Sheffield Photograph - Help Neded

[DaveH]

I've been "a fully paid up member" for 30 years, my father and great-grandfather too and I think my grandad, but I couldn't confirm it.

There are very few lodges left in Sheffield, but there are many buffs who no longer attend. Here's the website

There's nothing particularly secret about the buffs if you want to find out, just ask. The only "secrets" we keep to ourselves are "signs & passwords", much like the masons I suppose.

The records for many Sheffield lodges have been lost or destroyed over the years, they just genuinely couldn't help. At the time I tried to find out, I was the secretary a lodge in Sheffield.

I don't think there would be any major problem with telling a relative if a person was a member.

I have a lodge directory from 1930, at which time there were some 91 lodges in Sheffield alone. These lodges consisted of ordinary working men. My Great Grandfather joined in 1917, was raised to Primo in 1918 and Knight Order of Merit in 1931. I have his KOM Jewel (medal) which is solid gold , presented by the Carlisle Lodge, which we assume was held in the Carlisle Street area, but can find no records.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the info oldbloke and the link to the very informative RAOB website.

Helps clear up quite a few questions I had often wondered when the RAOB was ever mentioned. ;-)

[Oldbloke]

Thanks for the info oldbloke and the link to the very informative RAOB website.

Helps clear up quite a few questions I had often wondered when the RAOB was ever mentioned.

Another site that answers more questions is R.A.O.B. Grand Lodge of England

The Order was basically a way of looking after members and members families prior to the welfare state. They owned convalescent homes and even built an orphanage at Aldridge in Staffordshire. In those days (not so long ago really) there was a need which the buffs and other benevolent societies catered for. These days widows, orphans and sick brethren are still supported, along with scholarships, plus raising money for outside charities, hospitals etc.

[DaveH]

Another site that answers more questions is R.A.O.B. Grand Lodge of England

The Order was basically a way of looking after members and members families prior to the welfare state. They owned convalescent homes and even built an orphanage at Aldridge in Staffordshire. In those days (not so long ago really) there was a need which the buffs and other benevolent societies catered for. These days widows, orphans and sick brethren are still supported, along with scholarships, plus raising money for outside charities, hospitals etc.

Thanks again oldbloke.

I knew from my grandmother that most of the RAOB was charity / benevolent type of work as I stated in an earlier post but I could never understand the membership / secrecy / "behind closed doors" nature of it which was almost Masonic in approach (or so it seemed). I never imagined that they would have a public open website which presented themselves and explained their aims and ideals in this way.

[Guest plain talker]

The RAOB (Royal Association of the Order of the Buffallo) or the "buffs" work in "lodges" which are frequently private meeting rooms in for example, public houses (I think the Punch Bowl on Gleadless Common is an RAOB lodge).

Could the picture be taken in an RAOB lodge?

The buffs are a bit like the masons, a bit secretive and elusive but they seem to do a fair bit of charity fundraising work.

Could this presentation be some sort of charity presentation?

My dad was in the Buffs, and yes his lodge was called (IIRC) the Elm tree Lodge, and they did indeed meet at the Punch Bowl back when I was younger and lived at home, Poppa went to the lodge meets there.

[Oldbloke]

My dad was in the Buffs, and yes his lodge was called (IIRC) the Elm tree Lodge, and they did indeed meet at the Punch Bowl back when I was younger and lived at home, Poppa went to the lodge meets there.

There were two main lodges at the Elm Tree PT, The Excelsior Lodge on Friday night and the Hurlfield Lodge on Sunday Lunchtime. Later the Farleigh Lodge met there on Wednesday night, after the Red Lion Duke Street was "modernised" and the lodge room was coverted to living accomodation.

The Lodge at the Punch Bowl was the Manor Lodge and met ther on Monday nights until the early 90s, when they moved down the road to the Arbourthorne Hotel.

I used to go to all these lodges on a regular basis and knew many of the members quite well, maybe I knew your Dad PT?

The "modernisation" of pubs resulted in many lodges having to move as the private rooms were lost. If you go to any pub now that still has private rooms (still in use or not) you will more often than not find they have a "tyle" in the door - a small sliding or hinged door which can be opened to ascertain the identity of anyone outside before they are admitted to the lodge.

Pubs I know that had lodges (At various times in the past) include:

Elm Tree Manor Top - Hurlfield Lodge, Excelsior Lodge, Fairleigh Lodge

Arbourthorne Hotel - Manor Lodge

Red Lion London Road - (->70s) Woodseats Lodge

White Lion London Road - (80->) Woodseats Lodge

Prince of Wales Derbyshire Lane

Woodseats Hotel Chesterfield Road

Abbey Hotel Abbey Lane

Royal Hotel London Road

Roebuck Tavern Charles Street - Shakesperian Lodge No 4 (Oldest Lodge in Sheffield and oldest contiuosly operating lodge in the UK)

Brown Cow Wicker Clyde Lodge

Bull & Oak Wicker Clyde Lodge

Station Hotel Wicker

Harlequin Johnson Street - Bedford Lodge, Pride Of Pitsmoor Lodge

Manchester Hotel

Victoria Hotel (Monkey) Neepsend Lane David Garrick Lodge

Brown Cow Mowbray Street (Riverside Bar) Sir Henry Watson Lodge

Hare & Hounds Nursery Street Advance Lodge

Ball Inn Crookes

Robin Hood Attercliffe Road

The Albert Darnall - Royal Albert Lodge

The Sportsman Darnall - Royal Albert Lodge

Darnall Liberal Club

Carlton Club Gleadless Road - Herbert Ellis Lodge

Tea Gardens - Bedford Lodge (70s)

Cross Guns Sharrow Lane

Upperthorpe Hotel

Wharncliffe Hotel

Gardener's Rest

If anyone wants more detailed info, I would have to dig my books out, the memory isn't what it was.

[neddy]

Any idea of Edwin's age/year of birth please ? or a Trade ?

Possibility? 1948 dir.

Edwin Jas.Reynolds, steel inspector, 260 Earl Marshall Road

[DaveH]

My dad was in the Buffs, and yes his lodge was called (IIRC) the Elm tree Lodge, and they did indeed meet at the Punch Bowl back when I was younger and lived at home, Poppa went to the lodge meets there.

So,

Elm Tree lodge was in the Punch Bowl and not in the boozer actually called the Elm Tree which is only a few hundred yards away.

If I remember rightly, the Punch Bowl did have some sort of plaque on its outside wall at one time with an RAOB logo and lodge name. <_<

[DaveH]

The Lodge at the Punch Bowl was the Manor Lodge and met ther on Monday nights until the early 90s, when they moved down the road to the Arbourthorne Hotel.

Elm Tree Manor Top - Hurlfield Lodge, Excelsior Lodge, Fairleigh Lodge

Arbourthorne Hotel - Manor Lodge

Now the Arbourthorne Hotel has a very large private room upstairs. In the 1960's my cousin had her wedding reception there and as kids it was a meeting place for day trips out to the seaside, the theatre or a pantomime. It would make a great place to have an RAOB lodge.

However, even the Arbourthorne, although it is still open has had its ups and downs and periods of closure for one reason or another.

[Guest plain talker]

So,

Elm Tree lodge was in the Punch Bowl and not in the boozer actually called the Elm Tree which is only a few hundred yards away.

If I remember rightly, the Punch Bowl did have some sort of plaque on its outside wall at one time with an RAOB logo and lodge name.

That's correct, Dave

[DaveH]

That's correct, Dave

Well before you ask the answer is no I don't have a photograph of it.

But if it was still there (OldBloke is indicating that as the lodge moved to Arbouthorne Hotel it probably won't be) I could easily go and get one.

[Oldbloke]

Well before you ask the answer is no I don't have a photograph of it.

But if it was still there (OldBloke is indicating that as the lodge moved to Arbouthorne Hotel it probably won't be) I could easily go and get one.

There used to be plaques outside many pubs with the lodge names and meeting times on. There was one to the right of the bottom door of the Elm Tree at the manor top until the mid nineties too. Many survived long after the lodge had moved or closed.

The Manor Lodge closed some time ago, though I still see some old members. Numbers sadly dwindled to the point where carrying on became a chore.

This has happened to many lodges over the last 10 to 15 years, due mainly to an ageing membership and a reluctance of those members to amalgamate lodges. In the 70s if you weren't in Lodge by opening you wouldn't get a seat, by the late 90s you had wait to see if there would be enough members to open the lodge (requires 5).

OB

[DaveH]

There used to be plaques outside many pubs with the lodge names and meeting times on. There was one to the right of the bottom door of the Elm Tree at the manor top until the mid nineties too. Many survived long after the lodge had moved or closed.

The Manor Lodge closed some time ago, though I still see some old members. Numbers sadly dwindled to the point where carrying on became a chore.

This has happened to many lodges over the last 10 to 15 years, due mainly to an ageing membership and a reluctance of those members to amalgamate lodges. In the 70s if you weren't in Lodge by opening you wouldn't get a seat, by the late 90s you had wait to see if there would be enough members to open the lodge (requires 5).

OB

That is very sad that an established organisation of this size can go into demise so quickly

Haven't the RAOB been around for centuries?

..and yet in just 15 years they have gone into decline

I suppose it is just another reflection of the times.

[DaveH]

Well before you ask the answer is no I don't have a photograph of it.

But if it was still there (OldBloke is indicating that as the lodge moved to Arbouthorne Hotel it probably won't be) I could easily go and get one.

Had a walk around this morning with my camera and I can confirm that neither the Punch Bowl or the Arbourthorne Hotel have RAOB lodge plaques. I didn't get the chance to check the Elm Tree but OldBloke says that one went in the 1990's.

In the place outside the building where I would expect the plaque to be all I could find was a large wall mounted ashtray device for the benefit of those smokers that the law now forces to smoke outside the pub. Another sign of the times perhaps.

Outside the Arbourthorne Hotel there is a brass plaque which is a memorial to the young man who was murdered there a few years ago.

[Oldbloke]

Had a walk around this morning with my camera and I can confirm that neither the Punch Bowl or the Arbourthorne Hotel have RAOB lodge plaques. I didn't get the chance to check the Elm Tree but OldBloke says that one went in the 1990's.

In the place outside the building where I would expect the plaque to be all I could find was a large wall mounted ashtray device for the benefit of those smokers that the law now forces to smoke outside the pub. Another sign of the times perhaps.

Outside the Arbourthorne Hotel there is a brass plaque which is a memorial to the young man who was murdered there a few years ago.

It's a while since I've been around Arbourthorne, I moved in 1995 after living there for 15 years.

[DaveH]

It's a while since I've been around Arbourthorne, I moved in 1995 after living there for 15 years.

The young man who was killed at the Arbourthorne Hotel, apparently by the then landlord, was born in January 1995.

He died in October 2005, aged just 20.

News report details are here.

Arbourthorne Hotel murder