 Richmond Inn and Boy and Barrel Inn
243 Robert Burns Clayton West Manchester Unity 1827 or 1833 Commercial Inn
254 Rose and Shamrock Huddersfield Bolton Unity Spotted Cow Inn
5169 Rose of Denmark Milnsbridge Manchester Unity 1863 Horse and Groom
Rose of Sharon Elland National Independent Fleece Inn
1060 Royal George Holmfirth Grand United 1852 Friendship Inn
5656 Son of Redemption Marsden Manchester Unity 1869 New Inn and Railway Hotel
4905 Spring of Industry Kirkburton Manchester Unity 1860 Spring Grove Tavern
286 Standard of Freedom Lockwood National Independent Shoulder of Mutton Inn
1384 Star of Providence New Mill Manchester Unity 1838 Shoulder of Mutton Inn
738 Star of Providence Thongsbridge Grand United 1866 Royal Oak
675 Stranger's Refuge Huddersfield Manchester Unity 1847 White Horse Inn and Albion Hotel
74 Stranger's Refuge Lockwood National Independent 1832 Red Lion Inn
263 Tradesmen Lindley Bolton Unity 1856 Bay Horse Inn
767 True Brothers Mirfield Manchester Unity 1832 Oddfellows' Hall
1 Truth and Sincerity Huddersfield? National Independent 1833 Fox and Grapes Inn
399 Union Shepley Bolton Unity Black Bull Inn
844 United Brotherhood Paddock Huddersfield Unity 1845 Angel Inn
282 Unity and Economy Huddersfield Huddersfield Unity 1833 Bull's Head Inn
156 Unity and Peace Deighton Grand United 1829 Woolpack
Valley of Prosperity Kirkburton Bolton Unity Spring Grove Tavern
Victoria Dobcross, Saddleworth Manchester Unity King's Head Inn
Victoria Lepton Grand United 1839 White Horse Inn
395 Victory Huddersfield Manchester Unity 1816 New Inn and Albert Hotel
244 Village Pride Paddock National Independent 1846 Angel Inn and Farmer Boy Inn
353 Weavers' Glory Skelmanthorpe Manchester Unity 1827 or 1830 Globe Inn
447 Well of Salvation Kirkburton Manchester Unity 1830 Royal Hotel and George Inn
15 Wellington Huddersfield Manchester Unity 1815 Wellington Inn and Swan With Two Necks
6 Wellington Huddersfield National Independent 1815 Plough Inn
178 Western Star Huddersfield Bolton Unity Mitre Inn
416 Who Could Have Thought It Huddersfield Huddersfield Unity 1838 Cross Keys Inn and Albion Hotel
462 William the Fourth Holmbridge Manchester Unity 1830 New Inn
245 Yorkshire Delight Sheepridge Grand United 1833 Butchers Arms
204 Yorkshireman Holmfirth Manchester Unity 1825 White Hart Inn
4357 Youthful Hope Penistone Manchester Unity 1850 Spread Eagle Inn
158 ? Lindley Bolton Unity Cavalry Arms Inn, Bay Horse Inn, and Royal Hotel
277 ? Cowcliffe Bolton Unity
307 ? Cleckheaton Bolton Unity
340 ? Mirfield Bolton Unity
360 ? Milnsbridge Bolton Unity
832 ? Honley Ancient Order of United Oddfellows? Wheat Sheaf Inn
Notes
  • A question mark denotes an unknown value or a degree of uncertainty.
  • In a small number of cases, just one reference to a lodge was found and it gave only partial information.

Extant Lodges

The following are the known surviving local lodges:

  • Victory (No. 395) now meets at Cowlersley, Huddersfield (web site)
  • Stranger's Refuge (No. 675) now meets at the Elephant & Castle Inn, Holmfirth (web site)

Oddfellows' Halls

The Oddfellows built several meeting halls in the district, including:

Oddfellows' Arms

A number of beerhouses, public houses and inns were meeting places of the Oddfellows and named accordingly:

Further Reading

Notes and References

  1. Often abbreviated to G.U.O.O.
  2. Often abbreviated to A.N.N.O.B.U.
  3. Often abbreviated to N.I.O.O.
  4. Reports of the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies (1886).
  5. Huddersfield Chronicle (13/Jul/1850).