50 YEARS AGO

Compiled from the Buffalo Quarterly Journal December 1954

The passing of two Past Grand Primos was reported in the December Journal of 1954. They were Bros. H. A. Stone (Grand Primo 1941, Sheffield) and B. Wilcock Grand Primo 1942, Worcestershire). One was of a dogged and uncompromising nature and the other perhaps a little more kindly disposed in his judgments of the world.

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A delegate asked if any action had been taken by the Executive in regard to the statement by Bro. M. W. Payne that he intended to resign as Editor of the Journal at the end of the year. Bro. Mervyn said in reply that he had changed his mind, and, in fact, did not vacate the position until 1964.

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It was reported that a considerable volume of correspondence had been received in relation to a number of articles affecting the R.A.O.B. which had appeared in the press. It was asked why no action had been taken and the answer was given that the Constitution of the Order made it very difficult to obtain redress even if it could be proved that the statements made were offensive.

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The Journal made reference to a question which had given rise to an amount of discussion at that time. Briefly, the main point at issue was “Does the Order permit the initiation of other nationals?” Our answer at that time would have been the same as it is today in that there is nothing in Rule to prevent such initiations providing the candidate accepts our conditions of membership. In 1954 evidence was given that at the King Edward VII Lodge 1660 in Bristol (now South West) a Bro. George Blaszkiewicz was raised to the Second Degree by another named Karl Siwiec C.P. Why not? Brotherhood is indivisible.

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A complaint was made by a Lodge in Aldershot that some member of a visiting Lodge had purloined the Home Lodge Constables staff. The Journal describes the purloiner as “some addle headed fool” and whilst we agree with the condemnation of these actions, we do not believe that this one was nearly so bad as one in which the present Editor drew attention a few years ago, when the “borrowers” took away the framed collection of the jewels of a well‑known deceased Brother. That was really scraping the barrel.

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A story from Singapore tells of the unannounced entry of a four foot snake into one of their Lodges. As it could not give the signs and passwords it was duly turned out as quickly as possible. The then Editor comments that there were still some who managed to get in through the normal means of Lodge door and tyle.

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The Lord Nelson Lodge 6884 of the Wombwell Province (not now listed) claimed a record in their statement that at a Second Degree raising in 1947, every Officer of the Lodge at the time carried the name of Lidster. It might have been, and still not yet equaled.

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This could explain something which has long made us wonder and willingly admit that it is the first time the matter has been drawn to our attention. How did the Unwin Duke of Welcome Lodge (Berlin) get its name? Bro. R. Dobb (K.O.M. in 1954) joined the Order in Singapore in 1949, but was posted to Western Germany after only a few weeks. On his first leave to the U.K., he visited the Unwin Lodge 578, the Duke of York Lodge 265 and the Welcome Lodge 4595 (in turn) all of the Mansfield Province. Subsequently in Derna (Canal Zone, Egypt) where his Regiment had been sent, he and his pals found themselves without a Lodge, so they decided to have a go to form a new one, and as he was the senior Buff amongst them, he was invited to give it a name. And that is how the patchwork title from the Mansfield Province came into being – the “Unwin Duke of Welcome 8553”. As stated, the Lodge now operates in the overseas Province of Berlin, but sadly the three Mansfield Lodges have gone with the wind.

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Known throughout South Yorkshire and in fact the whole of the Order, Bro. Oscar Ardron and his wife Nellie celebrated their Golden Wedding day. It was quite a day (and night) in Wombwell, when Nellie (known as the perfect hostess) and Oscar were the recipients of many gifts and floral tributes. Ten years later, their Diamond Wedding was marked by a picture on the front cover page of the Journal (the second one the now retiring Editor had produced) which again illustrates how the couple were respected by their many Buffalo friends. It used to be said in those days that if a Brother did not stand up to scrutiny by Bro. Oscar himself and Bro. Jimmy Kilgallon, (of Bradford) he had no chance of being elected to the office of Grand Primo.

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As possible proof of the last statement, a Bro. C. H. Milnes of Rotherham was elected as Deputy Grand Primo for 1955 to serve under another Yorkshireman in Bro. Harry Charlesworth of Huddersfield

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