HISTORY

Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes Photo (update 12/1/06 : John identifies Louis Perry, see update at the foot of the article) More on the Britannia Buffaloes here. Click photo to enlarge (709KB) Thanks to Ian Beach of www.sedgleymanor.com for sending us this interesting picture of members of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes of the Upper Gornal Britannia Lodge No. 5663. We originally dated the photo as early 1930's, but see John Burrow's update at the foot of this article for evidence that it may have been some years earlier. 'Antediluvian' means 'relating to the period before the biblical flood' or, more generally, 'ancient'. The Order was founded in the early 19th Century by theatre workers, and is a charitable brotherhood that has some structural similarities to masonic systems. It is still active and there are many references to it on the web (and one could not wish for a better internet search selection word than antediluvian!). We do not know, however, if a Gornal branch still exists. It is thought that meetings of Upper Gornal 'Buffs' were held at Sally Perry's Britannia Inn in Upper Gornal, where we believe this picture was taken. Ian's maternal Grandfather William George Yates is on the front row, second from the right. Mr. Yates was the local Undertaker in Badger Street Upper Gornal, and a church warden at St. Peter's. We would be delighted to hear from Yampy readers who recognise fathers and grandfathers on the photo. Email us at admin@yampy.co.uk. * * * 28th January 2004. Olive of Robert Street Gornal writes: I have just been looking at the photograph of the Upper Gornal R.A.O.B. on your site and comparing it with a recently acquired photograph. I am certain the man on the extreme left (in apron) was my grandfather Arthur Ernest Johnson. He would have lived in Eve Lane at that time opposite where the Pentecostal church is now. The pub would have been The Britannia, Kent Street as this was the meeting place of the Buffs. I may in time be able to put a name to more of the men. * * * 12th January 2006. John Burrows writes: Front Row extreme left is Louis Peacock Perry, Licensee of the Britannia. Louis died in 22 April 1929 aged 54 which makes your photo a little earlier I think Louis Perry was my wife’s grandfather.