John Hargrave - Social Credit

Social Credit

The remaining Kibbo Kift began to become more militaristic in nature. Hargrave set up a Legion of the Unemployed in Coventry in 1930, and furnished them with green shirts and berets. By 1932, the Kibbo Kift were also in the green uniform, until finally Hargrave disbanded the Kibbo Kift and the Legion and renamed them the Green Shirt Movement for Social Credit. The movement soon became part of the street politics of the 1930s, engaging in battles with both Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists Blackshirts and the supporters of the Communist Party of Great Britain.

Initially staying out of the electoral arena, Hargrave was impressed by the success of the Social Credit Party of Alberta (Canada), and reconstituted the Greenshirts as the Social Credit Party of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1935. Douglas opposed the entry of the movement into partisan politics. The party proved largely unsuccessful, and Hargrave soon travelled to Alberta, frustrated at the lack of progress that the Social Credit government there was making. He was appointed an economic adviser to the Government of Alberta, and was disowned by Douglas. He left Canada in 1936, returning to find the Social Credit Party in disarray after the Public Order Act 1936 banned the wearing of uniforms by non-military personnel.

Hargrave and the party went on hiatus during World War II. Hargrave did not serve in the war because he was too old for military service. During this time, he became convinced that he had the power of healing by the laying on of hands, and developed a variety of healing techniques.