Thetford – Oddfellows Hall

The Odd Fellows were craftsmen who didn’t fit into the usual trades, so they weren’t part of a guild. Well, that’s probably how they were formed, some historians seem to argue a bit with that and much is lost to history unfortunately.

The hall in Thetford was constructed in 1891 and more recently from 1985 until 2017 it was used as a snooker hall. The building was used for theatrical purposes from shortly after its opening and was being used as a cinema by the First World War.

Oswald Mosley spoke at the hall on Saturday 7 September 1935 in a meeting organised by the South West Norfolk Fascist Constituency Association, with tickets being free of charge.

The building is currently being sold for £350,000, which seems a little on the low side, and hopefully it won’t be turned into housing. There is perhaps a better use for the building than that, something which ensures that the public can still gain access to this interesting structure.