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The 1903 and 1906 Kelly's Directories list an
Oddfellows Hall in Cottingham. In 1903, the secretary was Henry Blissett
and in 1906 William Baker.
The Oddfellows Hall would have been a
public hall providing a meeting place for the villagers.
The Oddfellows Society dates back as far as
1730, but it was actually an illegal organisation during much of the 18th
Century. At a time when there was no welfare state, no NHS and no trade
unions, the society was established to look after its members as and
when they needed help, but it was viewed by government and politicians as
a potential hotbed of revolt.
It is thought that the term ‘Oddfellows’
evolved from a description of members of a guild from a variety of trades.
The Oddfellows were legalised in 1850, and
are still going strong today. See
www.oddfellows.co.uk
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