TWO committed members of an historic philanthropic society have told of their five-year fight to be reinstated following a row which has led to mass resignations and the closure of a well-regarded social club.

Geoff Dodsworth, a retired businessman, and Stephen Drew, a retired GP, were both trustees of the South Durham Provincial Grand Lodge of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (RAOB) when they were suspended in 2009.

The two men, from County Durham, say a charge of financial irregularities was unjustified, they have not had an proper chance to appeal, and they even paid a £7,500 RAOB debt from their own pockets due to an anomaly.

However, the Grand Secretary to the RAOB, Chris McMahon, said the pair had to take “collective responsibility” with other suspended members.

Mr McMahon added that, in fact, there had been a hearing discussed at the highest possible level and the issue had since been reviewed several times by the organisation's Grand Lodge.

Mr Dodsworth, of Fishburn, and Mr Drew, of West Cornforth, were trustees involved in running the former RAOB, or ‘Buffs,’ club on Church Road in Hartlepool.

The turmoil started when a special meeting was called, involving lodges across south Durham, requesting a sum of nearly £16,000 be transferred from the ROAB’s Benevolent Fund to the operational side of club.

A total of £500 would be repaid to the Benevolent Fund, which already owned the building, every month and the fund would be repaid for three years - a total of £18,000. Previously the Benevolent Fund was receiving a peppercorn rent of £2 a year.

The scheme was approved by ten lodges out of 12, but complaints from two of the lodges were made to the Grand Lodge in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, arguing the Benevolent Fund should not have been used for the investment in the struggling club. Those complaints were upheld at the Grand Lodge.

In a separate matter, Mr Dodsworth and Mr Drew signed for a £7,500 loan from a brewery, but because it was on incorrectly headed paper bearing the name Hartlepool ROAB, instead of South Durham Province, they were held liable on a technicality.

The pair decided to pay the loan out of their own pockets “as a matter of honour” but believe the RAOB should “morally” pay them back.

Since the suspensions and terminations of membership, after 125 years there is no longer an RAOB operating in Hartlepool. The assets of the club have transferred to the Grand Lodge, but the building is now empty and unsold. About 50 ‘Buffs’ members resigned in protest and four South Durham lodges closed.

Mr Dodsworth said: “After five years, and nearly 40 years dedicated service before that, I don’t think it’s a lot to ask for an appeal.”

Mr McMahon countered by saying the pair had to take collective responsibility, but conceded their individual integrity was intact.

The Northern Echo has been told other suspended members insist they did nothing wrong.