Hazel Reynolds

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(???? – )

Hazel Reynolds is a UK fan from Solihull near Birmingham active in the 1970s. She was a member of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group and succeeded Gillon Field as administrator of the Nova Awards.

In an article in Checkpoint #21 (August 1972), Peter Weston implied that Reynolds came to fandom via the Birmingham group around 1971. She was at Novacon 1 that year[1]. Checkpoint #26 (November 1972) gives her name and address for memberships in Novacon 3 and #43 (November 1973) implies she was its primary organiser, crediting the convention to 'Hazel Reynolds and the Brum Sf Group'.

Gillon Field is usually cited as the founder/creator of the Nova Award[2] but there may be a case for considering Reynolds as a joint creator[3]. Field and Reynolds selected the judging panel in 1973 and Checkpoint #27 (November 1974) makes it clear that Field had selected the 1974 panel before her death. Reynolds succeeded her as administrator.

She was a costumer and participated in the the fancy dress at Chessmancon. Her appearance in the at Novacon 4 was noted by Chris Fowler in Blazon #2:

Everyone was eagerly awaiting the arrival of Hazel Reynolds, a wait which was rewarded by her appearance in a shoulder length black wig and a few gold spots variously distributed about her body. She was portraying a Vegan Princess who had been caught with her force field down. (Don’t blame me, that's what it says in my notes...)

Checkpoint #63 (December 1975) while generally decrying the fancy dress at Novacon 5, said, 'A special mention should be given here to Hazel Reynolds who over the past few years has come up with a number of fairly successful costumes, at least she does appear to put time and effort into her dress.'

She attended the final meeting at The Globe in London on June 12, 1974, the meeting also attended by Isaac Asimov[4].

Reynolds moved to Leicester in October 1976.

She was listed as a pre-supporter of Skycon, the 1978 Eastercon, and her name appears in the WAHF section of Maya #12-13 (January 1977).

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  1. Mentioned by Gray Boak in Cynic #7.
  2. e.g. Novacon 17 progress report 1:'The NOVA is an award for fanzines produced by Science Fiction Fandom in the British Isles, created in 1973 by the late Gillon Field...'.
  3. In Cynic #6, Jim Linwood said that Reynolds wrote to him inviting him to be a judge, and in Cynic #7 Reynolds described the award as 'our little brainchild' and talked of how she encouraged people to nominate fanzines in its first year.
  4. Photos at 'Asimov at the Globe' at fiawol.org.uk

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