Vancouver Voyager: Klan Kontinues

Monday, April 8, 2013

Klan Kontinues

By May 16, 1925, 1, 205 members had been recruited into the Klu Klux Klan in Ontario. But there was turmoil on the horizon.

The Imperial Klaliff, J.H. Hawkins, resigned and demanded $2,936.00 in back wages. He even threatened to take the Klan to court unless he got his money.

And he wasn't just sitting around, waiting for an answer from the Klan. Hawkins approached Klansmen in London and Hamilton and won them over to his side. On July 17, 1925, Hawkins formed a different, independent, branch of the Klan. The Ku Klux Klan of the British Empire, the upholding of the womanhood of the nations and its protection against colored or foreign peoples, the abolition of the yellow peril, and the abolition of anything tending to bring ridicule on the Protestant church. The new Klan dressed similar to the original members except the Union Jack was worn on the right breast instead of the left.

Within a few weeks though, Hawkins was forced out of the new Klan and he returned to the United States.

At certain points in Ontario such as St. Thomas, Exeter, Sault Ste. Marie, Ottawa, Kingston, Richmond and Belleville, Klaverns were formed. There was also evidence of Klan vigilante activity in that province.

In Barrie, a Klansman was convicted of blowing up a Roman Catholic Church and in Oakville, a young man thought to be of African ancestry was separated from his fiancée and told to stay away from white women. However, it appears as if the Klan in Ontario in the 1920s, disappeared as quickly as they had appeared.

When Fowler and Hawkins were organizing the Klan in Ontario, they had their eye on other provinces as well. They were attempting to enlist the help of experienced organizers. Fowler wrote to Hawkins on February 18, 1925 “Colonel Machin has done some good work in Manitoba. He will get a Charter there also after Parliament adjourns April 1st."

Machin did not continue with his 'good work' in Manitoba though. Within two months of that letter being written, Colonel Machin moved his operations to Kenora, Ontario.

June 1, 1928 was the first attempt to organize the Klan in Manitoba. D.C. Grant organized a meeting in the Royal Templars Hall in Winnipeg. In Virden, on July 7, Dr. Hawkins lectured and in October, Grant held a rally in St. Boniface.

The Klan's campaign brought some results but Manitoba didn't appear to be fertile ground for their ideas. Rallies and meetings were poorly attended and there wasn't a large membership.