Ted Carnell

(April 8, 1912 – March 23, 1972)

Ted Carnell at Indian Lake, Ohio, September 1949.
Photo by Don Ford.

Edward John “Ted” Carnell (publishing as John Carnell and E. J. Carnell) was a UK fan and later prozine editor, bookseller and literary agent. He attended the 1937 Leeds Convention, the Second British Convention and the Third British Convention, and was a member of the Science Fiction Association (SFA).

Carnell described his science-fictional and fannish roots in Futurian War Digest #24 (November 1942):

... first dabbled in fantasy reading with Verne at the age of 8. Shortly afterwards came 'Boys Magazine' a lurid red-covered 'blood'; which ran lengthy serials on invasions by Martians and others of that ilk. I used to bind the damn things into book form – which cost me a Trade Scholarship in book-binding because the Board thought that I shouldn't read such tripe! Later when working through a printing apprenticeship, one of the machine hands used to pass me his copies of Wonder. That was coming up to 1930 I believe.

That died away, as we only obtained copies spasmodically, until I 'discovered' the Clayton ASF second-hand on the junk stalls in 1930. Became somewhat enthusiastic, and followed ASF till it faded out in 1933. Didn't even know that S&S had taken it over until early 1935, when a copy was sent to me by a New York correspondent. But before that arrived, I had become embroiled in US fandom through the letter section of Amazing. When I lost touch with ASF, I took Doc Sloane's mag into my bosom, and was greatly desirous of having some New York correspondents.

I picked out George Gordon Clark of Brooklyn, as a possible and wrote him without any response at first. In desperation I then picked out a round dozen names and wrote all of them – that great friend of mine, Forrie Ackerman, was amongst those who didn't reply. Wild Bill Hoskins was another, as were several other well known names of the times. Then I received replies from Clark, and also from Harold Kirshenblit, also of Brooklyn, and the great game was on. Correspondence began to spread out over the States – Wollheim and a host of New Yorkers; Dan McPhail of Oklahoma; the Becks of California; Wiggins, Colorado; Baltadonis, Philly; even down to NZ and Aussie the mail list extended.

Back on the home front, through Clark of Brooklyn, I became acquainted with Les Johnson, later to be in partnership with him in Britain's Science Fiction Service. Through Les and Eric Russell I met and became firm friends with Wally Gillings, and through Wally I met Ken Chapman and the host of other British fans that was gradually built up in the days of 1937-38.

Carnell was a regular contributor to the first UK fanzine Novae Terrae from its second issue in April 1936. In its final 29th issue in January 1939 editor Maurice K. Hanson announced:

It will be followed in February by Volume 1, No.1 of New Worlds, a new magazine which will be its successor as monthly organ of the Science-Fiction Association. Ted Carnell will be the editor and the magazine will be mimeographed on quarto paper.

Actually Carnell produced this New Worlds after a month's pause: in March, April, and May. After the Third British Convention he announced in The Satellite (reasons and circumstances unclear):

As from the Convention and this column, I am dropping out of the over-active side of fandom and becoming just another London fan. NEW WORLDS will continue to appear, as already stated, quarterly, and I shall of course be present to upset the regular London meetings.

August issue did duly appear, but no further due to the War. At the end of 1939, Carnell was approached by W. J. Passingham who had identified a potential publisher for a new British sf magazine. After some initial meetings, and with Carnell and Passingham each putting up £50 towards starting costs, the dubious publishers went into liquidation and the money disappeared. Carnell was called up in 1940 but was able to attend the 'Bombcon' gathering in 1941. Then he served in the Mediterranean, see Beyond Fandom. Still he produced the fanzine Sands of Time distributed with Futurian War Digest.

After the War, John Carnell was the first editor of the New Worlds prozine from 1946. After the publisher folded in 1947, Carnell co-founded Nova Publications and revived the magazine in 1949. He also edited Science Fantasy from its third issue in 1949, taking over after Walter Gillings, and Science Fiction Adventures from 1958. The latter ended in 1963 and the other magazines were sold to a new publisher with new editors taking over from 1964. Carnell then edited 21 volumes of the New Writings in Science Fiction original anthology from 1964 to his death in 1972. He helped launch the careers of Brian W. Aldiss, J. G. Ballard, Damien Broderick, Michael Moorcock, and James White.

Carnell with Bea Mahaffey (left) and Carrie Tabakow at Doc Barrett’s post-Cinvention party, September 1949

In 1949, Carnell was the recipient of the Big Pond Fund, the first fan fund, to bring him to the Cinvention, where he was Fan GoH. A CFG post-Worldconparty for him at Doc Barrett’s place on Indian Lake, Ohio, was the origin of Midwestcon. Carnell was a member of the London Circle. He was a member of the International Fantasy Award judging panel and the committees of Festivention and London SF Con. He chaired the first UK Worldcon, Loncon, in 1957 and was GoH at the 1960 Eastercon.

In a seemingly unpublished 1960 letter to Eric Bentcliffe, Carnell said that he had 'quit fandom because of being publicly ridiculed at the London World Con' while adding that he doubted anyone remembered the incident and he'd not previously stated that he'd quit. In Who Killed Science Fiction? (also 1960), Doc Barrett said that Carnell was

behind in correspondence, The reason now is that he is so interested in forming a new Masonic Lodge that he is spending a lot of time with that. He has given up all except his professional activities. […] He expects to come back in again but will probably take him two or three years.

Carnell was married to Irene Carnell since before the war. After his death she took over the Carnell Literary Agency along with Les Flood. A Ted Carnell Society was created by Dave Kyle in 1972–3 to honour Carnell's memory through an award for new writers. There is no evidence the award was ever given although the idea persisted until at least 1975.

• Entry in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
• Ted Carnell in Internet Speculative Fiction Database

Fanzines and Apazines:

• Creep, Shadow! (for the British Amateur Press Association) [1945–46]
• New Worlds [1939]
• Postal Preview [1939–40]
• Sands of Time [1941–4] (rider with Futurian War Digest)

Awards, Honors and GoHships:

• 1949 – Big Pond Fund, Cinvention
• 1957 – 1957 Best British Professional Magazine Hugo nominee
• 1959 – 1959 Best Professional Magazine Hugo nominee
• 1960 – London
• 1965 – Knight of St. Fantony
• 2014 – First Fandom Hall of Fame

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Person

1912—1972

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