The Origins of the KKK

'Kent Krawlers'

Inaugural Meeting held at T. K. Grant’s cottage 'Leafwine' at Keston in the County of Kent on Saturday 21st January 1911. The aforesaid Grant, having invited five congenial spirits to feed with him on this most memorable occasion and the said convivers being full of steak pudding, old ale, enthusiasm and port and nuts, it was unanimously decided on the proposition of Tom Crafter to there and then initiate a club to be denominated the 'Kent Krawlers' for the purpose of enabling men of mature wisdom to stroll once a month together.

 The Club Badge to be:

The Club Motto:

‘Komfort Konviviality Kompleteness’

The Headquarters:

Every hostelry in Kent that complies with the Club Motto

Subscription:
Nil

Expenses defrayed equally by those present at any Club Function.

Election of Members to be in the hands of The President (of the time being) and any Past Presidents there may be present (at least two of the latter). One black ball excluding.

Lots were drawn among those present for the first 6 Presidents resulting as follows:

C. A. Langford - January

Tom Crafter - February

T. K. Grant - March

W. Robinson - April

W. S. Smith - May

W. C. Pinhey - June

PRESS CUTTINGS

SPORTING LIFE, MAY I3th, 1908

BLACKHEATH H., -The annual stroll with the Surrey Walking Club through Kent took place on May 10th, and was well attended. The meet was at Bromley South Station, and the first arrivals were the Lewisham contingent, who had walked over. A move was made for Chislehurst, from whence, under the guidance of W. C. Pinkey, a charming series of footpaths were taken to Farningham, an excellent lunch there being much appreciated. After an hour or two upon the pretty lawn skirting the river Darenth, the party broke up, some walking back, others strolling by the river bank to Dartford. Among those present were :-W. T. Sheppard, F. B. Gresham, J. Parslow, A. J. Winsbury, A. B. Samman, and A. Valliance (Surrey Walking Club), W. Robinson, S. T. Kitts, W. S. Smith, P. H. Blackwell, G. Hillson-Bull, C. A. Glaeser, J. C. Johnson, F. L. Gilbert, W. C. Pinkey, C. N. Starnes, H. A. Butler, and Tom Crafter (members), T. K. Grant, (Lewisham Swimming Club), P. Glaeser, I. Mavis, and T. B. Younger.

KENT MESSENGER, MARCH 3rd, 1911

KENT KRAWLERS -This new club, which is mainly composed of veteran members of the Blackheath H., Lewisham S.C., and similar kindred bodies, and, as its name implies, is instituted with the idea of strolling along the country roads and field paths of Kent, held its second stroll on February 25th, when the following took part in an enjoyable ramble :- Tom Crafter, E. Lymbery, W. Robinson, C. A. Langford, T. K. Grant, W. C. Pinkey, W. S. Smith, W. E. Hemsley, R. Hawke, F. L. Gilbert, A. D. Morton, G. D. Gray, G. HiIlson-Bull, W. Todhunter and E. Hough. The meet was at Orpington, whence under the guidance of Gilbert and Morton a pleasant line of country was traversed to Shoreham, where lunch awaited the party at the George Inn. In the course of this the president, Mr. Tom Crafter, presented Mr. C. A. Langford with the past-president's "badge." Afterwards the party proceeded to Sevenoaks, whence a train back to town completed an enjoyable outing.

SPORTSMAN, MAY 27th, 1913

The monthly stroll on May 25th was well attended. President W. Todhunter had mapped out a delightful series of footpaths through woods and across pastures from Orpington to Knockholt, where lunch was partaken of at the Three Horse Shoes. There were present:
W. Robinson, Tom Crafter, F. Orchard, W. Pollard, J. Pridham, A. Shine, C. Atkins, S. Arnold, T. K. Grant, J. Hart, E. E. Martin, G. Hillson-Bull, W. C. Pinkey, S. R. A. McColm, R. H. Hawke, F. Petley, J. Petley, J. Grant, and R. Vaughan.

RECOLLECTIONS

The selection of Press cuttings reproduced are culled from a number held in the care of our B.N.

The first is reproduced to show the source of inspiration for the formation of the K.K.K.'s. The Blackheath Harriers, whose activities are recorded in their own Gazette and the general press, held, for some years before our inception, an annual club stroll and an annual stroll with the South London Harriers. Most, if not all, of our Founders. participated in these walks which we may safely assume they found so much to their liking that a desire for more frequent excursions resulted and Tom Crafter, T. K. Grant and Charlie Langford as the chief instigators, with a few others, eventually established the K.K.K.

The second cutting reproduced refers to the second Krawl in our history and, although we do not possess an actual report on the first, it can be deduced it was held in January, 1911 and that C. A. Langford was the first President.

The third cutting is reproduced as typical of several and because a rather more than usual number of the participants will be remembered by our present company.

Our founders provided us with the most elastic of constitutions - no rules, regulations or constitutions were put on paper to harass, hamper or hamstring future generations, they were passed on by word of mouth. T. K. Grant was generally regarded by all as the authority in such matters and seldom missed an opportunity to lecture on the subject.

The primary aim was frankly self indulgent, healthy exercise, suited to the advancing years of veteran sportsmen, enjoyment of our Kentish countryside and in Kentish Inns and complete satisfaction, in congenial company, of the appetites so created.

A secondary object was to promote co-operation, support and friendship between the various local sports clubs in north-west Kent: Blackheath Harriers, Lewisham Swimming Club, Curlew Rowing Club, Park House R.F.C, and Catford Bridge F.C. were all represented from the earliest years and are still the main source of our recruits.

Membership is limited between 21-25. Nominees for membership should be entertained as visitors on at least one Krawl and unanimously approved before being elected.

Krawls are held on the last Sunday of each month and must be within the boundaries of Kent. The President is selected in rotation each month from a roster of all the members. He should undertake to plan a Krawl and make arrangements for lunch, at which he is required to carve the joint.

The B.N. (abb. Bloody Nuisance) holds the office until he can find a successor. He is responsible for everything.

Traditionally all members wore a silver badge until they took their first turn as President, they were then, with due ceremony, invested with a gold badge. A fine of 1/6 was levied from badgeless Krawlers, also port for the assembled company.

It is customary to accord Kentish Fire following a toast. Kentish Fire is not peculiar to the Krawlers although our particular rendering of it is.

The monthly Krawls have continued through fair and foul weather, occasional depletion of numbers and two world wars. It was a boast of some of the originals, shortly before the 1939/45 war, that not since the beginning had a Krawl been missed out. The last war did break this continuity but, despite the difficulties, we met when possible and subsequently returned to full strength and resumed the old traditions.

The 21st Birthday Celebration on the 23rd January 1932 was at Devereux Court and the 50th Anniversary at the Ye Old Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street, London. More recent anniversaries have been celebrated at the Blackheath Harriers - returning to the K.K.K's roots. The 100th was held on 4 February 2011 at the Chilston Park Hotel.

Nowadays K.K.K. stalwarts who are past their walking days still enjoy the Komfort, Konviviality and Kompleteness by meeting their fellow Krawlers at the lunchtime venue.