Frank Cooper
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Frank Aylette Cooper was a British fan and bookseller from London active in the 1940s and 1950s. He played a pivotal role in the early days of Nova Publications and was one of the creators of the International Fantasy Award. Eric C. Williams described him as 'the most persuasive talker I have ever encountered'.
An ex-RAF officer, he was brought along to the White Horse in July 1948 by Vin¢ Clarke and introduced to Ted Carnell and others who were discussing reviving New Worlds. Cooper owned and operated Peach Cooper Libraries and the Fantasy Book Centre, then in north London, and was able to help with distribution problems as well as completing the paperwork for the limited company (per Fantasy Review v3 #13). He went on become one of the founding shareholders of Nova Publications later that year. In a letter from Vin¢ Clarke quoted in Relapse #18, Cooper 'who was providing business know-how and holding the purse strings' was primarily responsible for easing Wally Gillings out of the editorial chair at Science Fantasy after two issues to be replaced by Ted Carnell. Cooper remained a director of Nova Publications, as well as providing a contact address at his shop, until the company reorganised in 1954
Operation Fantast #6 listed him as a committee member for the upcoming Festivention in 1951 although he's not listed in that role in the programme book and there is no confirmation that he attended. He was also however one of the creators of the International Fantasy Award launched at the convention and continued to be involved until at least 1953. He was a member of the Loncon in 1952 and as the Coroncon in 1953 was close to the Fantasy Book Centre's second branch in Sicilian Avenue in central London, he took out a full-page advertisement in the programme book pledging to keep the shop open throughout and encouraging attendees to drop by.
George Locke writing in Smoke #1 (July 1959) recalled Cooper as:
a strange character with a lined and rather grim countenance. I later found that he was a strong Marxist but had decided that in a capitalist society you had to adopt the weapons of capitalism and act like the worst if you were to survive.
He was father of fan Tony Cooper.
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