Edwin Macdonald
(October 31, 1924 –)
Edwin Macdonald (sometimes spelled MacDonald) was a UK fan and fanartist from Inverness in Scotland active in the 1940s. He was a member of the British Fantasy Society and attended Norcon II at the end of 1944.
In a self-written profile in Futurian War Digest #16 (January 1942) he said:
... educated up to Higher Leaving Certificate standard; always been in Inverness; working in County Offices; -very interested in aviation and science fiction fantasy and weird literature; no violent likes or dislikes otherwise consider myself rather 'broadminded'; neither smoker nor drinker; neither pacifist nor C.O.; neither agnostic, nor Atheist! Socialist. In some ways an optimist & in others a cynic as far as the human race is concerned....! Rather interested in science in general & astronomy in particular, and also somewhat in archaeology, and the supernatural. Introduced to s.f, via Tales of Wonder No 1, and to fandom via FIDO No 1.; read any s.f. mag. Most fantasy films I go to see are s.f., fantasy or "horror". Would like to travel (apres la guerre). Would like to attend a convention very much (but who wouldn't). Physically slim, light, 5' 6" or more; sort of hooked nose, grey eyes, dark light wavy hair (i.e, 'twas once fair but is now a kind of brown!). Do not speak with what is the popular conception of a Scots accent.
While it's not clear from the above how he found his way to Futurian War Digest #1 he is acknowledged in the second issue in November 1940, and in #9 he is reported as donating books to Jack Gibson's Science Fiction Exchange. By October 1941 he had become the Scottish representative for the British Science-Fiction War Relief Society although it seems there was at the time only one other Scottish member.
He was an early member of the British Fantasy Society and was appointed to their advisory board as co-ordinator. In their fourth bulletin he was reported as having made:
... a number of suggestions for activities including the compilation of a Bibliography of all forms of Fantastic Fiction, a similar work on Fantastic films, a 'Who's Who' of British fandom, a Directory of ditto, and an organisation for reprinting selected fanmags of the past.
In February 1943 he was reported as registered for the RAF although in July Futurian War Digest said that he was:
... on deferred service, or whatever you call it. Had his medical for the RAF, was given a pretty little badge, & is being left to simmer for anything up to 10 months. Ugh...
At the same time he resigned as BFS co-ordinator while remaining on its advisory board. His fan activity wasn't curtailed and Futurian War Digest #31 reported him travelling to meet fans in Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester. His deferred service only lasted to October when he was posted to London at which point Doug Webster wrote of him:
Why, Edwin is older than his age, mentally, younger than his age, socially. His letters are tough, his manners mild. In person he is slim, small- ish, with wavy hair & a silent smile. Culturally he in at an assimilative stage, tho' none too sure what to assimilate: it is rumoured he regards Picasso as punk. Shame! He treats stf with a fine, though hesitant contempt, & is a devotee of horror films; he is the only fan (to my knowledge) who is a member of the LBC[1]. He is, you will perceive, an intellectual, & it is his misfortune, as well as ours, that he lives so far from civilisation. May his sojourn there be long, hectic, and fruitful.
He was subsequently posted to various locations including Canada but was back in the UK for [[Norcon_II-(UK)|Norcon II) in Leeds at the end of 1944, achieving his January 1942 ambition to attend a convention, and at his Inverness address around August 1946 where he was seeking old correspondents. He fades from the record thereafter.
He contributed a cover to Futurian War Digest #34.
| Person | 1924— |
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- ↑ Left Book Club, 1936–1948.
