Appeal for information on Montgomeryshire's Oddfellows and Buffaloes

Among them had been the Newtown Oddfellows whose history is now being explored by the town history group on behalf of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (RAOB).

The Buffs, as they are known, were founded as far back as 1822 and one of the oldest groups of its sort in the country.

An RAOB dinner in Newtown in 1910.

During the late 1800s the Buffaloes also opened a chapter in Newtown.

The Oddfellows met at the Unicorn Inn on Broad Street, now known as the Monty Club, which is known to have hosted a demonstration on October 25, 1876.

The RAOB Newtown Buffaloes also based their Pembridge Lodge at the same venue.

The groups met at other venues around the county, including Montgomery.

Montgomeryshire Oddfellows.

Newtown History Group member Ann Evans said: "My father was a member of Newtown Buffaloes and they had lots of local parties and events in the Elephant & Castle. The Buffs group disbanded I believe as the veterans of the first and second world wars have passed away.

"The history of the Oddfellows is a long one and there was an amazing event that took place in 1910 for the centenary of Oddfellows by Montgomeryshire Oddfellow Lodges which were members of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows which began in 1810."

Montgomeryshire Oddfellows centenary in 1910.

Lockdown restrictions have hampered research with libraries closed along with their archives.

However the club hopes members of the community may remember some of the tales and accounts of the two clubs and share them in time to be included in the next chapter of the club's popular Newtonian Journal.

Please email to newtownhistory@yahoo.com or call the secretary on 01686 625354.