Maldon historian Stephen Nunn goes on a Buffalo hunt

Born in Maldon in 1900, Arthur Frederick Nunn served with the Royal Artillery from 1918 to 1924 and was posted to Meerut, north-east of New Delhi.

The faded sepia images of his time there include the standard pictures of khaki-clad individuals and groups of soldiers.

You may have similar photos of your own ancestors. However, one struck me as being slightly unusual.

It shows my grandfather with 37 other men – most of them uniformed, but three in civilian attire.

Not only that, but 11 of them are wearing collars and one has an apron.

At first I thought it must be a Masonic Lodge, but under enlargement I could make out what looked like a bull’s head on one of the collar jewels.

Then the penny dropped – it wasn’t a bull, it was a buffalo.

These men, Granddad included, were members of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes, or RAOB for short.

This fraternal organisation started in 1822 as a self-help group for its members, their families, dependents of former members and to support charitable causes.

During the 19th Century the order spread throughout the Commonwealth and many lodges were established, including in India.

The ’Buffs’ supported the home front during the Great War and became popular among the military.

Although I knew my great-uncle Stan South was a member here in Maldon (we found his regalia when we had to clear his flat), I don’t think Granddad can have continued his membership when he returned home.

The RAOB was, nevertheless, definitely present in town from an early stage and my friend, David Hughes, makes reference to them in his fascinating book ‘The Maldonians’ (Folk Corp 1996).

In it he mentions the Boer War Relief of Mafeking in 1900 and includes a newspaper reference to “The true and good hearted Buffs of the Maldon Promenade Lodge of the RAOB (who) celebrated…(the event with a) supper at the Ship and Anchor”.

That link between Lodge and pub lasted for many decades afterwards and I can remember seeing, until relatively recent times, the Buffs badge on a shield on the outside wall.

Amongst my Maldon bits and pieces, I then found a couple of old summonses relating to “RAOB GLE Promenade Lodge, 2969, Maldon”.

One is dated October 18, 1928, and was for “the installation to the Third Degree” of Bro Frederick J Hayward.

• The old Buffalo summonses

The honorary secretary at that time, Bro G Ward, offers his “fraternal greetings” to all present and although the Ship and Anchor is given as the address, a capacity 250 sat down to the event at New Villa Restaurant (now the Balti Bhujon) in nearby Mill Road.

The other summons is a bit later, October 27, 1932, and is for the “exaltation to the Fourth Degree” of Bro HCW Conn. This time the request is issued by CF Denny c/o “the Swan Hotel, Maldon”.

A few years later, amongst the residents who died in the Second World War was Harold Bevers.

A resident of King Street, on May 9, 1941, he was a victim of the Nazi bombing of the Marconi Works, in Chelmsford.

At his funeral the brethren of Promenade Lodge formed “a broken link” in Maldon Cemetery and sang “Spirit of Truth” in memory of their departed member.

As well as Promenade Lodge, I know that another – the ‘Pride of Heybridge’ (No. 633) – met at Heybridge Headquarters, as I have a third summons dated October 10, 1933.

My cousin’s grandfather, John Yuill of Heybridge Basin, was known to be a senior member of that particular lodge and two of his associated jewels survive.

Sadly both Promenade and Pride Lodges no longer exist.

As with many organisations dating from the Victorian and Edwardian period, there has been a noticeable decline in membership since a boom in the 1970s.

• John Yuill’s Heybridge jewels (by permission J Yuill)

However, the Chelmsford and District Province of the RAOB still has seven lodges listed on its website, including the Wickford Lodge (4109) which gives its usual meeting place as the Bell public house at nearby Woodham Walter.

I don’t think I know any of their current members, but according to the constitution they will all be males over the age of 18 who are willing to declare that they are "true and loyal supporters of the British Crown and Constitution".

They are prohibited from discussing politics or religion and prevented from gambling. Their motto is "No Man Is At All Times Wise” and their rule focuses on "Justice, Truth and Philanthropy".

And who, in this modern age, can argue with any of that? From India to Maldon, Buffs past and present have done (and continue to do) their bit to ensure those important tenets are a living feature of everyday society – and long may that remain the case.