Glenbuchat Heritage

34 Towie Oddfellow's Hall

OddFellows Towie

This article follows on from a previous article on The Masons and the Masonic Hall at Glenkindie

Pictures above are of:
Present Towie Hall
Site of Towie Oddfellow’s Hall
Newspaper reports of events in the Hall
Newspaper reports on the transfer of the Hall to the Parish Council

The following pages show the Rule Book of the Oddfellow’s Society of Glenkindie

1. Pages 1-7
2. Pages 8-13
3. Pages 14-19
4. Pages 20-24


The previous article outlined the history of the Masonic Lodge at the now named Glenkindie Hotel. Following the death of the Grand Master Sir Alexander Leith 1859, the son of Sir Alexander seems to have fallen out with the Masonic Lodge and they were evicted from the masonic Hall, the Glenkindie Arms.

Some time later the Members of the masonic lodge seem to have given up Freemasonry and adopted ‘Oddfellowship’ a similar society with similar interests but less based on the aristocracy.

The following explanation is from ‘The Universal Language of Freemasonry’

Oddfellowship differs from Masonry in respect to the classes of men who unite with it. Both these lodges are English in origin, but Freemasonry though having mechanic societies as a basis, from the beginning courted the aristocracy, and has for years had the Prince of Wales, now Edward VII, as its Grand Master. The result has been that it has become aristocratic in its membership, while Oddfellowship, starting also among the wage-earning classes, has never made progress in that direction. Crossing the ocean, the same difference in membership is apparent. In the United States Freemasons are of the professional and mercantile occupations, while Oddfellows are more largely mechanics, day laborers and farmers. Of course, there are exceptions, we speak only of the rule. It is also to be remembered that many men, especially those who seek for office, belong to both.

The Masons continued meeting at a member’s farm and were last mentioned in 1867.

The first mention of the Oddfellows Society is in the Huntly Express in 06 August 1887 which mentions:
Towie Picnic Games. -The Loyal Glenkindie Lodge No. 1091 of the National Independent Order of Oddfellows

Click for photo of members of the Glenkindie Oddfellow Society

In the papers of 1889 (see below) mention is made of the erection of a Hall in Towie to be initially the Hall for the Oddfellows.

In the ‘History of GB Hall’ it mentions that there was a fashion for building local Halls in the later 19th century

’The three neighbouring parishes of Towie, Strathdon and Corgarff each had a hall. Towie’s dated from 1890 and had been built for the Oddfellows (a quasi-masonic club). Strathdon was home to the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society dating from 1823, which had its own hall at Colquhonnie, built in the 1860. Corgarff village hall had been gifted by the Forbes Laird of Newe in the 1830s and rebuilt in 1892.’

The Aberdeen People's Journal of Saturday 23 November 1889 reports on the erection of the Towie Hall

TOWIE. Erection of a Hall.
The erection of a hall for the parish of Towie, which has been spoken fur number of years back, now verging towards completion. One thing is, that it is an Oddfellows' hall, not a public hall. The length the hall is 56 feet, and the width it 24 feet, Two Committee rooms are provided, each 14 feet by 12 feet. The total length of the structure is 76 feet, and the height the walls is 14 feet.

Mr William Ross, Mill of Glenkindie, the only slump offeror, is contractor in all the department of the work, for which he is to £2ll, exclusive of cartage. The Oddfellows have exerted themselves greatly to collect the money defray the cost the hall, and about half the aum required is bow their hands. It is expected that a considerable amount will be raised when the hall is opened, and that event will take place about the New Year, when a concert and ball is to arranged.

The Aberdeen Press and Journal of Tuesday 22 January 1901 reports on a concert and dance in the New Hall.

’Towie. Oddfellows' Concert and Ball.
Glenkindie Lodge of Oddfellows held their thirteenth annual concert and ball in the hall here on Friday evening, and, usual, it was very largely attended, and most successfully carried through. The air was occupied by Rev. Alex Jack, chaplain the lodge, who. his opening remarks. referred .to the balance sheet for the year, ending 31st December last, which had been put, into his hands by the energetic secretary, Mr James Thomson.

The sick and funeral fund; amounted .to £174- 12s 9id, and about £20 in sick benefit had been paid to members, leaving the substantial credit balance of £154- 12s 9£d. About £25' had been spent on improvements on the hall, and a series of excellent regulations for the conduct of meetings in the hall had been adopted and printed. He congratulated the members the increasing usefulness and prosperity of the lodge. He described a model Oddfellow a patriotic man, a man of public spirit, generous man, and a God-fearing man.

As showing the hold that friendly societies had taken upon the country, mentioned that last year there were over 30.000 separate branches, with about 12,000,000 members, and the funds amounted to the enormous total £110,000,000. A very large amount of suffering had been saved these benefit societies. and wonderful training had been afforded in business and in the practical difficulties of administration thousands their members.

A very enjoyable musical programme was then gone through It was supplied by Henderson's company from Aberdeen, and was thoroughly appreciated. Mr Henderson rendered a fine selection Scotch airs on the piano, and, besides playing with exquisite taste and expression the accompaniments to the songs, was loudly applauded for his humorous sketch and for his song, by request, "Robin Tampon's Smiddy." The other artistes were Miss Matthew. Ma* Park, Mr G. A. Park, who rendered his songs with powerful effect; Mr Windsor, who created roars of laughter his admirable acting and singing and a banjo medley. All the performers were enthusiastically received and loudly encored. The arrangements reflected great credit on the secretary and the Managing Committee. A numerously attended assembly followed, with Messrs Mackie and Lawrence as M.C.'s Mr Innes's band from Tarland supplied music, and altogether the proceedings passed off very successfully.’

In 1900 there was a Dinner at Towie, to the Glenkindie Tenants and the disagreement with Capt. Leith seems to have been resolved.
.
Captain Leith of on Tuesday night entertained to dinner the tenants on the Glenkindie and Deskry estates. The dinner is an annual event. It was held in the Oddfellows Hall, Glenkindie, and was very largely attended. Captain Leith, who had obtained abort leave of absence from the Aberdeenshire Militia at Aldershot, presided in person, and proposed the loyal toasts and the toast of “The Tenantry’ and Mr Thomson. replied, the proceedings were most harmonious

In 1913 the hall was transferred to the Parish Council to undertake its management. See newspaper report above. The mention of the Societies ‘Debt Committee’ must raise the possibility that the Society were unable to finance the maintenance of the hall.