Kibbo Kift

Scope and Content

Papers of the Kibbo Kift Kindred, the Green Shirt Movement for Social Credit, and the Social Credit Party, 1919-[1989], notably administrative material, 1928-1932, including the Kinlaw with suggested improvements, reports and minutes of the Kin Council, constitutional papers, and mandates and charters of individual members and clans; material concerning rituals, vestments and totems, 1923-1930, including correspondence and designs; material concerning teaching undertaken by the Kindred, 1924-[1932]; administrative material of the Green Shirt Movement and the Social Credit Party, 1932-1951, comprising annual reports, minutes and papers of the National Assembly, the Consultative Council and the Executive Council, and membership records; correspondence of the General Secretary and other officials, 1929-1952; correspondence and files on particular subjects, 1932-1951, including Social Credit, the Public Order Act, and SCP candidates in the general elections of 1935 and 1950; publications and propaganda for all three organisations, 1921-1950, also including drafts of articles, song sheets and poems, play scripts, and newspaper cuttings; correspondence with, and material on, other social credit organisations, 1933-1949; papers of individual members, 1921-1951; photographs of Kibbo Kift activities, [1921-1931], and photographs relating to the Green Shirt Movement and the Social Credit Party, [1933-1950]; sound recordings, [1979], including interviews with John and Diana Hargrave relating to the Kibbo Kift; printed materials and periodicals, 1919-1965; photocopies of books by John Hargrave, 1924-1964; material deposited by the Kibbo Kift Foundation concerning its inception, history and continuing activities, 1976-[1989], such as photographs of Kibbo Kift activities taken by Angus Rowland McBean.

Administrative / Biographical History

The Kibbo Kift Kindred was founded in 1920 by John Hargrave and some of his fellow scoutmasters as an alternative to Scouting. Their emphasis on woodcraft training and recapitulation theories of education had the support of a number of radical thinkers. John Hargrave's growing interest in social credit resulted in the gradual development of the Kibbo Kift into a political party. From 1932 it became known as the Green Shirt Movement of Social Credit and in 1935 it became the Social Credit Party. The Party was badly affected by the Public Order Act of 1936, which prohibited the wearing of uniforms by political movements. It carried on after World War Two but was dissolved in 1951. The Kibbo Kift Foundation was formed by John Hargrave in 1977, with the primary task of acting as permanent owner of the archives and regalia of the Kindred of the Kibbo Kift and its successors, The Green Shirt Movement for Social Credit and The Social Credit Party of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The general aim and purpose of the Foundation is to revive and publicise the political, social, educational and cultural principles first laid down by John Hargrave (White Fox) when he founded the Kindred of the Kibbo Kift in 1920.

Arrangement

  • 1-5 Kibbo Kift: Administration
  • 6-21 Kibbo Kift: Rituals, vestments and totems
  • 22-28 Kibbo Kift: Education
  • 29-31 Kibbo Kift: Miscellaneous files
  • 32-42 Green Shirt Movement and Social Credit Party: Administration
  • 43-51 Green Shirt Movement and Social Credit Party: Correspondence:General Secretary
  • 52-54 Green Shirt Movement and Social Credit Party: Correspondence: Other officials
  • 55-69 Green Shirt Movement and Social Credit Party: Correspondence and files on particular subjects
  • 70-86 Kibbo Kift, Green Shirts and Social Credit Party: Publications and propaganda
  • 87-93 Other Social Credit Organisations
  • 94-126 Papers of individual members
  • 127-163 Photographs
  • 164 Sound recordings
  • 164-195 Periodicals
  • 196-213 Other printed material
  • 214-216 Xeroxes

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