As with many Lodges the complete history is often sketchy and exact dates can be rare. This is possibly down to the fact that many Lodges are old and go back many years. As times change, such details are often  lost  or damaged or never recorded in the first place.

Now we have the luxury of a computer databases to keep everything stored for future generations, but researching the past is tricky for many Buff  Lodges.

 

The Pride of Dinington is no different. For one reason or another exact details of many events are unknown.

The following has been  researched and written  by Brother Robert Gee RoH

 

The Pride of Dinnington Lodge # 4176 was founded on March 22nd 1922. It started in a public house called the " Falcon " which was sited in Falcon Square.

 

The Founder Members were: 

Mr F Laughton C.P. Mr W Green K.O.M. Mr G W Jordan K.O.M Mr J Grek K.O.M.

 

Note the name Mr F Laughton as this name will play an integral part of our History.

 

 

                                                          

First visit to Laughton Church Sunday July 12th 1922, the picture was taken outside the Falcon in 1922, note the black Brother on the right hand side. Could this have been a future P.G.P. of  Sheffield in 1966, Brother R.C.Wilson Wolfe KOM.

This picture was taken between 1922 and 1960, again notice the black man, this time wearing a Lodge Collar.

What does the shield represent, any answers please contact the webmaste

 

 

This photograph was taken outside the Falcon Hotel c1960 with Members of the Lodge along with a Mrs Dickinson whom we assume to be the Landlady of the premises at the time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The girl in the photo below is Miss Milly Allen. She was born on the 8th June 1921. The photo was taken at Grove House, Harrogate. Grove House was formally an ophanage and in those days it was not unusual for a Lodge to adopt a child. This was done by the Pride of Dinnington when they adopted Milly. The adoption date is unknown, any help please.

 

The Lodge stayed at the Falcon until it was knocked down to erect a new building. This meant the the Pride of Dinnington  had to move to a new home, the date of which is unknown.

 

It was the Miners Institute ( now home to the Resource Centre) where the Meetings took place until a fire burned it to the ground. Inside was all the Lodge Regalia and books which was destroyed by the blaze. Once again the Lodge was forced to move, again the date unknown, any help received would be grateful.

 

Brothers E Mugglestone, W Harvey, C Gregory, and T Harvey  R.A.O.B. Angling Club Match Winners 1930

 

The Angling Match was held at Torksey for the C A Benevolent Fund, Sheffield Province.

 

Members of te Pride of Dinnington Lodge #4176. Photograph by courtesy of Bro Ken Kearsley 1988.

Photo shows back row: J Ward RoH, M Hinchcliffe, J Horvarth, D Jepson.

Middle Row: A Bates RoH, J Rukis RoH, G Robinson CP, R Gee, E Gabbitas.

Front Row: I Payne, W Hepplewhite RoH, P McAvoy RoH, K Kearsley RoH

 

The Lodge was relocated to the Lordens Hotel on Doe Quarry Lane. Meetings were held there until 1995 where circumstances beyond the control of the Lodge would force anothe move.

 

The Pride of Dinnington then relocated to the Squirrel Public House at the bottom of Laughton Road. There the Lodge stayed until the builing was refurbished in 1997. The refurbishments would replace the the room that the Meetings were held into a childrens play area. There was no where for the Meetings to take place, so like Buffaloes on the prairie, we were on the move once again.

 

The Lodge moved out of Dinnington completely as there was nowhere in the village that could accommodate us. We moved to the Laughton which was the next village along from Dinnington and relocated to the  Hatfeild Arms where the Lodge stayed  until 2000.

 

It was the Millenium Year and a chance to start a new venture. A Club was for sale in Dinnington. The Ukraine Club, and the Lodge decision would be to try and purchase the premises. After many knockbacks from Financial Societies, a Member of the Lodge Brother Ged Baseford purchased the Club and rented it to the Lodge, we moved in there in 2000. This was a dream of all the Brothers to have our own R.A.O.B. Club. 

The name of the Club was changed to the Pride of Dinnington R...A.O.B. Club ( Dinipro ) and was run by a Committe of Brothers elected in the Lodge.

For anyone wondering about the name DINIPRO it was kept as part of the agreement when it was purchased from the previous owners who were all Ukranian. Dinipro is the name of the river which flows from Russia through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. The Dinipro river is sacred to the people of the Ukraine.

 

Unfortunately due to varying circumstances the Buffs lost control of the Club in 2004. The Club looked like closing but was taken over by one of our Members, Brother Brian Turner. It is no longer run by the Lodge, but we still hold our Meetings there.

 

Details have been found of a second Lodge which was opened in Dinnington. It was opened in 1935 and closed in 1948. This Lodge was called the Frederick Laughton Lodge and held it's Meetings at the Lordens Arms. At the moment these are the only details about this Lodge but research is continuing.

Was it named after the same Frederick Laughton who was a founder Member of the Pride of Dinnington Lodge! was it Mr Laughton who set it up, more importantly for us, was the Lordens Arms the same building as the Lordens Hotel, we are told not, however evidence suggests it was, maybe you can help.

Well the F Laughton Lodge was numbered 6757 and held it's Meetings on a Monday night at ( according to the Directory ) the Lordens Arms but we seem to be struggling for information about this place. The new onformation was gratefully supplied by D Whittenbury of the West Herts Province.

 

September 7th 2014 hopfully this will be our final move, the venue is the Resource Centre in Dinnington itself.

 

On March 31st the Pride of Dinnington celebrated 90 years of compliancy in the Order, and to present a special Jewel to Members of the Lodge, Bro Alan Egan RoH Grand Primo 2012 consented to be guest of Honour along with many other Members of the Order.

 

On Sunday 5th March 2017 the Pride of Dinnington # 4176 presented a cheque to the Sheffield Young Carers Project to the sum of £3000, this was presented in the name of Bro Eric " Gabby " Gabbitas. Eric joined the Pride of Dinnington  Lodge on Nov 4th 1971 he was a great suppoter of our Lodge and generous. He expressed no desire to go any further than the first Degree, but always took a great deal of pleasure in attending our Lodge, his Benevolence never diminished  as was shown in the Bequest to the Lodge after his death.

So it was with great pride that we presented this cheque to Katie Borland the Director of funding for the Young Carers Project, he would be proud to know that his bequest was being used for such good causes.

 

In Attendandance

 

 

Back Row: A Wood RoH, K Walmsley RoH, J Waller, T Waller.

Front Row: R Gee RoH, W Loftus KOM, C Macefield RoH, J Creasey.

 

After many hours researching the History of the Pride of Dinnington Lodge we find Bro Bob flaked out on his back garden. Poor Bob has had enough. Notice the glasses in his right hand, and the wristband he got from the swimming baths.