Neil Francis Hawkins facts for kids

Neil Francis Hawkins (born September 1907 – died December 26, 1950) was a British writer and politician. He was a very important leader in the fascist movement in the United Kingdom before and after World War II. He played a big role in the British Union of Fascists and managed how the group was organized.

Joining the British Fascisti

Neil Francis Hawkins joined the British Fascisti (BF) when it was first starting. He became part of a three-person committee that ran the group. Many male members thought he would be a better leader than the actual leader, Rotha Lintorn-Orman.

Under Francis Hawkins's influence, the BF started to become more truly fascist. This meant they focused on ideas like the "corporate state" and showed strong dislike towards Jewish people. Francis Hawkins even talked about joining the BF with the New Party, but the BF leaders voted against it.

Leading the British Union of Fascists

When the plan to merge was rejected, Francis Hawkins left the British Fascisti in 1932. He took most of the members with him to join Oswald Mosley's new group, the British Union of Fascists (BUF). This group was the New Party, but it had changed its name.

Rising Through the Ranks

Francis Hawkins was very impressed by Mosley's ideas. When he joined the BUF, he was made the National Defence Force Adjutant. This meant he was the second-in-command of the group's special uniformed members, known as the Blackshirts. He quickly moved up in the BUF. He became the leader for the London area and then the Chief Administrative Officer.

Later, he was given the important job of Director-General of Organisation. This made him almost the second most powerful person in the BUF, right after Mosley. In 1935, he became the main leader of the Blackshirts. For a short time in July 1935, he even led the BUF Women's Section, being the only man to hold that role.

Shaping the Movement

As a top leader, Francis Hawkins had a lot of influence. He came up with the idea for BUF members to wear a black shirt under their regular suits. This was important after the Public Order Act 1936 made it illegal to wear political uniforms in public. This helped the group keep its special identity.

Francis Hawkins strongly believed in a military-like approach for the BUF. He led a group within the BUF that wanted the movement to be more like an army. They stopped others who wanted the BUF to become a more typical political party. In 1936, he became Director-General, a new role that gave him control over both the political and day-to-day running of the BUF.

He thought that unmarried men would be the most dedicated members. He was known for working very hard at the BUF headquarters. He was also very loyal to Mosley. However, he also had a lot of influence over Mosley. Police reports suggested that Francis Hawkins, along with William Joyce, helped convince Mosley to adopt strong anti-Jewish views. Mosley himself later called Francis Hawkins "a man of outstanding character and ability." Mosley especially valued his skills in organizing and managing the group.

Changes in Leadership

In 1936, F.M. Box, who was another important leader and Francis Hawkins's main rival, left the BUF. He left because the military-focused group, led by Francis Hawkins, was gaining more power. This left Francis Hawkins in charge of how the BUF was organized.

He then reorganized the BUF. He started training programs for local election workers. He also added a more serious newspaper called Action alongside the existing Blackshirt paper. This was an effort to attract more middle-class members to the party.

His control over the BUF's organization sometimes caused disagreements with other leaders. For example, the party did not do well in the 1937 London County Council election. This led to criticism of Francis Hawkins's methods from William Joyce and John Beckett. Soon after this, Francis Hawkins announced that the BUF headquarters would cut costs. This meant several paid officials, including Joyce and Beckett, lost their jobs. Joyce and Beckett then started their own group. By spring 1938, Francis Hawkins had removed his two main rivals within the BUF, making his power even stronger.

Later Life and Legacy

After World War II began, Francis Hawkins tried to bring together different groups, including the BUF, under Mosley's leadership. This effort was not successful.

In 1940, Francis Hawkins was arrested along with Mosley and others under a special wartime rule. He was held in prisons for much of the war. He was released in 1944 and then focused on his business.

After the war, Francis Hawkins kept a quiet life. He worked as a salesman. He helped start the Union Movement, another group led by Mosley, but he did not take a main role because his health was failing. He also did not appear in public for the new group. Neil Francis Hawkins died from a lung condition called bronchial asthma on December 26, 1950, when he was 43 years old.

Family Connections

Francis Hawkins was related to the famous sailor John Hawkins. He worked as a salesman for medical tools. He never married.

He had a sister named Lilian. Her husband, A.C.V. Bristol, was a member of the BUF but was also secretly working for MI5, a British intelligence agency.