HH owns a 1920s sterling and enamel medallion from the Royal Antediluvian (‘before the flood’) Order of the Buffalo in red, white, cobalt, and turquoise. Fattorini and Sons LTD, Jewelers, Bradford House, Birmingham made this trinket. The red ribbon is embroidered ‘RAOB Grand Council.’ The sterling hallmarked with a lion and letter E, the piece measures four by five centimeters. The back of the medal reads “Presented to Bro Robt Worden by Harmoney Lodge No 707 27/5/29, Primo Omnibus” (Leader of us all).
The Latin words above each arch state ‘Nemo Mortalium Omnibus Horis Sapit’—No man is at all times wise).
Order of the Buffalo Founded in 1822
The initiation ceremony included a song and a distinctive leaping dance. “We’ll chase the buffalo! We are entitled to chomp, grind, and devour in all turnip fields, meadows, and pastures! We are obliged to gore and toss all enemies to Buffalo!” They called new initiates kangaroos, possibly in keeping with the nomenclature of non-British animal names. The now respectable Buffalo Order still exists. The chant at initiation today is less turbulent: ”May the spirit of true Buffalo-ism hover around us!” The Order owns an 18th century Estate, their Grand Lodge, Grove House, in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
The history of the order dates to early 19th century in London at the Harp Tavern near the theaters in Drury Lane. Echoing social stratification of the 19th century British pubs, the Buffalo Order came as an offshoot of the Lushington Order of Actors, a higher social class than stagehands. The stagehands and travelling theater men formed their own “Lodge” at The Harp, and the Order was born. The Order, not related to the Masons, does incorporate secret rituals. Some say the Buffalo Order resembles the secret Elite, “The Illuminati.” The Order resembles a full blown secret society with rituals, and good works. The Order stands by the maxim: Justice, Truth, Philanthropy. Today the Order does much charitable good: 10,000 members raise five hundred thousand to a million Pounds each year.
On the Order of the Buffalo’s Website
I read, “The right to give and not receive is one of our key principles.” The order is British, or some say Commonwealth only, and men only. A core tenant says never take a drink with your right hand. If another Buffalo sees you quaffing with your right hand, you must quickly down that drink and reach for another with your left hand. In the early 19th century the Order formed as a drinking club at The Harp. Like most 19th century British pubs, clientele included men of a certain profession or class. British taverns, pubs, inns, boozers, aligned themselves with social groups. Financial professionals patronized their pubs, dockworkers theirs, journalists, and theatrical men went to theirs.
Society often looked on early 19th century secret societies, like the Order of the Buffalo, as dangerous and subversive. The French Revolution and Reign of Terror remained fresh in British minds as the Order formed. By the mid 19 century the 1866 Constitution of the Grand Primo Lodge legitimized the Buffalo Order. Still closely aligned with theatrical travelling performers, they spread the news of the Order to other theater companies. Lodges sprang up in Manchester, London, Lincolnshire and theater towns. Actors and stagehands took Sunday off, so the Order met Sunday evenings.
Men Only
Through the 19th century performers on the road secured cards enabling them to contact other lodges. The Order of the Buffalo’s Rule Book of 1848 stated, “enough to eat to permit them to starve gracefully.” It also said, “I must caution you how to trust women as we never admit them to our councils.” Even today Lodges don’t admit women members. One gent said, “visiting the Lodges is the only peace we men get.”
The Royal Antediluvian Order of the Buffalo preceded American orders of Moose and Elks. The names refer to ruminant animals, hoofed beasts with four-chambered stomachs to slowly digest plant material. ‘Ruminant’ also means reflective and thoughtful: there’s the metaphor. By WWI the Order bought and drove ambulances for the front lines manned by Buffalo volunteers. By the 1920s they opened convalescent homes, and built a major home in Southport in 1945.
The medal is worth $200.