Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes

The RAOB was founded in the Harp Tavern (opposite the Drury Lane Theatre) by the artist Joseph Lisle and comedian William Sinnett, along with stage hands and theatre technicians, in August 1822. It drew its then name of The Buffaloes from a popular song of the time: We'll chase the Buffalo. This first meeting is historically the Harponian Lodge. As members toured the country with various shows, lodges were opened in other towns.

During the 19th century the Order spread throughout the British Commonwealth and lodges now exist in Britain, Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Middle East, India, Africa, Gibraltar and Cyprus.

As the Order spread through the United Kingdom, when a lodge opened in a new area, it became a Mother Lodge, from which subsequent Minor Lodges would be opened. The Mother Lodge would support and advise new lodges on rules and administration of membership. These Mother Lodges developed into the body responsible for administration and organisation, and as the Order grew District Grand Lodges and later Provincial Grand Lodges were opened.

There are references to a Grand Lodge pre-dating the Grand Primo Lodge. The name and nature of that early Grand Lodge is unknown.[2]

In April 1866 the Grand Primo Lodge (later known as the Grand Lodge of England) was formed to control the Order, to set laws, to establish procedures and manage administration. Divisions within the Order led to break-ups and the Grand Lodge of England fractured into smaller 'Banners' between which there was often rivalry. The 'Grand Surrey Banner' proclaimed itself Mother Lodge of the World. Another Banner became the Grand Lodge of England Ltd, wrongly believing that by forming as a company they could gain exclusive usage of the name of the Order. Dozens of Banners were created around London and elsewhere.

Some of the various banners that split from the Grand Lodge include:

• Grand Surrey Lodge
• Grand Surrey Banner
• Grand Middlesex Banner
• Grand Executive Banner

The Seditious Meetings Acts of the 19th century affected the gatherings of clubs throughout Britain. To counteract this and show the Buffaloes were not subversive to the interests of the state, the Order described itself as the "Loyal Order of Buffaloes". The word "loyal" was often mispronounced as royal, and this soon stuck. The addition of "antediluvian" (meaning before the time of the flood in the Bible, and referring to the Order's principles)[3] occurred in the 1850s. Hence the honorifics of "royal" and "antediluvian" have no meaning besides adding a mock solemnity to its fellowship status. In the same way, the order has nothing to do with the buffalo.

Legally, the use of the word "Royal" in any organisational or business title in the UK requires a royal warrant from a reigning monarch. Under legislation in Section 4 (1) of the Trade Marks Act 1994, the Lord Chamberlain's Office has the right to take legal action if permission for the term 'royal' is not granted. However, as the Buffaloes have been using the prefix 'royal' since the 1840s, the Lord Chamberlain's Office permits its continued use on the grounds of long usage, with the proviso that the Order conducts itself in a manner that does not disgrace its use of the term.

First World War RAOB GLE Ambulance c. 1916

The First World War led to temporary or even permanent closure of many Lodges due to the enlistment of members. The Buffs supported the war effort through supplying motor ambulances to bring wounded soldiers back from the front lines. Initially six motorised ambulances were purchased, and sent with each one operated by 'Volunteer Buffs'. More followed and, on their return after the war, the ambulances formed the first ambulance service in England.

In 1926, Lord Alverstone succeeded in persuading the Order to purchase Grove House, Harrogate, for use as an orphanage to which every active member contributed a ha'penny (half of one old penny).[4] When the orphanage was no longer a requirement after the state took over responsibility for orphans, the Order began a new charity fund which is still in place today.

Ingham, Queensland, 1935

During the Second World War, the Order offered Grove House for use as a military hospital.

Two Lodges stand out has having been unique during the war years. They were the Changi POW Lodge, formed without dispensation, in Changi POW Camp. The other was the Hohenfels Lodge in Stalag 383.

This was a boom time for the Order. Particularly in the British Forces. There was a Lodge opened in Japan as part of Japan Occupation forces following the end of the Wa. There were Lodges opened in Air Force bases all over Western Germany. There was a Buffalo Lodge set up on Christmas Island. There was a Lodge opened in Korea during the Korean War as well and Lodges opened in Malaya, and Borneo and Singapore.

In 1949, an international convention in Glasgow reported over 1000 attendees from around 4000 lodges, and was to celebrate 130 years of the Order. Sir Andrew Murray, the Lord Provost, addressed the conference.[5]

Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes Civil and Military Lodge, Whittington, Staffordshire, c. 1920

The RAOB continues its work in the local community, helping those its members promise to assist in times of difficulty or need. Minor Lodges throughout the United Kingdom and the rest of the world raise money for charities and charitable causes.

As with many organisations dating from the pre-Victorian period, there has been a noticeable decline in membership since a boom in the 1970s. By 2012 Scotland's oldest lodge, the Royal Edinburgh Lodge No. 854, was down to 25 members.[6]

There are four degrees within the RAOB:

1. Brother (1st degree) (Kangaroo)
2. Certified Primo (2nd degree)
3. Knight of the Order of Merit (Knight Sir) (3rd degree)
4. Roll Of Honour (Right Honourable Sir) (4th degree)

In a Minor Lodge, there are 12 officers:

The earliest surviving references of Buffaloism in New Zealand are to be found in a now rare out of print book The History of Lyttleton Lodge No 8, by Bro. James Tihema RoH. Bro.Tihema delves into the subject of the early Lodges in Canterbury, of the Lodges established under the Grand Surrey Lodge in the 1880s. There was a Grand Lodge of New Zealand formed, under the Grand Surrey Lodge. There were at least 6 Minor Lodges formed in the Canterbury Region including the masonic sounding "Royal Arch of Friendship Lodge" opened in Ashburton, and the "Royal Lyttleton Lodge No 756".

According to old New Zealand Buffalo Review reports from Lyttleton Lodge No 8, the present day Lyttleton Lodge No 8 was formed in the early 1920s from the merger of the old Grand Surrey Lodge in Canterbury with the new emerging Grand Lodge of England movement.

In Petone Wellington in 1916, Bro Earnest Lacy RoH led the formation of the first Lodge in Wellington, established under the Grand Surrey Banner. It was called Tuatahi Lodge no 2094 GSB. From this Lodge was begun a short lived Grand New Zealand Banner.

Prior to 1922, there were Buffalo Lodges in New Zealand, of the Grand Lodge of England Order. Such as Ye Petitor Lodge No 2674 and Wakatu Lodge in Nelson.

At the end of WW1 soldier Brothers in the Torquay Demobilization Camp formed Ye Petitor Lodge No 2674 G.L.E. Dispensation was granted in 1919. The Lodge was then transported to Christchurch New Zealand. In 1922, at the formation of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand, Ye Petitor 2674 became No 1 on the Roll of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand of G.L.E.

Lodges formed under The Grand Lodge of New Zealand of G.L.E. would continue to have an English G.L.E. Number issued to them until at least as late as 1931 which is when the Grand Lodge of England Granted the Grand Lodge of New Zealand its independence. It is still in fraternal accord with the G.L.E. but is independent of it.

The First Buffalo Lodge to be formed on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island was the Mt Rochfort Lodge No 29 on Denniston opened in 1924. The founder was a Bro. James Henry Insull RoH, who became Grand Primo of New Zealand in 1943. He was originally from Abistillry South Wales.

The Grand Council Banner are one of two legitimate Buffalo Orders in operation in New Zealand today. The other, and much larger Order being the Grand Lodge of New Zealand of G.L.E. The matter of legitimacy is important. In order for members to be recognized when traveling overseas, or for foreign members, to visit New Zealand Lodges, such need to be part of a recognized order. There is a process for gaining recognition and it involves the All Sections Committee, representing all the established Buffalo Orders. Currently only the Grand Lodge of New Zealand of G.L.E. hold recognition in respect to New Zealand.

The Grand Council came about as a result of the amalgamation of the Grand Surrey Banner and a number of smaller Buffalo Orders in 1925-26. The first Grand Surrey Banner Lodge in New Zealand for which there exists some evidence, was Tuatahi Lodge in Petone. However, it had gone into its own banner by 1920. In 1920 the Lord Jellicoe Lodge No 3010 G.S.B. was opened in Devonport Auckland by Naval Brothers. In 1926 it would become No 1 of the New Zealand Roll of Grand Council. The second Lodge to be established, which would become No 2 of the Grand Council, was the Chatham Lodge on HMS Chatham. This Lodge would later transfer to HMS Dunedin before being closed and replaced by a G.E.B. Buffalo Lodge.

The Past Present and Future Lodge No 3 of Grand Council New Zealand, was opened in September of 1922 in the Queens Hall Paget Street Ponsonby in Auckland. Early members include a Bro Charles Reeves and a number of Naval Brethren. As of May 2022 the Lodge is still in operation, now in Avondale, in Auckland, and celebrates 100 years this year. It is the oldest Surviving Buffalo Lodge in the North Island of New Zealand.

In 1947 the New Zealand Sub Council of Grand Council was granted charter from the Grand Council in England. The First Grand President of New Zealand Sub Council was Bro. Charles Coggins RoH, A Locomotive engineer on the New Zealand Government Railways, who was killed in the Te Kaupakapa Railway Accident in 1952. A lodge was opened in honour of him.

The G.E.B. was first formed in New Zealand, in Dunedin around 1920. The first Lodge was Otago G.E.B. No 1. A second Lodge formed was the Royal Athenic Lodge in Port Chalmers, also under the Grand Executive Banner. Royal Athenic would later shift allegiance to the Grand Lodge of New Zealand of the Grand Lodge of England and obtained a dispensation and was number 17 on the Grand Lodge of New Zealand roll.

The Grand Executive Banner established a Zealandia Council and Executive. G.E.B had a good relationship with the Naval Lodge Chatham No 2 of the Grand Council. Eventually the Chatham members separated from Grand Council and formed a G.E.B. Lodge aboard HMS Dunedin.

In or around 1927 G.E.B. Fell out of favour with both the Grand Council and the Grand Lodge of New Zealand and was forbidden from any fraternal connections. This included being barred from the New Zealand Buffalo Recorder.

A short lived attempt to establish a New Zealand Buffalo Order. At least 7 Lodges were formed under the Grand New Zealand Banner but the Order was disbanded in the mid 1920s, on account of having no legitimate connection to an English Order.

There have been a number of Floating Dispensation or Moveable Lodges operating in New Zealand.

• The Chatham Lodge No 2 Grand Council
• The Diomede Lodge No 32 Grand Lodge of New Zealand of G.L.E.
• Monowai Lodge No 139 Grand Lodge of New South Wales East
• Our Navy Lodge No 184 Grand Lodge of New Zealand of G.L.E.

The Harbour Lights Lodge NZ No 72 of Grand Council was opened in 1957 on Waiheke Island. It was opened by the Grand Primo of Auckland Grand Lodge GC, Bro Tom Lane KoM. In 2007, Bro Stinger Martin was one of the last left alive to have attended the opening of the Lodge. Another of the old members still alive in 2007 was Les Foster KoM. In the early years the Lodge met in Palm Beach Hall, which had been built by a Brother buff and was intended for the Buffs and Local community to use. Eventually the Buffs built their own Lodge Hall out of an old Army Hutt from the Stoney Batter Base. The men's Lodge was later joined by a Ladies lodge as well. Many happy times were had by members and visitors. In the later days of the Lodge, one of the key members was Rod Murray, well known on Waiheke Island for Jaguar Tours, Rod provided transport for the members to and from Lodge meetings. As members dwindled, the Lodge sold its hall and invested the proceeeds in a charitable trust to support members and the community. Regrettably the Habour Lights Lodge closed in 2017.

[7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]