London SF Con
(For other Loncons, see Loncon (Disambiguation).)
The London SF Convention, sometimes referred to as Loncon, was held in London over Whitsun, May 31–June 1, 1952, at the White Horse and the Royal Hotel. There was no guest of honour. The committee was E. J. Carnell, Charles Duncombe, Frank Arnold, and Jim Ratigan.
This is canonically Eastercon 3. Festivention in 1951 wasn't strictly an Eastercon, and there was no convention in 1950, so the preceding event is Loncon in 1949.
Preparations[edit]
In his report of 1951's Festivention in New Worlds #11, Ted Carnell had said that, 'By popular request the visitors asked London to stage another Convention next year', and in his Preliminary Report Vin¢ Clarke said that on the Monday after the Festivention weekend, 'a farewell meeting at the 'Havelock' in Grays Inn Road that night brought 30 stalwarts to say farewell and to start planning the 1952 Convention!'
Despite the early start, there appear to have been no progress reports or if there were any no copies have been traced. The convention was publicised by New Worlds, Science Fantasy and Authentic Science Fiction. The programme book, was issued a few days in advance of the convention.
Membership fees were 2/6d for the 'convention society' plus 5/- per day. Teenagers were half-price.
Venue[edit]
The main venue for the Saturday and Sunday was The Royal Hotel on Russell Square in London. This had been previously used for Festivention in 1951 and would be used again for SCI-CON 70 in 1970. It has since been demolished. The Royal National Hotel now stands on the site.
As at Festivention, preliminary sessions were again held at the White Horse pub in Fetter Lane on the Thursday and Friday. This had also been the venue for the 1948 Whitcon.
Attendees[edit]
The 1952 Eastercon was the first to have a published membership list, although the first UK convention to do so had been NECON the previous year. This shows 197 members of the 'convention society'. It seems plausible that there were about 200 people present and maybe even more. Pete Campbell, writing in Operation Fantast #13–14 (Winter 1952), said that 196 people voted in the 1953 site selection and if that's correct then total attendance must surely have been significantly more than 200.
There are nearly 90 known attendees, people who are named in one of the convention reports, who appear in photos, and/or whose names appear on a signed copy of the programme book. A few of these people don't appear on the membership list. Over 10% of the membership is female.
In the table below names marked (A) are known attendees, names marked (AN) are known attendees who are not on the membership list, and names marked (N) are members who are known to have not been present such as Arthur C. Clarke who was abroad and Lee Hoffman because frankly if she'd been there somebody would have mentioned it. The remainder may have attended. In many cases that's the limit of our knowledge about them and where this is the case there won't be a page for them until and unless we find out some more. Names to which this applies are in italics. Additionally names marked * are family members of attendees who likely weren't fans per se.
- Ben Abas (AN)
- R. C. Abel
- Frank Arnold (A)
- Mrs. L. Arnold[1]
- Norman Ashfield (A)
- B. A. Baker
- C. Bell
- Eric Bentcliffe (A)
- A. H. Berrick
- Bryan Berry (A)
- G. Bills
- John Birchby (A)
- K. Bleach
- Leonard Borston
- Syd Bounds (A)
- H. M. Boxer
- D. Bradbury
- M. Braddell
- Fred Brown (A)
- John Brunner (A)
- Daphne Buckmaster (A)
- Ron Buckmaster (A)
- Pamela Buckmaster (AN)
- R. Budge
- Ken Bulmer (A)
- Jim Burch (A)
- Brian Burgess (A)
- C. Burke[2]
- D. Burke
- Freda Busfield (AN)
- J. Cameron
- Bert Campbell (A)
- Eileen Campbell (A)*
- Pete Campbell (A)
- Ted Carnell (A)
- N. H. Cartridge
- Miss J. Cartwright
- L. Challenger
- G. Ken Chapman (A)
- P. Chappell[3]
- George Charters (A)
- C. Cheshire
- Arthur C. Clarke (N)[4]
- Fred Clarke (AN)[5]
- Mrs Clarke (AN)*[6]
- Vin¢ Clarke (A)
- L. Cleicher
- J. Cobb
- Dave Cohen (A)
- Robert Conquest[7]
- P. Cook
- Frank Cooper (A)
- Tony Cooper (A)
- Miss Craggs
- P. W. Cutler
- Mrs. P. Cutler *
- W. O. Daniels
- Ron Deacon (A)
- H. Donne
- Donald J. Doughty (A)
- Philip Duerr (A)
- Charles Duncombe (A)
- Mrs R. Duncombe *
- Matt Elder
- B. Ellis
- George Ellis (AN)
- Paul Enever (A)
- Jeff Espley (AN)
- I. O. Evans
- R. A. Fairthorne (A)
- M. K. Fallon
- Frank Fears (AN)
- C. A. Fielder
- Les Flood (A)
- A. Francis
- Dave Gardner (A)
- Kerry Gaulder (A)
- Denis Gifford (A)
- H. Gomberg
- B. Gregory
- T. H. Griffiths
- John Gutteridge (A)
- C. Hall[8]
- John Beynon Harris
- Peter Hawkins (AN)
- G. Hay
- J. S. Hays
- Mrs J. S. Hays
- Arthur F. Hillman (A)
- Lee Hoffman (N)
- F. D. Horton
- Alan Hunter (A)
- Joyce Hunter (A)*
- D. J. Ibberson
- Dorothy Jacobs (A)
- P. Jacobs
- E. R. James
- Terry Jeeves (A)
- Bill Jesson (AN)
- Leslie J. Johnson (A)
- Kenneth Johnson
- W. Johnson
- K. Johnstone (A)
- C. F. W. Jones
- Dick Jones (AN)
- Eric Jones (A)
- M. Kelly
- G. Kelson
- Len Kippin
- Tony Klein
- J. C. Knights
- J. Knoles
- Mrs. J. Knoles
- Miss Kosen
- E. Koyinsky
- A. K. Lang
- Max Leviten (A)
- J. Lewis[9]
- J. Long (A)
- Audrey Lovett (A)
- Mrs M. D. Lowe
- A. MacDowell
- T. Manchee
- J. Martin
- S. V. May
- Mrs Mayoll
- W. Mayoll
- David McIlwain (A)
- Ken McIntyre
- R. G. Medhurst (A)
- A. Mercer[10]
- A. Miles[11]
- Frank Milnes (A)
- Jim Mooney (A)
- Lew Mordecai
- Dan Morgan (A)
- M. H. Morris
- Miss Mowbray
- John Newman
- D. Peter Ogden
- L. Onslow
- Sigvard Östlund (A)
- Mary Patchett (A)
- G. Peacock
- P. Pengelly
- Miss Perry
- John Phillifent
- Peter Phillips (AN)
- Derek Pickles (A)
- Marjorie Pickles (A)
- Mavis Pickles (AN)
- M. Picklesheimer
- Owen Plumridge
- Ken Potter (A)
- W. E. Price
- F. Price
- Jim Ratigan (A)
- F. N. Reckless
- T. Reeves
- Peter J. Ridley (A)
- J. L. Rimmer
- Fred Robinson (A)
- John Roles (A)
- J. Michael Rosenblum (A)
- Betty Rosenblum (A)
- S. Russell
- R. Rutter
- Sandy Sanderson
- Laurence Sandfield
- T. Scott
- F. Seales
- J. Shaw
- W. Shaw
- Ina Shorrock (A)
- Norman Shorrock (A)
- A. Shreeve
- D. S. Shure
- Ken Slater
- F. R. Smith
- A. M. Sowerby
- A. E. Taylor
- P. G. Taylor[12]
- Bill Temple (A)
- S. S. Thomas (A)
- Tony Thorne (A)
- Ted Tubb
- J. Unsworth
- P. Veness
- Richard J. Vowles (A)
- Miss A. Walker[13]
- Miss V. Walker
- C. Wallace
- Norman Wansborough (A)
- Norman Weedall (A)
- D. Whippell
- C. Whitaker[14]
- James White (A)
- S. White
- Betty White (AN)
- Tom White (AN)
- H. D. Wicks
- A. E. "Taffy" Williams (A)
- Eric C. Williams (A)
- Walt Willis (A)
- F. Wilson[15]
- J. Wilson (A)
- Mike Wilson
- R. Wilstead
- Dave Wood (A)
- R. L. Worrall[16]
- I. Wright
- S. Wright
The Convention[edit]
As in 1951 there were preliminary sessions in The White Horse on Thursday and Friday evening with many out-of-town fans attending, especially on the Friday.
Vin¢ Clarke estimated there were 'nearly a hundred present' on Saturday morning when Ted Carnell opened the first session with proposals for the 1953 convention from various groups for which see below. Attendees heard a recorded message from Arthur C. Clarke and this was followed by a discussion on the subject 'That science fiction is true to the facts of human experience' (Clarke).
Walt Willis felt the convention 'had been pretty dull up to now' but then Ted Tubb began the auction, a 'a tour de force'. Films were shown after supper although there was 'means of darkening the windows, and for the first hour or so the screen was a slowly brightening rectangle of creamy yellow on which shadowy blobs swam like amoeba during a mating dance'. Willis noted that, 'There is nothing like a common affliction for drawing people even nearer together'.
Sunday began with a repeat of the Clarke recording, followed by Ted Carnell and Bert Campbell answering questions about their magazines. After lunch there was an authors and artists forum and the presentation of the International Fantasy Awards to Fancies And Goodnights by John Collier (accepted by Carnell) and The Exploration of Space by Arthur C. Clarke (accepted by his brother, Fred and sister-in-law) After a break there was a second auction.
The outcome of the formal site selection for 1953 is detailed below. It was followed by a screening of Metropolis. There was no formal closing ceremony. A small party went to see Flight to Mars on the Monday and James White and Walt Willis went to visit Chuck Harris who'd been unable to attend the convention itself.
Publications[edit]
A programme booklet – actually a four-page leaflet – was distributed in advance. It misleadingly suggests that the venue was The White Horse Tavern but this only hosted preliminary sessions on Thursday and Friday. A post-con report, London S-F Convention 1952 was issued as a supplement to Science Fantasy News and distributed to all members.
Future conventions[edit]
There had been a discussion on the Saturday about the 1953 site with 'various people ... making speeches about the site for next year's convention, the Northerners arguing that London was too expensive to get to and the Londoners pointing out how many other attractions London had to offer'. Walt Willis advanced a not-terribly-serious proposal on behalf of James White for 'Gay Paree in '53'[17].
On Sunday afternoon there were three bids for 1953.[18]. Eric Bentcliffe championed Manchester with its large local group (the Nor'west Science Fantasy Club) and a central location accessible to fans in both London and Scotland as well as more local fans from Liverpool and Yorkshire. He also argued against London as the conventions would be all alike and there was no effective local group. Derek Pickles championed Bradford on much the same basis. Fred Brown spoke for London, arguing for local experience and that London was an obvious destination in the Coronation year, especially for American visitors.
A first vote gave 6 for Bradford, 17 for Manchester, and a clear majority for London. Eliminating Bradford led to 26 for Manchester and about 170 for London. The Manchester bid would return in 1953.
Ken Potter later wrote in Peri #1 (January 1953):
... it seems we are doomed to travel to London again [this] year as the motion to remove the Con was defeated by an overwhelming majority at [last] year's Con. It's pretty obvious that this was unfair. Practically the entire fan population of London was at the Con, and Northerners were staggeringly outnumbered by Southerners. The people who would be benefited by a move North had no say. Surely, a postal vote would not be amiss?
Fred Robinson wrote in Straight Up #5 (October 1952):
There is talk however of a postal vote if the Mancon is a success, for the energetic boys from the North are already making plans for a Supermancon in '53[19]. However I still favour 'Bloomsbury in '53'.
Willis said that Ken Bulmer coined 'Coronvention' for the 1953 convention although the name mutated into Coroncon.
Links
- London SF Con publications and photos on fanac.org.
- Text of Programme book at gostak.org.uk.
- Science Fantasy News Loncon supplement conrep by Vince Clarke at news.ansible.uk.
- Science Fantasy News Loncon supplement conrep by Dorothy Jacobs at news.ansible.uk.
- 'The Harp in England (2)' in The Harp In England at taff.org.uk/.
- Rob Hansen's page on the convention at fiawol.org.uk.
- Links to other accounts at fiawol.org.uk.
____
- ↑ This isn't Frank Arnold's wife as he never married.
- ↑ Probably unrelated to D. Burke below. C. lived in Hertfordshire and D. in London.
- ↑ This may be Pete Chappell although he wasn't otherwise in evidence until c. 1958.
- ↑ Clarke was known to have been abroad at the time.
- ↑ The brother of Arthur C. Clarke.
- ↑ The wife of Fred Clarke, she was also reportedly Arthur C Clarke's typist.
- ↑ Some sources say Conquest was present. However there is no first-hand evidence of this. In Relapse #18 Peter Weston records details of a telephone call received from Conquest in which he confirms attendance at a convention. If it really was only one then it was Festivention as his presence there was reported at the time.
- ↑ There was a Chris Hall in Stoke-on-Trent in the 1970s but that's twenty years later so it seems likely it's not the same person.
- ↑ There was a John D. Lewis in Leeds group in the late 1930s so it could be him but that person isn't otherwise in evidence and this is fifteen years later.
- ↑ This probably isn't Archie Mercer as this A. Mercer lived in London.
- ↑ It's possible that this is Allan H. Miles. This A. Miles had an address in Gloucestershire whereas Allan H. Miles lived in Bristol, UK in 1955, not all that far away.
- ↑ There is an assumption that this is Pete Taylor given the location on the membership list is given as London and Pete Taylor lived in Brixton.
- ↑ The Misses Walker may have been related. The membership list says V. was from London but no locale is given for A. Obviously it's a common name.
- ↑ This could be Cyril Whitaker but it's several years before his other fanac.
- ↑ There is an assumption that this is Frank Wilson given the location on the membership list is given as Lancashire and Frank Wilson lived in Southport.
- ↑ There was a Robert Worrall who was a member of the BSFA in 1961 but he lived in Northampton and R. L. lived in Kent so they may not be the same person.
- ↑ 'The Harp in England' by Walt Willis, Quandry #22 (August 1952).
- ↑ Details of the bid presentations and vote from 'London Convention Report' by W. Peter Campbell in Operation Fantast #13/14 (Winter 1952).
- ↑ The name would in fact be used for the 1954 convention.
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