the history of the royal antediluvian order of … history 1921 - date complete.pdfcompiled and...

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The History of the

Royal Antediluvian Order of

Buffaloes

Grand Lodge of Southern Africa (Established by authority of the Grand Lodge of England in 1921)

Compiled and published under the authority of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes, Grand Lodge of Southern Africa, by Bro. Paul R. Carr R.O.H. H.L.M. G.P. 2007, 2013, 2014 & 2015, Grand Secretary 2016 & 2017.

© 2017 R.A.O.B. G.L.S.A.

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Dedication

This history of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes under the Grand Lodge of

Southern Africa is dedicated to the memory of all those Brethren who over the years

have unfortunately lost their lives while either travelling to or from Lodge meetings in

South Africa.

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Contents

DEDICATION ........................................................................................................................ 2

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 4

THE EARLY YEARS ............................................................................................................. 4

GRAND LODGE OF THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA & RHODESIA ................................. 7

GRAND LODGE OF SOUTH AFRICA ................................................................................ 21

GRAND LODGE OF SOUTHERN AFRICA ......................................................................... 34

GRAND PRIMO’s ................................................................................................................ 48

NOTES ............................................................................................................................... 51

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(Established by authority of the Grand Lodge of England in 1921)

INTRODUCTION

Compiling this history has not been an easy task, but I have enjoyed doing it. Where

I can not verify the correct Names and Degrees of Brethren, Lodge details, venues

or dates I have left them out. I would like to thank all those many Brethren of the

various Sections of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes throughout the world

for their invaluable help in supplying the various items of information and pictures

given to me in the compiling of this history and to make this publication possible.

THE EARLY YEARS

The earliest Lodges that I can find any record of operating in South Africa were the

United Lodge No. 1 and the Anchor Lodge No. 631 and the Sir Moses Montefiore

Lodge all Grand Surrey Banner Lodges which were operating in the early 1880’s. On

1st September 1886 a report appeared in the Cape Times of the 3rd Annual Dinner of

the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes in South Africa that was held in the

Whittington Hotel, Darlington Street, Cape Town when between thirty to forty

Buffaloes attended the dinner. During the intervals of toast making song were given

by Brothers Hopper, Myers Newstead, Cohen, Collyer and others and Brother Davis

rendering a selection on the concertina. It would appear from the above that a good

time was had by all. Prior to 1921 the Order in South Africa consisted mainly of

Lodges of the Grand Lodge of England Limited, R.A.O.B. Africa, Grand Lodge (Late

Grand Surrey Lodge (Mother Lodge of the World)), Grand Council and the Grand

Surrey Banner. During the early years of the Order in South Africa, all the Sections

had Brethren who were predominantly of the Jewish faith, this has now changed and

today there are very few Jewish Brethren still attending our Lodges.

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A Mr. Redman while working on a construction site in the Bluff, a suburb to the south

of Durban, found a grave, after the remains were removed he carried on and

unearthed an old tree, nailed to the trunk of the tree was a jewel. He kept the jewel

for a few years until he saw a notice in the George and Dragon Hotel in Hillcrest,

Pinetown, just outside of Durban for the “next meeting” of the Nkutu River Lodge No.

6696 (now defunct), he contacted Brother Eric Whittle K.O.M. and handed the jewel

to him. The reverse of the Jewel reads “This Propaganda medal was presented by

the Bros. of the Anchor Lodge No. 631 to Primo Frank Cleall as a mark of respect for

past services rendered 1885”. It was then given to Brother Des Woods K.O.M. for

inclusion in the Buffalo Museum in Henley on Klip.

The Jewel found nailed to a tree in the Bluff, Durban.

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A Section of the Grand Lodge (Mother Lodge of the World), Grand Surrey Banner

was opened in South Africa in the 1880’s under the name of the R.A.O.B. Africa and

in 1913 it was renamed the Grand Lodge of South Africa (Grand Surrey Banner),

which amalgamated for awhile with the Grand Lodge of England in January 1922.

Between the 16th and the 18th December 1922 the Brethren of the Grand Surrey

Banner Lodges held a special meeting in Cape Town and agreed to form the Grand

Council Africa, a section under the control of the Grand Council in England, there are

only two Minor Lodges left operating under the Grand Council Africa (the Marygold

Lodge No. 530 and The United Lodge No. 1911) and these are still meeting regularly

in the Cape Town area. In June 1926 some of the Lodges broke away from the

Grand Lodge of the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia and seceded to the Grand

Council Africa.

The Order also ran an Orphanage in Krugersdorp, west of Johannesburg, which was

started by the District Grand Lodge of the Transvaal No. 7 on the 8th June 1911 while

under the control of the Grand Surrey Banner, in 1923 the running of the Orphanage

was taken over by the Provincial Grand Lodge of the Transvaal under control of the

Grand Lodge of the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia until the late 1950’s when it

was decided to close both the Orphanage and the Orphanage Fund down.

The Fordsburg Lodge No. 2 (Grand Surrey Banner) had to postpone the Initiation of

an unenlightened gentleman into the Order at its meeting in February 1918 as there

was no City Minstrel available.

A rail strike in May 1920 caused the installation of Brother B. Goldman R.O.H. the

Grand President, Grand Lodge of South Africa (Grand Surrey Banner) to be

postponed.

Brother John Christie P.B. who was born in Scotland in 1883 then moved to

Johannesburg, South Africa in 1902 where he qualified as a retail chemist and ran a

chain of chemist shops, he was elected as the Mayor of Johannesburg for the years

1920 – 1921 and was the leader in establishing the South African Pharmacy Board

and became the first President when it was constituted in 1929, he was also the

leader of the South African Labour Party from 1946 to 1953 when he died. He was a

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Labour_Party

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Member of the United Lodge No. 1, R.A.O.B. Africa, Grand Surrey Banner as well as

a member of the Masonic Order in Fordsburg, Johannesburg.

The Grand Surrey Banner Lodges had at least two cemeteries in South Africa, with

plots held by the Lodges in the Order, there may be more and we are trying to check

with all the various local authorities, one is in Randfontein, west of Johannesburg,

which was maintained by District Grand Lodge of the Transvaal No. 7 until the Lodge

closed in 1995, it is now looked after by the local municipality, the other one is in Port

Elizabeth; it is still used and is now maintained by the Members of the St. Andrews

Lodge No. 6653, Grand Lodge of Southern Africa direct.

Port Elizabeth Cemetery Randfontein Cemetery

GRAND LODGE OF THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA & RHODESIA

Just after the First World War a delegation of disgruntled Brethren from the Grand

Surrey Banner Lodges in South Africa visited England for the purpose of finding out

who were the “Kingpins” of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes in England.

There they met with the Grand Surrey Banner leaders and they also met with the

Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of England, Brother William Rose K.O.M. at

Cheltenham. They decided that the Grand Lodge of England set up was the one to

which they would give allegiance to and, therefore, asked the Grand Lodge of

England for a Warrant & Decree. On the 2nd January 1921 the Grand Lodge of

England issued thirteen Dispensations numbered 4004 to 4016 to Lodges seceding

from the Grand Surrey Banner, Grand Surrey Lodge (Mother Lodge of the World),

Grand Council and the Grand Lodge of England Limited to the Grand Lodge of

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England. The only Lodge still in existence today is the May Lodge No. 4014. In

August of 1921 the Grand Lodge of England in session granted a Warrant and

Decree for the inauguration of the Grand Lodge of the Union of South Africa and

Rhodesia which took place on Saturday, 21st August 1921. The first Grand Primo

was Brother Lawrence Pascoe K.O.M., Deputy Grand Primo was Brother Roy Sterry

K.O.M. and the Grand Secretary was Brother Chris Deighton C.P. who all

countersigned the Decree and Warrant along with their counterparts of the Grand

Lodge of England.

Brother Roy Francis Sterry K.O.M., Deputy Grand Primo 1921 (Grand Primo 1956 & 1957)

Grand Lodge of the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia

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The Grand Lodge of the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia Warrant and Decree

issued by the Grand Lodge of England in August 1921

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It was decided that the Grand Lodge of the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia

would adopt the designs and colours of the Grand Lodge of England for all their

Degree Regalia and Jewels but would adopt the green with yellow diamonds design

for the Grand Lodge collars and the Grand Primo’s sashes and regalia. Brethren who

had Regalia and Jewels from another Section on joining the Grand Lodge of the

Union of South Africa and Rhodesia could purchase replacement Regalia and

Jewels or ribbons for their Jewels from the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of

the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia.

Grand Lodge Collar Grand Primo Sash

The first headquarters for the Grand Lodge of the Union of South Africa and

Rhodesia in 1921 was in the Transvaal Arms, in Joubert Street in the centre of

Johannesburg, it then moved around the corner to offices in the Shakespeare House

in Commissioner Street, Johannesburg during November 1925 before returning to

the Transvaal Arms Hotel in 1929 until 1942, they then moved again around the

corner into Becketts Building in Joubert Street, Johannesburg until 1953 when they

moved into premises that were owned by the Shakespeare Lodge No. 6598 which

were situated in Bezuidenhout Street, in Troyeville an eastern suburb of

Johannesburg until 1958. The Transvaal Provincial Grand Lodge also shared the

same premises as the Grand Lodge. None of these premises are presently occupied

and all have been vandalised.

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Shakespeare House, Commissioner Street, Johannesburg

A rule was adopted by the Grand Lodge of the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia

similar to the ones in the Grand Council Africa and the Grand Surrey Banner Rule

Books, that “If any Brother was affiliated to, or an active Member of another Banner

he was not allowed to hold any Office in any Lodge under the Grand Lodge of the

Union of South Africa and Rhodesia”. This rule was withdrawn by the Grand Council

Africa and the Grand Lodge of South Africa did likewise on the 2nd September 1979

in the spirit of further co-operation between us, the Grand Council Africa, Grand

Surrey Banner and Grand Lodge of England.

All the dispensations issued from 1921 to 1930 by the Grand Lodge of England were

countersigned by the Grand Primo, Deputy Grand Primo and Grand Secretary of the

Grand Lodge of the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia before being issued.

On the 11th January 1922 dispensations numbered 4034 to 4040 were issued by the

Grand Lodge of England to Lodges in South Africa. Grand Lodge of England then

allocated a batch of numbers to the Grand Lodge in South Africa between 6601 and

6700; unfortunately some of these numbers were duplicated by the Grand Lodge of

England to Lodges operating in England. On the 14th of August 1923 the Prince Of

Wales Lodge No. 6601 (later renamed the King Edward Lodge No. 6601), in

Pretoria, received the first Dispensation issued by the Grand Lodge of the Union of

South Africa and Rhodesia after changing its name from the King Edward of Africa

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Lodge No. 4012. The first Lodge outside of South Africa to receive a South African

dispensation was the Nkana Lodge No. 6602 from Kitwe, Zambia, which is still

operating. Those dispensations from 6601 up to 6653 issued by the Grand Lodge of

the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia carried the letters SA after the Lodge

number, to avoid confusion with any Dispensations issued by the Grand Lodge of

England. On the 10th December 1930 the Shakespeare Lodge No. 6598 was granted

a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of England it later seceded to the Grand Lodge

of South Africa, it closed on the 18th January 1998.

From 1921 to 1950 all the Grand Lodge sessions were all held in Johannesburg as it

was considered central to the headquarters of the Grand Lodge with easy access

from Northern and Southern Rhodesia as well as those Lodges operating in the rest

of South Africa, from 1950 it moved the meetings around the country, meeting in the

different Provinces, the first meeting outside of Johannesburg was held in Durban. In

1987 the April meeting was the only Grand Lodge session to have taken place

outside of the Republic of South Africa and it was held in Windhoek, Namibia.

In the September of 1922 the last Lodge operating under the Banner of the Grand

Lodge of England Limited closed and came under the control of the Grand Lodge of

the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia.

The District Grand Lodge of the Transvaal was the first Provincial Grand Lodge to

open on 26th May 1922 and they controlled all the Lodges operating in the former

Transvaal, Orange Free State and Western Cape provinces in South Africa and

those in Northern and Southern Rhodesia. The Transvaal Province opened the first

Knights Chapter in 1949 and Natal the first Roll of Honour Assembly on 30th July

1968.

The May Deep Hotel which is situated in Primrose, a suburb of Germiston, east of

Johannesburg was once the main venue for most of the investitures of the Grand

Primo’s, Grand Lodge Officers, Transvaal Provincial Grand Primo’s and Provincial

Grand Lodge Officers, it has now been renamed the Constantia Hotel, it was also the

home of the May Lodge No. 4014 for many years. The May Consolidated Gold Mine

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being close to the hotel it was decided to name the Lodge after the mine and to use

a mine head gear as the medallion part of the Lodge Jewel.

Original handmade Jewel Present day Jewel

From the 1922 edition of the Grand Lodge of England Directory, the Grand Lodge of

the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia has held pride of place in their directory as

the first of the Overseas Grand Lodges listed, and the Grand Lodge of Southern

Africa still does today.

On the 21st July 1922 it was decided by the Transvaal Provincial Grand Lodge that

all Lodges under its control in South Africa would hold the Absent Brethren Toast at

22h00.

The Provincial Grand Lodge of the Western Division of the Cape Province was

opened on the 13th November 1925 and took over the control of the Lodges in the

Cape Town and Simons Town areas.

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At the joint meetings requested by the Grand Council Africa, held in Kimberley on the

24th October 1926 and in Johannesburg on the 28th November 1926, between the

Grand Council Africa and the Grand Lodge of the Union of South Africa and

Rhodesia Sections, to look at a possible amalgamation of the two Sections, which

was chaired by the Grand President, Brother Sturdy K.O.M. (Grand Council Africa)

the Lodges involved were: Grand Council Africa – District Grand Lodge of Kimberley,

Brakpan Lodge No. 940, Johannesburg Lodge No. 942; Grand Lodge of the Union of

South Africa and Rhodesia – District Grand Lodge of the Transvaal, United Lodge

No. 4004, Fordsburg Crown Mines Lodge No. 4008, Benoni Lodge No. 4010, May

Lodge No. 4014 and the Witbank Lodge No. 4039, but unfortunately this did not

happen as they could not agree on the terms of the amalgamation.

On the 28th April 1931 a Brother who was visiting South Africa, while working on one

of the many Mail Ships operating under the Union-Castle Shipping Line between

England and South Africa was regrettably refused entry into the Dick King Lodge No.

962, (Grand Council Africa) in Durban, as this was against the Law at that time due

to the fact that he was classified under South African Law as a “coloured” person.

From 1945 First Degree Brethren were excluded from attending the Grand Lodge

annual sessions and apologies were only accepted for non-attendance at the current

meeting of Grand Lodge, Provincial Grand Lodge or Minor Lodge in South Africa for

the first time. Apologies can still only be tendered for the current meeting, for Grand

Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge meetings and must be in writing. Brethren can

still apologise for their non-attendance at either, the previous meeting, current

meeting or the next meeting in Minor Lodges, but is restricted to only one apology at

a meeting. Also Degree Raisings could now be carried out in a Minor Lodge, prior to

this the Provincial Grand Lodge would convene and a special meeting of the

Examining Council would be held in a separate room on the same premises as the

Minor Lodge and the Brother would be examined, if he was successful and passed

the examination then the Provincial Grand Lodge would re-convene in a special

meeting and they would immediately Induct him to the Second Degree after which

they would pay a regalia visit the Minor Lodge to introduce the new Certified Primo.

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Grand Lodge issued in June of 1947 an Examining Council Question and Answer

document to bring all Provinces and Minor Lodges Direct in line with a uniform

examination, in the same year it was passed that Sashes may be awarded to a

Grand Primo or a Provincial Grand Primo for services rendered when they retired

from office, Jewels were only awarded from 1954 for the offices of Grand Primo,

Deputy Grand Primo, Provincial Grand Primo and Deputy Provincial Grand Primo.

The Grand Primo and Grand Lodge Officers do not keep their collars of Office after

they retire from office; these are returned for reissue the following year, this is due to

the very high cost of replacing the collars and the restrictions on the importing of

goods. A few of the Grand Primo’s have bought their own personal set of regalia

when they retired from office.

Brother M. Levin K.O.M. was elected and installed as Grand Primo for 1948, he then

resigned during the meeting for personal reasons and a new Grand Primo, Brother

E.J. MacKay K.O.M. was then elected and installed.

The Dick King Lodge No. 6637 in Durban, Natal on the 21st June 1949 passed a

byelaw that “An amount of 1/- be left for the “Native Boys” (Africans) who cleaned the

Lodge Room after their meeting”.

On the 6th August 1950 the District Grand Lodge of the Transvaal was instructed by

Grand Lodge to change its name from the old Grand Surrey Banner name to the

Transvaal Provincial Grand Lodge to bring it into conformity with the other Provincial

Grand Lodges in South Africa.

The Grand Lodge of the Union of South Africa & Rhodesia changed its meetings

from once a year to three times a year in 1950 this was not a success and in 1952 it

decided to changed its meetings to twice a year due to the high cost of travelling and

accommodation, the election and installation of the Grand Primo and his Officers

takes place at the annual Grand Lodge session which is held in either March or April

of each year, and the half yearly session is held in either September or October. The

venues would be Port Elizabeth, Durban, Cape Town, Welkom, Pretoria, Kempton

Park and Johannesburg in rotation; some of the Minor Lodge Direct Lodges have

also held successful Grand Lodge sessions in their areas. The Grand Lodge

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sessions can now be held in any part of the country that is decided on by the host

Province or Minor Lodge Direct and which is easily accessible to all travelling

Brethren and has suitable accommodation and a venue.

At the Grand Lodge session held on the 6th February 1951 a rule was passed

allowing charges to be brought in the Afrikaans language in a Minor Lodge.

From 1952 we printed and issued our own First Degree emblems in Black & White,

prior to this the Grand Lodge of England emblems were used and over printed with

South Africa, It also produced and issued its own Second, Third and Fourth Degree

Emblems, Affiliation Certificates and all its own stationery. We now issue all our own

Emblems in colour and stationary in an A4 format with the exception of our Rule and

Ceremony book which is in a bound loose leaf A5 format and the Red Cash Book

and Members Signature book.

The funds raised from Registrations and Fines was split 60% to the General Fund

and 40% to the Benevolence Fund from the 1st January 1953. From 4th February

1953 the Grand Lodge of the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia started issuing all

the First Degree emblems and parchments themselves with a prefix for each

Province where the Lodge was situated and a consecutive number and keeping the

same in a register, prior to this each Provincial Grand Lodge had issued these

documents without any prefix or number, unfortunately all these records have been

lost.

Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) seceded to the Grand Lodge of England due to

logistical reasons in 1950 and Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) followed suit in 1952

with Nyasaland (Malawi) following in 1953.

The Shakespeare Lodge No. 6598 bought premises situated at 15 Bezuidenhout

Street (now named Albertina Sisulu Road) in Troyeville, an eastern suburb of

Johannesburg, the Grand Lodge and the Transvaal Provincial Grand Lodge as well

as the Shakespeare Lodge No. 6598, moved their offices and Lodge meetings into

the building on the 1st March 1953 and it was renamed the “R.A.O.B. Hall”, the

official opening and consecration took place on Wednesday, 25th March 1953, it was

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sold in 1976 due to a compulsory purchase order by the Johannesburg City Council.

The area has since become a high crime area.

The “R.A.O.B. Hall” in Troyeville, Johannesburg

Due to a major disagreement between the Transvaal Province and the Natal

Province in 1954 due to the election of Officers in Grand Lodge, the Grand Primo,

Brother Lawrence Pasco R.O.H. (who was from Natal) was informed by the Grand

Lodge Executive (most of whom were from the Transvaal) to refrain from exercising

the duties of his office, but was only allowed to chair the Grand Lodge Sessions and

sign any Dispensations.

Due to a change in the Laws in South Africa our constitution had to be rewritten in

1955 to comply with the various Laws and with the Friendly Societies Act of 1954, as

we were not allowed to be under the direct control of an organisation based outside

of the country. We were also restricted by law as an organisation to a gross turn over

amount of £500 per annum that was allowed to be transacted through the Grand

Lodge Alderman of Benevolence Fund. All Provincial Grand Lodges and Minor

Lodges had to submit a return every month to the Grand Lodge for them to compile

their return to the South African Receiver of Revenue.

At the Grand Lodge session in 1955 the Transvaal Provincial Grand Lodge was

suspended due to certain disagreements with the Grand Lodge and the bank

accounts were frozen due to the non-payment of their dues. Due to this some of the

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Brethren looked at the possibility of going back under the control of the Grand Lodge

of England Direct; in 1957 they again returned to take their seat at the Grand Lodge

sessions having paid all their outstanding dues and settled their disputes. Also in

1955 the Grand Primo Brother Lawrence Pasco R.O.H. took the obligation and was

installed and robed by the Deputy Grand Primo, Bro. Roy Sterry K.O.M. as there was

no Brother who had previously held the office of Grand Primo in attendance at the

meeting.

At the Grand Lodge session held in 1956 the office of Grand Funeral Marshal was

created to officiate at all Buffalo funerals. After many years of discussion it was

agreed on the 2nd September 1956 that a Roll of Honour book be started detailing

the Brothers details and achievements over the years, this book is to be displayed at

all Grand Lodge meetings for any of the Brethren to peruse, a new book was made

in an A4 loose leaf landscape format in 2017. A Rule and Revision Committee was

set up to look at compiling our own Rule Book and Manual of Instruction, the

Brethren elected to this Committee were Brother Lawrence Pasco R.O.H., chairman,

Brother Roy Sterry K.O.M. vice-chairman, Brother Christopher Deighton K.O.M.,

secretary together with Brothers Dan Ungerer R.O.H., Edgar Sweetland R.O.H.,

Richard Loxton K.O.M., Bert Setter C.P., Joe Vosloo C.P. and Dennis Vangelder

C.P.. Also at the same meeting it was ruled that a Brother holding the office of Grand

Primo, Deputy Grand Primo, Provincial Grand Primo or Deputy Provincial Grand

Primo the term could be extendable without restriction with annual re-election, if he

was not re-elected he could not stand for re-election for a period of four years, this

was changed to a maximum of two years at the convention held in 1975. Also during

1956 The Grand Lodge of the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia applied to the

Grand Lodge of England for permission to produce their own Degree Jewels, they

replied “That they had no objections to the striking of Degree Jewels and no qualms

need be experienced relative to copyright thereof”. It was therefore agreed that we

would produce our own First Degree Jewel, with a springbok head in place of the

kangaroo and to change the wording to “Grand Lodge of South Africa” on the

medallion but keeping the Grand Lodge of England ribbon and the top and bottom

bars. All other Degree Jewels are still purchased from the Grand Lodge of England.

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Grand Lodge of South Africa – First Degree Jewel

The Alexandria Lodge No. 6652 was opened in Uitenhage (34 kilometres (21 miles)

North West of Port Elizabeth) on 7th March 1957, replacing the Alexandria Lodge No.

21, Grand Surrey Banner that had closed down some 35 years earlier. They were

able to move into the same Lodge Room that had been used by the original Lodge,

in which the original tyle that was installed some 50 years before was still in

existence. The Lodge has since closed.

A new rule was introduced into the Rule Book from 1st April 1957 owing to the

political situation in the Union of South Africa that “Non-Europeans (Non-Whites) will

not be admitted to Lodges, the Worthy Primo and Officers of any Lodge shall have

the power to exclude any Brother whom they consider is not of European/White

parentage. No reasons need be given for such decisions”. This rule applied to

Africans “Blacks” and it also included Asian, Chinese, Indian and “Coloured” people.

The Rule was withdrawn in 1980.

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From 1921 to 1955 the Headquarters of the Order was held in Johannesburg With

the change of Grand Secretary in 1955 the Headquarters of the Grand Lodge of the

Union of South Africa and Rhodesia moved from Johannesburg to Durban and in

1958 from Durban to Port Elizabeth where it remained until 1981 when it moved to

Pretoria, in 1983 it moved to Springs (east of Johannesburg) and in 1984 it moved

back to Durban until in 2007 when it moved to its present home in Henley-On Klip.

In 1959 we applied and were granted by the Director of Imports and Exports an

import permit to import goods and regalia to the maximum value of £200 per annum,

in 1961 we were allowed R500.00 (about £250.00), even today we still have to apply

to the South African Revenue Services for an Import and Export permit to bring in

goods and regalia, unfortunately all these goods incur a very high import tariff of a

minimum of 43%. Fortunately we have managed to source local suppliers for most of

our Regalia and Jewels, except those Jewels that have to be purchased through the

Grand Lodge of England, from companies that manufacture Masonic Regalia.

Brother Gilbert H. Sugden R.O.H., Grand Primo 1959, Grand Lodge of England

visited South Africa and attended various Lodges in Johannesburg and the

Transvaal Province, unfortunately Brother Gus Sohl K.O.M., Grand Primo 1959,

Grand Lodge of the Union of South Africa And Rhodesia was unable to meet with

him due to the pressure of his work in Port Elizabeth, but the Grand Secretary

Brother Bert Setter K.O.M. did meet with him as he was on holiday in Johannesburg

at the time.

From the 1st of January 1960 we had our own Rule Book, prior to this we used the

Grand Lodge of England book with amendments to suit the local conditions, the

Manual of Instruction and Ceremony Book was still the Grand Lodge of England

book but with the references to the Grand Lodge of England replaced with the Grand

Lodge of South Africa.

At the Grand Lodge meeting held in April 1960, Brother Lawrence Pascoe R.O.H.

Grand Primo 1921, 1954 & 1955 was expelled from the Grand Lodge of the Union of

South Africa and Rhodesia, this expulsion was not recognised by the Grand Lodge

of England as they felt that the punishment was far too severe and he should have

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only been suspended for a period of six months, he was later re-admitted to the

Order in South Africa.

In the 1960’s we had two Branches of the Overseas Buffalo Association operating in

South Africa, one was in Durban (No. 27) and the other one was in Port Elizabeth

(No. 162), both have since closed.

It is believed that Mr. Ian Douglas Smith, the Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 1964 –

1979 was a member of our Order, but I cannot find any positive documentary proof

of this.

GRAND LODGE OF SOUTH AFRICA

The Grand Lodge of the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia changed its name to

the Grand Lodge of South Africa at its November meeting in 1961, after South Africa

became a Republic on the 31st May 1961, all the Northern and Southern Rhodesian

and Nyasaland Lodges had seceded to the Grand Lodge of England during the

1950’s, the Toast was also changed to omit “The Queen” becoming “The Order and

This Lodge in Particular” and prior to Initiation the question was changed to “Are you

a true and loyal supporter of the South African Constitution?”.

Brother H. Bermel R.O.H. was the first Brother to be awarded an Honorary Life

Membership of the Grand Lodge of South Africa in 1962 for exceptional services to

the Order, he passed to the Grand Lodge above in 1963, it wasn’t awarded again

until 1980 when Brother Cyril “Bert” Setter R.O.H. Grand Primo 1966, Grand

Secretary 1958 - 1980 received Honorary Life Membership of the Grand Lodge of

South Africa, to date only thirteen Brethren have received this high Honour. Brother

A. Ford R.O.H. was the first Brother to receive Honorary Membership of the Grand

Lodge of South Africa in 1982, to date this has only been awarded to twenty-five

Brothers. Only seven Brethren have received Honorary Membership in their Minor

Lodges over the years.

In 1962 Brother Harry Van Den Berg C.P., Brother George Holford C.P., Brother

Thomas Barkwell C.P., Brother George Peel C.P., and Brother Charles Maulson

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R.O.H., all unmarried with the exception of Brother Charles Maulson R.O.H.,

founded an “Our’s” Fund in South Africa, and in the first two months raised the sum

of £60. The fund has since been closed.

Brother (Sir) Roy Welensky KCMG R.O.H., who was then the Governor of Rhodesia,

was awarded Honorary Membership of the King Edward Lodge No. 6601 and his

Jewel was presented to him at a special meeting of the Lodge that was held on the

2nd November 1962 at 17h00 in the Union Hotel in Pretoria. He was also a Member

of the Overseas Buffalo Association, Branch No. 56, which he joined in 1960.

With effect from the 1st October 1963 the Western Cape District Provincial Grand

Lodge, Silver Leaf Lodge No. 4038, White Ensign Lodge No. 4040 and the Tokai

Lodge No. 9269 seceded back to the Grand Lodge of South Africa from the Grand

Lodge of England.

Brother Harry Desforges K.O.M., Grand Primo 1964, Grand Lodge of England while

on a visit to Rhodesia in 1964 offered to pay a visit to the Grand Lodge of South

Africa, but due to the very short notice nothing could be arranged for him in time for

his visit, letters then took about twenty-one days each way as they were sent by road

between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, then with the Mail Ships operating between

Cape Town and Southampton.

The Grand Lodge of South Africa decided in 1965 to purchase a new full set of 16

Grand Lodge collars from England at a total cost R140.58 (approximately £70-5/9d)

to replace the old set obtained in 1921.

The first Convention was chaired by Brother Percy Page K.O.M., Grand Primo 1964,

it was held in Port Elizabeth on 17th April 1965 to formalise and issue our own Rule

and Manual of Instruction & Ceremony books; prior to this we had used the Grand

Lodge of England Rule Book, Manual of Instruction & Ceremony Book with a few

amendments to suit the local conditions, at this stage it was also decided that

conventions would be held every ten years, or as and when it is deemed necessary.

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In 1965 it was decided at the Grand Lodge Session, after a long discussion, that all

aprons would be worn over the buttoned outer garment.

The Grand Lodge of South Africa decided to design its own blazer badge, the badge

that was approved by the Grand Lodge of South Africa was designed by Brother E.

Wood K.B. and on the 5th September 1965 it was decided to have the badge

registered with the Bureau of Heraldry in South Africa at a cost of R25.00

(approximately £12-10/-), this unfortunately was rejected by the Bureau as we would

have to remove the lettering R A O B and South Africa from the Badge, also as the

badge was in the shape of a shield, this was classed as being a Coat of Arms and

not a badge and they also stated that an outline of a map cannot appear on a shield,

our blazer badge therefore was never registered but was issued by the Grand Lodge

of South Africa for use by those Brethren who wanted it, others wore the same

badge as used by Members the Grand Lodge of England

.

Grand Lodge of South Africa Blazer Badge Blazer Badge used by Members of the

Grand Lodge of Southern Africa

In 1966 Brother Bert Setter R.O.H. Grand Primo of the Grand Lodge of South Africa,

together with Brother Arthur Baker R.O.H., Deputy Grand Primo 1966, Brother

Norman Jenks R.O.H., Grand Primo 1962 & 1963 and Brother Len Frost C.P. from

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Port Elizabeth attended the centenary celebrations of the Grand Lodge of England

and were very well received.

Bro. Norman Jenks R.O.H. Grand Primo 1962 & 1963, Bro. Bert Setter R.O.H. Grand Primo 1966,

Bro. Arthur Baker R.O.H. Deputy Grand Primo 1966 and Bro. Len Frost C.P. at the Grand Lodge of

England Centenary celebrations in 1966

The Swaziland Lodge No. 6659 was opened in Mbabane, Swaziland on the 5th

November 1966 by kind permission of the Grand Lodge of England in sanctioning it

to fall under the control of the Transvaal Provincial Grand Lodge and the Grand

Lodge of South Africa. The Grand Lodge of South Africa performed the ceremony,

unfortunately some of the Brethren from South Africa were unable to attend the

consecration and opening ceremony of the Lodge due to the authorities in Swaziland

imposing strict security measures on the border at the very last moment, the Lodge

seceded to the Grand Lodge of England in 1969. The first Lodge to open in Namibia

(formally South West Africa) was the Karakul Lodge No. 6676 Grand Lodge of South

Africa Direct in Windhoek on the 3rd August 1975 (it amalgamated with the

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Tourmaline Lodge No. 6685 on the 18th April 1987). In 1976 the three Lodges that

were operating in the Cape Town area broke away from our Grand Lodge and

seceded back to the Grand Lodge of England due to differences between them and

the Grand Lodge of South Africa, in 1989 they decided to return under our Grand

Lodge after the differences were sorted out and due to the very high exchange rate

for the British Pound (at that time it was R20.00 to £1.00). In 1977 there were six

Lodges still operating in South Africa with Grand Lodge of England dispensations,

three where in Cape Town (Cape of Good Hope Lodge No. 10054, White Ensign

Lodge No. 10069 and the Goodwood Lodge No. 10070), one each in Port Elizabeth

(Pretoria Lodge No. 9695, formally on board the mail ship S.A. Oranje),

Johannesburg (Johannesburg Lodge No. 10115) and in Randfontein, west of

Johannesburg (Inyathi Lodge No. 10193). These have all now closed.

In February 1969 the first Ladies Glades opened in Durban, Natal, over the years

others opened in Pinetown (outside of Durban, Natal) 1970, Pretoria (Transvaal)

1973 and Welkom (Orange Free State) 1976, in February 1973 the Natal Prima

Glade opened in Durban, all these Glades have since closed.

On 29th September 1969 the Provincial Grand Primo of the Western Province

Brother Julian Lloyd K.O.M. opened the Pretoria Lodge No. 9695 on behalf of the

Grand Lodge of England on board the South African Marine Corp. (Safmarine)

vessel “S.A. Oranje” (formally the Union-Castle Shipping Line R.M.S. “Pretoria

Castle”) while it was berthed in Cape Town. A memorable night indeed, as the city

was shaken by violent earth tremors shortly after the conclusion of the ceremony.

Most of the Mail Ships of the Union-Castle Shipping Line and the Safmarine Line had

Minor Lodges on board and they all fell under the control of either the Southampton

Provincial Grand Lodge in England or Grand Lodge of England Direct. When the

Safmarine Mail Ship S.A. Oranje was decommissioned on the 3rd October 1975 the

Pretoria Lodge No. 9695 moved to the Comrades Club, which was situated near the

docks in Port Elizabeth it still remained under the control of the Grand Lodge of

England Direct, it has since closed.

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Safmarine Mail Ship S.A. Oranje – formally the R.M.S. Pretoria Castle

The Eastern Province Provincial Grand Lodge in Port Elizabeth formed an R.A.O.B.

Darts Club in 1970 and played in the Eastern Province Darts League for many years,

promoting the Order where ever they played.

The Official Seal of the Grand Lodge of South Africa was adapted from the Grand

Lodge of England seal, but with South African aspects on the shield. This was

submitted to the Grand Lodge of England for their approval, who replied that they

had no objections to our design as there were significant differences in the two seals,

so as not to contravene their copyright registration, and so ours was then duly

copyright registered with the South African Bureau of Heraldry in 1970.

Seal of the Grand Lodge of South Africa

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The Grand Council Africa Section approached the Grand Lodge of South Africa in

1970 as they were again willing to co-operate and exchange their Expelled,

Suspended, Terminated and Resigned Members Lists for ours in the spirit of mutual

benefit of the two Sections, this is still done.

On Saturday, 4th September 1971 the Grand Lodge of South Africa celebrated its

Fiftieth Anniversary operating under the Warrant and Decree of the Grand Lodge of

England with a “Ball” which was held in the former Selbourne Hall which was within

the Johannesburg City Hall, which was closed in 1972 when the Johannesburg City

Council moved into the new civic centre building further down the road in the suburb

of Braamfontein, after extensive renovations the building is now used as the

Gauteng Provincial Government Legislature. A Fiftieth Anniversary Jewel was struck

to commemorate this event; the Jewel which was designed by Brother George Tait

R.O.H., Grand Chamberlain 1971, from Port Elizabeth, who was presented with the

Jewel produced in gold. The Jewel in metal gilt was available to be worn only by

Brethren who were Initiated on or prior to Sunday, 5th of September 1971 and it

would only be issued engraved with the Brothers Name and Degree on the reverse

of it. The same design was used for the seventy-fifth anniversary Jewel in 1996 but

with the ‘50’ being replaced by a ‘75’ and the design of the ribbon was changed.

50th Anniversary Jewel 75

th Anniversary Jewel

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50th Anniversary Souvenir Programme

The Transvaal Provincial Grand Lodge became the custodians of two diamond

studded Jewels and a 50th Anniversary Key that was presented to the Grand Lodge

of South Africa to commemorate its 50th Anniversary in 1971.

Brother Patrick Stacey R.O.H. Grand Primo 1969, 1970 & 1978 of the Eastern

Province Provincial Grand Lodge, in Port Elizabeth, brought forward a proposal to

the Grand Lodge meeting held in Port Elizabeth in April 1972 for the Grand Lodge of

South Africa to change its name to “The South African Order of the R.A.O.B.”, on

being put to the vote this motion was defeated.

.

The Order in South Africa suffered a very major setback with the implementation of

the fuel restriction laws in November 1973, petrol could only be purchased from

Monday to Thursday between 06h00 and 18h00 and on Fridays between 06h00 and

12h00, petrol was not permitted to be carried in any container in a motor vehicle or to

be transferred from one motor vehicle to another, this went on until the late 1980’s,

the speed limits were also reduced from 60 km/h (37 mph) to 50 km/h (31 mph) in

the towns and cities, on all major roads and highways a maximum speed of 70 km/h

(43 mph) from the 120 km/h (75 mph) speed limit with very heavy fines for motorists

who contravened any of these laws, this made the paying of regalia visits outside of

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a distance of about 250 kilometres (155 miles) very difficult unless the Brethren were

able to take leave from work and they left home very early on either a Thursday or

Friday morning and returned home on a Monday or Tuesday afternoon depending on

the distance to be travelled.

The Letaba Safari Lodge No. 6659 (Grand Lodge Direct) opened its new Lodge hall

on a large property, just outside of Phalaborwa, on the edge of the world famous

Kruger National Park in Limpopo (formally North Eastern Transvaal) on the 1st

September 1973, the building consists of a reception area, kitchen, bar, Lodge Room

and toilets with showers. This hall was often hired out to the general public for

private functions, over the years they built a large covered area outside for the

holding of social functions and having a braaivleis (barbeque). They also had a small

garden of remembrance where the ashes of several Brethren have been scattered.

The Lodge was closed in 2017.

Letaba Safari Lodge No 6659 Hall in Phalaborwa

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From 1976 to 1981 the Lodges in the Eastern Transvaal Province were very strong

owing to the fact that a lot of Brethren of the Order that came from the United

Kingdom on a five year contract, they were working at the local South African Air

Force, Central Flying School base in Dunnottar, east of Johannesburg. This was the

same air base that was used by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War

as part of the British Empire Training Scheme for pilots.

The Grand Lodge of South Africa Executive consisting of Brother Mike Swanton

R.O.H. Grand Primo 1976, Brother Richard Pratt K.O.M. Grand Primo 1974 and

1975, Brother Pat Stacey R.O.H. Grand Primo 1969 and 1970, Brother Bert Setter

R.O.H. Grand Primo 1966, Grand Secretary, and Brother Roy Lorentz C.P. Grand

Alderman of Benevolence held a meeting on 10th May 1976 in Port Elizabeth with

Brother John Cooper R.O.H. Grand Secretary, Grand Lodge of England while he

was on a visit to Port Elizabeth. Further to this meeting a delegation from the Grand

Lodge of South Africa consisting of Brother Roy Lorentz K.O.M., Grand Alderman of

Benevolence, Brother Bert Setter R.O.H., Grand Primo 1966, Grand Secretary and

Brother John McNally C.P., Grand Tyler, (Brother Richard Pratt K.O.M., Immediate

Past Grand Primo apologised that he was unable to attend the meeting) met on 3rd

March 1977 with twelve members of the Grand Lodge of England Executive, eight of

whom were Grand Primo’s of their respective years, the meeting was held under the

Chairmanship of Brother Mostyn Gale R.O.H., Grand Primo 1977, Grand Lodge of

England, in Folkestone, Kent, in the south east of England. It was confirmed at the

meeting that there is a Reciprocity Agreement between The Grand Lodge of South

Africa and the Grand Lodge of England, another matter of importance that was

discussed was the issuing of Dispensations by the Grand Lodge of England to

Lodges opening in South Africa. The visit did much to renew old bonds, to cement

new bonds where previously none existed and to create a greater understanding and

mutual respect between the Grand Lodge of South Africa and the Grand Lodge of

England.

In 1977 the Transvaal Provincial Grand Lodge purchased the Whitehouse

Residential Hotel in Edenvale, east of Johannesburg, from the money received from

the sale of the property in Troyeville, Johannesburg, it was decided to sell the hotel

in 1979. Also in 1977 the Provincial Grand Lodge of the Northern Transvaal, King

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Edward Lodge No. 6601 and the Aloe Lodge No. 6667 in Pretoria joined forces with

the Boy Scout Association on a 50/50 basis and built a joint Scout-Buff hall in

Villieria, a suburb in the east of Pretoria with the parents of the Boy Scouts and

Members of the Order working together on weekends.

In 1978 a new act of Parliament called the “Fund Raising Act” was passed in South

Africa prohibiting the selling of any type of raffle or draw tickets, this was

circumvented by asking for a donation towards a possible prize and the correctly

answering of a very simple question on the donation (raffle) sheet. This act has since

been relaxed.

The Inyathi Lodge No. 10193 which was situated in the Randfontein area, west of

Johannesburg, was the last Lodge in South Africa to receive a Grand Lodge of

England Dispensation on the 2nd June 1978, they later seceded to the Grand Lodge

of Southern Africa on the 1st October 1994 leaving no Lodges operating under a

Grand Lodge of England Dispensation in South Africa, the Lodge finally closed on

the 31st July 2013.

The Dispensation from the defunct Sand River Lodge No. 6677 that held its

meetings in Welkom, Orange Free State, was donated by the Grand Lodge of South

Africa to the Grand Lodge of England for display in their museum at Grove House,

Harrogate in 1979.

Due to some changes in the laws in the Republic of South Africa, it was decided at

the Convention held in 1980 that our Constitution and Rule for Initiations would be

amended with the removal of the words “European decent” this was to allow any

unenlightened gentleman over the age of 18 years regardless of his race, colour or

creed to be Initiated into the Grand Lodge of South Africa and to also attend

meetings in their Lodges.

On his retirement as Grand Secretary, Brother Cyril Bert Setter R.O.H. Grand Primo

1966, Grand Secretary 1958 – 1980, at the Grand Lodge meeting held in Pretoria on

the 31st August 1980, Brother Bert, as he was affectionately known as by all the

Brethren of the Order in South Africa, was presented with a framed address of

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appreciation and a specially commissioned Sash depicting his various services to

the Grand Lodge of South Africa and was also granted Honorary Life Membership of

the Order, he passed to the Grand Lodge above in 1990, all his regalia and Jewels

are now on display in the Museum in Port Elizabeth.

Brother Roy Lorentz K.O.M. (Grand Primo 1979 & 1980 presenting Brother Bert Setter R.O.H. Grand

Primo 1966, Grand Secretary 1958 – 1980 with the framed address of Appreciation

The boundaries of the Provincial Grand Lodges in operation at the present time or

that may be formed in the future was reviewed and redefined by the Grand Lodge

Executive, with Delegates from each of the Provincial Grand Lodges and the Minor

Lodges Direct the meeting was held in Pretoria on Saturday, 26th February 1981, any

Lodge falling outside of these agreed boundaries or where no Provincial Grand

Lodge existed would then fall under the control of the Grand Lodge of South Africa

Direct.

The Grand Lodge of Namibia was formed on the 20th March 1982 in Windhoek,

South West Africa (now Namibia), without any Charter issued from any Banner or

Section of the Order, they then illegally founded and opened later on the same day

three new Minor Lodges, the Falcon Lodge, Karakul Lodge and Kalahari Lodge, with

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their own Dispensations illegally issued by the Grand Lodge of Namibia, and

subsequently, because of this they were not recognised by any Banner or Section of

the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes anywhere in the world, all the Members

associated with this Banner were subsequently expelled from both the Grand Lodge

of South Africa and the Grand Lodge of England. The Grand Lodge of Namibia and

the three Minor Lodges closed shortly afterwards, some of the expelled Members

were later re-admitted into the Grand Lodge of South Africa after successfully

appealing their expulsions.

The Loyal Toast was again changed in 1985 due to the political situation in South

Africa, as the State President of the country was a political figure head appointed by

the ruling political party, to “South Africa, The Order and This Lodge in Particular”,

the Lodges that where still meeting in Namibia were given permission to amend the

Toast to “South Africa, Namibia, The Order and This Lodge in Particular”.

The Grand Lodge of South Africa started the “C.J. Powlesland Memorial Bursary

Fund” during 1985 in honour and memory of the late Brother Clifford J. Powlesland

R.O.H., Grand Secretary 1981 to 1983, after receiving an amount of money

bequeathed by him to the Grand Lodge of South Africa. The first bursary award was

made in 1987. The fund has been further boosted over the years by other Brethren

bequeathing money to it and from Provincial Grand Lodges and Minor Lodges

making donations. This fund still operates today in supplying bursaries to the

children of Brethren of the Order in South Africa to assist in the furthering of their

educational studies.

Again due to the very high cost of foreign exchange for the British Pound the

Johannesburg Lodge No. 10115 (formally Johannesburg Lodge No. 300 under the

Grand Surrey Banner) finally seceded on the 2nd July 1990 to the Grand Lodge of

South Africa from the Grand Lodge of England, this Lodge finally closed in 1993.

In 1991 the Transvaal Provincial Grand Lodge again purchased a property for the

use of the Order in the Transvaal, this time it was an old Masonic Hall in Hans

Street, Jeppestown, a suburb on the east side of Johannesburg, and most of the

Minor Lodges in the Transvaal Province moved in there and set up our first museum.

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In 2005 the suburb deteriorated due to the very high crime rate and car theft in the

area, (parking was in the street) and the property was eventually sold in 2007, the

items on display in the museum being shared between the Lodges in Henley on Klip

and Brakpan who set up museums. The Bunduloo Lodge No. 6694 was donated a

large plot of ground south of Johannesburg that has never been developed on; it is

also now becoming a high crime area due to a large informal settlement “squatter

camp” nearby and they are busy at the moment looking at selling it.

GRAND LODGE OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

At the Grand Lodge session held in Durban on Saturday, 10th April 1993 the Grand

Lodge of South Africa again decided to change its name this time to the Grand

Lodge of Southern Africa, as we had Lodges operating in Namibia and it was hoped

to attract the Lodges in the neighbouring countries to re-join us, this we felt might

help those Lodges who were struggling to pay the Grand Lodge of England due to

the very high exchange rate for British Sterling at the time and also the difficulty in

sending money out of some of their countries. The Loyal Toast was again changed

in 1996 to “Southern Africa, The Order and This Lodge in Particular”.

In 1995 the Apron and Sash belonging to the Late Brother Lawrence Pascoe R.O.H.

Grand Primo 1921, 1954 & 1955 after he passed to the Grand Lodge above was

presented by his family to the Grand Lodge of Southern Africa to be worn by the

Grand Primo while in office. When it was decided to purchase a new set of Grand

Primo Regalia in September 2000, only a sash was needed to be purchased, Brother

Wally Gasson R.O.H. H.L.M., Grand Primo 1983, donated his Grand Primo’s Apron

and Brother Eddie Metcalf R.O.H. H.L.M. Grand Primo 1996, donated his Grand

Primo’s Cuffs to the Grand Lodge of Southern Africa for use by the Grand Primo

while in Office. It was decided that the old set of Regalia would be framed and put on

display in the museum in Henley on Klip.

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Grand Primo Apron and Sash

belonging to the late Brother L.H.E. Pasco R.O.H. Grand Primo 1921, 1954 & 1955

From 1998 the carrying of firearms on their person by Brethren is not permitted in

any of our Lodges, but Brethren may be allowed to carry them locked in their Regalia

cases.

Sadly on the 1st November 1999 Brother Brian McCarthy R.O.H. was murdered on

his arrival at the Observatory Park Bowling Club, in a suburb in the east of

Johannesburg, prior to the Troyeville Lodge No. 6619 meeting, this was to have

been his last meeting in South Africa before returning to Doncaster in England the

following evening, to date the perpetrators have never been apprehended, the other

Brethren of the Lodge were held on the floor at gun point during the armed robbery

and all their personal belongings (such as wallets, cellular telephones, car keys,

watches and jewellery) were taken, fortunately they did not take any of our Regalia

and thankfully no firearms were being carried by any Brother that night. All but one of

the Lodges now hold their meetings at the residences of Brethren of the Order, in a

converted outbuilding on their properties that has been specially converted into a

Lodge Room, these are mostly held on a Sunday morning for safety and security

reasons.

After many years of trying to produce a newsletter / magazine by various Brethren

and Lodges and these not being very successful, the Grand Lodge of Southern

Africa decided, in April 2007 to operate its own website, the domain name

“www.raob.co.za” was duly registered at the end of April, and it has become a very

http://www.raob.co.za/

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useful advertising, marketing and informative tool in promoting the Order here in

South Africa, and it is viewed by Brethren from all over the world on a regular basis,

as well as by family members enquiring about their late family members and to offer

to return regalia for display in one of the museums, the website is updated with the

dates and venues of Lodge meetings without fail on a monthly basis. We also submit

articles on a regular basis for inclusion in the Grand Lodge of England publication

the “Buffalo Quarterly Journal”.

The Order now has four museums in South Africa, one is in the Bunduloo Lodge No.

6694 Lodge Room in Henley on Klip, south of Johannesburg, which has mostly

Regalia, Jewels, photographs and the old Grand Lodge records, the one in the

Izimbali Provincial Grand Lodge Premises in Brakpan, east of Johannesburg is the

largest and has mostly Regalia, Jewels, a few photographs, old ceremony cards,

Rule and Ceremony Books, Grand Lodge of England Directories and old

Dispensations of defunct Lodges, it also has a full Buffalo head that has been

perfectly preserved and mounted, on display, that was presented on the 7th July

1910 to the Randfontein Lodge No. 1924, Grand Lodge of England Limited, by

Brother Jan Willem Stuckeris Langerman M.L.A. (later Sir Jan) who was the

Managing Director of the Robinson Deep Group of Gold Mines in the south of

Johannesburg and was also the president of the Transvaal Chamber of Mines 1909

– 1910 and a member of the South African Party. The J.W.S. Langerman Lodge No.

4007 was named after this Brother, Langerman Drive in the Kensington suburb, in

the east of Johannesburg, and Langerman Street in the Mayfair Suburb in the west

of Johannesburg are both named after him, he was also a founder member of the

Doornfontein Lodge No. 2585 E.C., Masonic Order, in Doornfontein the first

“swagger suburb” in the east of Johannesburg. The museum in Durban and the other

one in Port Elizabeth both have various items of Regalia and Jewels on display

including some old Dispensations of the defunct Lodges in their areas together with

some old photographs.

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The Buffalo Head presented to the Randfontein Lodge No. 1924 (G.L.E. Ltd.)

on 7th July 1910 by Brother J.W.S. Langerman M.L. A.

The public museum in Simons Town, south of Cape Town, has a full set of Fourth

Degree regalia on display, which was donated by the Grand Lodge of Southern

Africa in 2003, from the now defunct White Ensign Lodge No. 10069, which closed in

March 2001, the Lodge used to hold its meetings in Simons Town.

Brother Robert Crowe K.O.M. a former Member of the East Rand Lodge No. 6657 in

Springs, east of Johannesburg, who now lives in Scotland came to South Africa in

2006 on a holiday, and while here he paid a visit to the Troyeville Lodge No. 6619 to

return the Jewels to the Lodge of the late Brother Frankie Hynes R.O.H. who had

passed away in Dundee, Scotland.

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The Provincial Grand Primo of the Huddersfield and District Provincial Grand Lodge

in England, Brother Brian Sutcliffe R.O.H. paid a special visit to the Troyeville Lodge

No. 6619 in January 2007, unknown to Brother Patrick Wall R.O.H., Grand Primo

1987 (Grand Lodge of South Africa), who was on holiday in South Africa at the time,

to invest him with his Regalia as the Deputy Provincial Grand Primo of Huddersfield

and District Provincial Grand Lodge, he was accompanied on his visit to the Minor

Lodge by the Grand Primo of Southern Africa, Brother Peter Hicks R.O.H., the

Deputy Grand Primo, Brother Paul Carr R.O.H. and five Grand Primo’s of their

respective years, together with the Provincial Grand Primo of the Transvaal

Provincial Grand Lodge, Brother John Garrell R.O.H. and six Provincial Grand

Primo’s of their respective years, all the Grand Primo’s, Deputy Grand Primo and

Provincial Grand Primo’s, together with Brother Patrick Wall R.O.H. were all

members of the Troyeville Lodge No. 6619, not bad for a small Lodge, unfortunately

Brother Walter Gasson R.O.H., H.L.M. Grand Primo 1983, Grand Lodge of South

Africa who is also a Member of the Lodge was not able to be present.

At the end of 2007 the Transvaal Provincial Grand Lodge decided that due to the

lack of Minor Lodges in their area of jurisdiction to amalgamate with the Eastern

Transvaal Provincial Grand Lodge, which was founded in 1975 after breaking away

from the Transvaal Province, this took effect from the 1st January 2008.

In 2008 along with the other organisations like the Masonic Order, Lions, Rotary and

Round Table who are operating in South Africa, we all had to change the names of

our Provincial branches, replacing the names of the old four South Africa provinces

(there are now nine provinces) to new names in line with the Government policies,

the new name chosen for the Eastern Province / Transvaal Province was the Izimbali

Provincial Grand Lodge as there was a Lodge at that time that held its meetings in

one of the new neighbouring Provinces (Mpumalanga). Izimbali meaning “Rose” in

the Zulu language, this is the emblem that was adopted for all the sporting bodies in

the area and was not geographical or political, this is the only Provincial Grand

Lodge still operating in South Africa. All these organisations sadly are suffering from

the same fate as we are with falling membership mostly due to the high crime rate

and the hi-jacking of motor vehicles throughout the country, most members of the

public do not go out much at night anymore as they prefer to remain at home, safely

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locked up in their own properties with burglar bars on all windows and security gates

on all the outside doors and high security fences or walls around their properties.

At the Grand Lodge meeting held on the 4th October 2008, after a long discussion

and as there was no majority in the voting, it was finally agreed that it be left to a

Brother’s discretion as to whether he wears his apron under or over his jacket.

In 2010 a group of Brethren consisting of Brother Walter Gasson R.O.H., Grand

Primo 1983, Brother Roy Masterton R.O.H., Grand Primo 2005, Brother Raymond

Savory R.O.H., Grand Primo 2008, Brother Mark Masterton R.O.H., Grand Primo

2010, Brother Andre De Beer K.O.M., Deputy Grand Primo 2010 and Brother

Desmond Woods R.O.H., Grand Primo 2004, Grand Secretary from the Grand

Lodge of Southern Africa again visited the Grand Lodge of England, at the Grand

Lodge Session held in Dundee, and some Minor Lodges in England and they were

very well received wherever they went.

A special Convention was called to completely update and re-write the Rule and

Manual of Instruction & Ceremony Books of the Grand Lodge of Southern Africa in

September 2013. From this convention our Rule Book and the Manual of Instruction

and Ceremony Books have been combined into one book and issued in a loose leaf,

single sided A5 format, to keep the printing costs down; any amendments are now

issued as loose pages, these books are also personalised with the Name and

Degree of the Brother on the front. Two personalised copies have been sent to

England, one to the Grand Lodge of England and the other to the All Sections

Consultative Committee for their records.

Brother Paul Carr R.O.H. H.L.M., Grand Primo 2007, 2013, 2014 & 2015 while on a

holiday to England in September 2014 paid an official visit to the Grand Lodge of

England meeting held in Sunderland, attended a Forty Year Honorary Membership

presentation to Brother Murray John (Fred) Forrest R.O.H. in the Royal Elizabethan

Lodge No. 8654, Kings Lynn Province and the public Investiture of Brother Paul Best

K.O.M. Grand Waiter 2014 in Halifax and also attended the Grand Lodge of Northern

Ireland meeting in Belfast, the first visit by a South African Grand Primo to Northern

Ireland, as well as some Minor Lodges and wherever he went he was very well

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received. On his return to South Africa he carried out an induction to the Second

Degree of Brother Dave Arnold C.P. in the Bunduloo Lodge No. 6694 and then

chaired the Grand Lodge of Southern Africa meeting, altogether three Grand Lodge

sessions of three different sections of the Order all in the space of one month.

During 2015 we applied to join and were accepted on the 17th October 2015 by the

All Sections Consultative Committee, in the United Kingdom, as a full member, which

we are very proud to be a member of. We circulate our Expelled, Suspended,

Terminated and Resigned Members List to the Grand Lodge of England and the All

Sections Consultative Committee for their records. Over the years we have had and

still have a very good and close relationship and co-operation with the Grand Lodge

of England, the Grand Council Africa and The Overseas Buffalo Association, and we

hope to carry it on and to extend this to all the other Sections of the Order in the near

future.

The Minor Lodges in the Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban areas used to pay

regular regalia visits and in return receive regular visits from the Brethren and Minor

Lodges that where operating on the former Union-Castle Shipping Line and

Safmarine Mail Ships and also the Queen Elizabeth II cruise liner when they were in

port, recently we have not had any vessels coming into any of these ports that still

have Minor Lodges on board.

Sadly there are no longer any Lodges at the moment operating in either Namibia

(Tourmaline Lodge No. 6685 Grand Lodge of Southern Africa Direct closed in

December 1994), Zimbabwe (Pride of Mutare Lodge No. 6645 Grand Lodge of

England Direct, closed in September 2014), Malawi (Stag Lodge No. 9739 Grand

Lodge of England Direct, closed in the early 2000’s) or Swaziland (Usutu Lodge No.

9885 Grand Lodge of England Direct, closed in the mid 1990’s). There are still

Lodges meeting in Zambia and Botswana that are operating under the Grand Lodge

of England.

All of our Brethren in South Africa have to travel by motor vehicle due to the lack of

public transport to attend a Lodge meeting, unfortunately quite a lot of our Brethren

and their families have lost their lives, or have been very seriously injured, on the

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roads in South Africa in motor vehicle accidents, either on their way to Grand Lodge,

Provincial Grand Lodge or Minor Lodge meetings or on their way back home. A lot of

the Brethren who live in the Johannesburg and surrounding areas have to travel

about eighty kilometres each way (about fifty miles) to attend a Lodge meeting, some

other Brethren have even travelled a round trip of some one thousand six hundred

kilometres (about one thousand miles) from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth and back.

A few of the Brethren in the Johannesburg area often travel the six hundred

kilometres one way (about three hundred and seventy five miles) to pay a regalia

visit to the Minor Lodges in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, this shows real dedication and

commitment to our Order. Socials with the family members and Brethren are often

held after the Lodge meetings in the form of a Braaivleis (Barbeque), before the

Brethren have to travel the long distances home. All the Lodges in South Africa only

hold their meetings once a month; this is mainly due to the very long distances some

of the Brethren have to travel.

Quite a number of our Brethren have taken part, over the years, in the gruelling

world famous “Comrades Marathon”, which is an ultra-marathon, run annually

between the cities of Pietermaritzburg and Durban, in KwaZulu Natal, (alternating the

direction every year) over a distance of some 88 kilometres (55 miles), similar to the

distance between London and Brighton in England, the race has to be completed in

a time of 12 hours, it was started in 1921 in memory of comrades and soldiers that

had died during the First World War with only 34 runners starting out of an entry of

48, today the entry is capped at 20,000 entrants, entrants must be over 20 years of

age with no upper age limit and must have qualified by taking part in some of the

qualifying events held each year. All of the Minor Lodges in the Natal Province joined

together during the 1990’s and early 2000’s and manned one of the many watering

points along the race route from very early in the morning until late in the afternoon,

advertising the Order.

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Bro. Norman J. Jenks R.O.H. G.P. 1962 & 1963

Completing his sixth Comrades Marathon in 1988 at the age of 64, (he participated in and completed

a total of nine runs).

In 2011 three Brethren from the Inyathi Lodge No. 10193, Brother Ray Savory

R.O.H. Grand Primo 2008, Brother Mark Masterton R.O.H. Grand Primo 2010 and

Brother Andre De Beer R.O.H. Grand Primo 2012, formed a Royal Antediluvian

Order of Buffaloes cycling team and participated in many of the cycle races

throughout the Country, wearing shirts advertising the Order and raising money

through sponsorship for charity, in June 2015 one of their shirts was donated to

Brother Dave Henderson R.O.H. of the Pride of the Wear Lodge No. 9743, North

Durham Province, England who also partakes in cycle events in the United Kingdom

to raise money for charity.

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Bro. Dave Henderson R.O.H. in the South African cycling shirt

Over the years the Lodges in South Africa have raised a lot of money for various

charities, most of the Lodges in the country having donated wheel chairs to worthy

causes. Some of the more recent events include the Letaba Safari Lodge No. 6659

in Phalaborwa who for many years supported a children’s home in Lydenburg,

situated 183 kilometres (114 miles) south of Phalaborwa. In 1977 the May Lodge No.

4014 held a very successful fete and a dinner dance which raised over R4000.00,

with the mayor of Boksburg as one of the guests of honour, in aid of the Little Eden

Home for children and adults with profound intellectual disability and they also had a

drive to supply tin food and non-perishable food items to the home, all the Lodges

and Members in the Eastern Transvaal, Northern Transvaal and Transvaal

Provinces donated items of food filling the dance floor in the old Boksburg Town Hall,

east of Johannesburg. The local supermarket group “Pick ‘n Pay Hypermarket” in

Boksburg sponsored all the food, Rave Stores most of the prizes for the raffles and

Rebel Bottle Store (off sales) all the liquor, the local South African band “7th Night”

also played for free. The Lodge also donated a set of goal posts and two soccer kits

as well as soccer balls to the San Michelle Home also for intellectually and physically

disabled people. The Jubilee Lodge No. 6665 raised enough money in the early

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1980’s from two golf days to donate R1000.00 to Tape Aids for the Blind and to

sponsor three guide dogs for the Blind at R3500.00 each; The Transvaal Provincial

Grand Lodge and the United Lodge No. 4004 also raised money for the Guide Dogs

for the Blind Association through various charity functions. The Transvaal Provincial

Grand Lodge and the Inyathi Lodge No. 10193 as well as the Royal Brakpan Lodge

No. 6674 and the Jubilee Lodge No. 6665 in the East Transvaal Province also used

to hold very successful annual golf days in the Johannesburg and Springs areas to

raise money for various charities. The Troyeville Lodge No. 6619 started an annual

“Brother Leslie James Rathbone R.O.H. Memorial Charity Bowls Day” in 1986, this

has since been taken over by the May Lodge No. 4014, Brother Les Rathbone

R.O.H. was the first Provincial Grand Primo of the Eastern Transvaal Provincial

Grand Lodge in 1975 and a member of the May Lodge No. 4014, he passed away in

1985. The May Lodge No. 4014 held the annual Bowls Day in 2013, this time to raise

money to assist a visually impaired bowler, (similar to the one held by the Oliver

Cromwell Lodge No. 9666 Cambridge and District Provincial Grand Lodge in 1985),

Mrs. May Homer and her director Mr. Paul Homer to play in the World Visually

Impaired Bowls in England during this fund raising event they had the pleasure of

some of the South African World Blind Bowls players also taking part, this raised an

amount of R9600.00, on her return from England Mrs. May Homer came and

thanked the Lodge for the donation and showed us the two Gold Medals that she

had won, the South African Team also won the team prize. The St. Andrews Lodge

No. 6653 in Port Elizabeth decided to take a different approach to collecting for the

needy in 2015, asking the members of the public as well as companies in the Port

Elizabeth and surrounding areas to donate non-perishable foodstuffs, clothing,

blankets and furniture as well as any unwanted items like toys and books etc., this

approach has worked very well and they have had tremendous support, this project

is still very much ongoing and is run in conjunction with the other service

organisations, church, charity and welfare groups in the area, Members of the Lodge

transport all the items collected to the needy, to date they have donated over 2000

items of clothing, 1000 pairs of shoes together with furniture ranging from lounge

suites to beds and electrical appliances, blankets, curtains, books and vast amounts

of various non-perishable foodstuffs during the years from 2015 to 2017 with a total

value of over R300,000.00. In 2017 it assisted the Knysna fire relief fund with

clothing and food. The Bunduloo Lodge No. 6694, in Henley On Klip, between 2015

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& 2017 donated over R30 000.00 from various fund raising events to the Sasonah

Lodge, a home for people suffering from Alzheimer’s and Dementia in Germiston,

east of Johannesburg, this project is also still ongoing.

Bro. Paul Carr R.O.H. H.L.M., Grand Primo 2007, 2013, 2014, 2015, Mr. Paul Homer (director), Mrs.

May Homer and Bro. Kevin Mullen R.O.H. H.M., Worthy Primo, May Lodge No. 4014, congratulating

Mrs. May Homer on the two Gold Medals that she had won at the World Blind Bowls Tournament in

England.

Many of the Grand Primo’s of their respective years from South Africa have visited

various Minor Lodges and attended the Grand Lodge Sessions in England over the

years, but unfortunately we have only ever received one official visit by a Grand

Primo of the Grand Lodge of England or any other Section while in Office, even

though some of them have been here on a holiday to our Country; we have been

fortunate to have had the occasional visit from some of the Grand Lodge of England

Officers of their respective years. A few of our former Grand Lodge Officers and

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other Brethren currently reside in the United Kingdom, with most of them are still

regularly attending Lodges there.

We always look forward to receiving any Brother, from whatever recognised Section

of the Order throughout the world, who finds himself in our Country for any reason

whatsoever, whether he is here visiting his family, friends, on a holiday, retiring or

working in South Africa, and he can be assured that he will always receive a very

warm and hearty welcome into any of our Lodge meetings that he decides to attend.

Over the years our normal dress code has remained constant, even with the heat of

summer (often in the upper thirty’s Celsius) and very high humidity (in the ninety’s),

with normal smart casual wear for regular Lodge meetings, jacket or blazer (jackets

or blazers may be removed during the meeting with permission, but replaced for the

Opening, Absent Brethren Toast and Closing), lounge shirt with collar, tie, long

trousers and shoes with the highest Degree Jewel, with dress suit or smart casual

wear and full regalia being worn for all Ceremonies and Regalia visits. In 2017 Lodge

golf / polo shirts were permitted to be worn in the summer months due to the very

high temperatures and humidity, especially in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape

provinces, in place of the jacket, shirt and tie.

Grand Primo Regalia – Present Day

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To all the Founders and long standing Members of the Grand Lodge in South Africa,

all Grand Lodge Officers and Delegates past and present, their commitment and

devotion to the spirit and ideals which animate our Ancient and Honourable Order,

are an example to us all. They have earned and fully deserve our respect, both as

Men and Brothers.

As long as we have dedicated Brethren in the Order, as we still have today, even

though we are small in numbers the Order will continue to operate in South Africa.

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GRAND PRIMO’s

GRAND LODGE OF THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA AND RHODESIA

(Grand Lodge of England) 1921 Bro. L.H.E. Pasco R.O.H. 1922 Bro. R. Brownrigg K.O.M. 1923 Bro. R. Brownrigg K.O.M. 1924 Bro. B. Goldman R.O.H. 1925 Bro. J.H. Tomlin R.O.H. 1926 Bro. J.H. Tomlin R.O.H. 1927 Bro. J.H. Tomlin R.O.H. 1928 Bro. J.H. Tomlin R.O.H. 1929 Bro. J. Blackmore R.O.H. 1930 Bro. J. Blackmore R.O.H. 1931 Bro. J. Butterworth K.O.M. 1932 Bro. J. Butterworth K.O.M. 1933 Bro. A.A. Webber R.O.H. 1934 Bro. A.A. Webber R.O.H. 1935 Bro. J.G. Hart K.O.M. 1936 Bro. J.G. Hart K.O.M. 1937 Bro. A.A. Webber R.O.H. 1938 Bro. G.A.F. Kinnear R.O.H. 1939 Bro. G.A.F. Kinnear R.O.H. 1940 Bro. J. Blackmore R.O.H. 1941 Bro. J. Herman K.O.M. 1942 Bro. J. Herman K.O.M. 1943 Bro. B. Mantel K.O.M. 1944 Bro. B. Mantel K.O.M. 1945 Bro. G.A.F. Kinnear R.O.H. 1946 Bro. G.A.F. Kinnear R.O.H. 1947 Bro. A.A. Webber R.O.H. 1948 Bro. M. Levin K.O.M. / Bro. E.J. MacKay K.O.M. 1949 Bro. S. Carson R.O.H. 1950 Bro. T. Dogget R.O.H. 1951 Bro. T. Dogget R.O.H. 1952 Bro. H. Spanner R.O.H. 1953 Bro. H.O.A. Waller R.O.H. 1954 Bro. L.H.E. Pasco R.O.H. 1955 Bro. L.H.E. Pasco R.O.H. 1956 Bro. R.F. Sterry K.O.M. 1957 Bro. R.F. Sterry K.O.M. 1958 Bro. A.G. Sohl K.O.M. 1959 Bro. A.G. Sohl K.O.M. 1960 Bro. D. Ungerer R.O.H.

GRAND LODGE OF SOUTH AFRICA

1961 Bro. M. Flax R.O.H. 1962 Bro. N.J. Jenks K.O.M.

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1963 Bro. N.J. Jenks K.O.M. 1964 Bro. P.E.W. Page R.O.H. – Convention President 1965 Bro. H. Greeff K.O.M. 1966 Bro. C.B. Setter R.O.H. 1967 Bro. A.F. Baker R.O.H. – Convention President 1968 Bro. A.F. Baker R.O.H. 1969 Bro. P.E. Stacey R.O.H. 1970 Bro. P.E. Stacey R.O.H. 1971 Bro. D.G. Barker R.O.H. 1972 Bro. D.G. Barker R.O.H. – Convention President 1973 Bro. D.J. Lloyd K.O.M. 1974 Bro. R.A. Pratt K.O.M. 1975 Bro. R.A. Pratt K.O.M. – Convention President 1976 Bro. M.J. Swanton R.O.H. 1977 Bro. W.L. Schutte K.O.M. 1978 Bro. P.E. Stacey R.O.H. 1979 Bro. R.S. Lorentz K.O.M. 1980 Bro. R.S. Lorentz K.O.M. – Convention President 1981 Bro. J.P. Pienaar R.O.H. 1982 Bro. R. Hart R.O.H. 1983 Bro. W.L. Gasson R.O.H. – Convention President 1984 Bro. V.E. Howe R.O.H. 1985 Bro. J.J. Salisbury R.O.H. 1986 Bro. E.L. Seaman R.O.H. 1987 Bro. P.J. Wall R.O.H. – Convention President 1988 Bro. M.A. Lange R.O.H. 1989 Bro. A.W. Fanthorpe R.O.H. 1990 Bro. E.J. Fridey R.O.H. 1991 Bro. J.A. Milton R.O.H. – Convention President 1992 Bro. D. Nel R.O.H.

GRAND LODGE OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

1993 Bro. A. Van Der Lingen R.O.H. 1994 Bro. I. Scott R.O.H. 1995 Bro. J.P. McNally R.O.H. – Convention President 1996 Bro. E. Metcalf R.O.H. 1997 Bro. T. Scott R.O.H. 1998 Bro. D.B. Lee R.O.H. 1999 Bro. L. Rothwell R.O.H. – Convention President 2000 Bro. R. Giliam K.O.M. 2001 Bro. S.A. Heroldt R.O.H. 2002 Bro. J.M. Norton R.O.H. 2003 Bro. B. Hamburger R.O.H. – Convention President 2004 Bro. D.V. Woods R.O.H. 2005 Bro. R.J. Masterton R.O.H. 2006 Bro. P.A. Hicks R.O.H. 2007 Bro. P.R. Carr R.O.H. – Convention President 2008 Bro. R.J. Savory K.O.M. 2009 Bro. J.F. Ambrose R.O.H.

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2010 Bro. M.A. Masterton R.O.H. 2011 Bro. R. Giliam R.O.H. – Convention President 2012 Bro. A De Beer K.O.M. 2013 Bro. P.R. Carr R.O.H. – Convention President 2014 Bro. P.R. Carr R.O.H. 2015 Bro. P.R. Carr R.O.H. 2016 Bro. D.V. Woods R.O.H. 2017 Bro. D.V. Woods R.O.H. 2018 2019 2020 2021

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Notes

1. All of the above information has been taken from the various Grand Lodge, Convention, Provincial

Grand Lodge, Roll Of Honour Assembly, Knights Chapter and Minor Lodge Minutes, Rule, Manual of

Instruction and Ceremony Books, Lodge bye-laws, Members Signature Books, various Grand Lodge of

Southern Africa archives, correspondence, the Grand Lodge of England “Buffalo Quarterly Journal” and

local South African newspaper articles.

2. All photographs and illustrations used in this publication are copyright of the Royal Antediluvian Order of

Buffaloes, Grand Lodge of Southern Africa.

3. The exchange rates are converted at the approximate rate of exchange at the time.

4. All rights reserved, no part of this publication maybe reproduced, stored in a retrievable system or

transmitted, in any form or by any means whatsoever, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,

or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright owner.

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