Difference between revisions of "Daphne Buckmaster"

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(1926 )
  
[[File:Daphne Buckmaster (1950s). Courtesy of Rob Hansen.jpg|frame|left|'''Daphne Buckmaster (1950s)'''. ''Courtesy of [[Rob Hansen]]''.]]
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[[File:Daphne Buckmaster (1950s). Courtesy of Rob Hansen.jpg|thumb|'''Daphne Buckmaster''' (1950s), courtesy [[Rob Hansen]] ]]
'''Daphne Buckmaster''' (formerly '''Bradley''') was a [[UK]] [[fan]] originally from Chatham in Kent active from the late 1940s through to the 1960s. She began attending [[SF]] [[conventions]] in 1948 where she was reportedly 'the only unattached woman' at the [[Whitcon]]. She was a member of the [[British Fantasy Library]], the [[Woolwich Science Fiction and Vargo Statten Appreciation Society]] in 1954, and of the [[BSFA]]. She was a member (and [[OE]]) of [[OMPA]] and belonged to [[SAPS]].  
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'''Daphne Buckmaster''' (née '''Bradley''') was a [[UK]] [[fan]] and [[artist]] originally from Chatham in Kent active from the late 1940s to the 1960s. She began attending [[SF]] [[conventions]] in 1948 when she was reportedly 'the only unattached woman' at the [[Whitcon]]. She was a member of the [[British Fantasy Library]] (BFL), the [[Woolwich Science Fiction and Vargo Statten Appreciation Society]] in 1954. She was a founding member of [[OMPA]], and its [[OE]] in 1960/1 season.
  
In ''[[Esprit]]'' #1 she described early experiences with [[Wells]], [[Doyle]] and [[Haggard]] but:
+
In "Fannegenesis" in ''[[Esprit]]'' #1 (1954) she described early experiences with [[Wells]], [[Doyle]] and [[Haggard]] but
  
  I did not live near one of the street markets which seem to have formed part of the early environment of most fen and thereby missed the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the American [[prozines|magazines]]
+
  I did not live near one of the street markets which seem to have formed part of the early environment of most [[fen]] and thereby missed the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the American [[prozines|magazines]] […]
...
 
 
  until about the end of the war when my brother began buying the [[BRE|British Editions]] of ''[[Astounding]]'' and ''[[Unknown]]''. For a long time I scorned them but, after continual urging on his part, I at last gave in and tried one. That, of course, was my downfall. Or uprising. How long it was between then and the time when I bought a copy of the first issue of ''[[New Worlds]]'', which was to put me on the road to fandom, I do not remember.
 
  until about the end of the war when my brother began buying the [[BRE|British Editions]] of ''[[Astounding]]'' and ''[[Unknown]]''. For a long time I scorned them but, after continual urging on his part, I at last gave in and tried one. That, of course, was my downfall. Or uprising. How long it was between then and the time when I bought a copy of the first issue of ''[[New Worlds]]'', which was to put me on the road to fandom, I do not remember.
  
She remembered seeing an advertisement for the [[British Fantasy Library]] in either the first of second issue of ''New Worlds'' but there doesn't appear to be anything in those issues. She clearly learned of it somehow which in turn led her to ''[[Operation Fantast]]'' and through that the [[London Circle]], although she was initially reluctant to attend as a shy single woman. The prospect of the [[Whitcon]] in 1948 was more appealing. She subsequently became a regular at [[White Horse]] meetings, for a long time the only woman.
+
She described seeing an advertisement for the [[British Fantasy Library]] in either the first of second issue of ''[[New Worlds]]'' (but there doesn't appear to be anything in either of those). Anyway, BFL
 +
 
 +
provided me with books and American Magazines in profusion and with the first fanzine I had seen — ''[[Operation Fantast]]''. This was really something. At last - contact with other readers!
 +
 
 +
From a letter there she learned about the [[London Circle]] meeting near her work, although she initially found herself unable to come as a shy single woman, even with the accompaniment of her brother (who was as shy; he seems not to have progressed beyond the "avid reader" stage, so his name is lost to history). The prospect of the [[Whitcon]] in 1948 turned out more accessible. She subsequently became a regular at [[White Horse]] meetings, for a long time the only woman:
 +
 
 +
except for a couple of efforts which I wrote for [[Vince Clarke|Vin¢]]'s [[Science Fantasy News|S.F.N.]], I settled down to the inactivity for which the White Horse was so famous.
 +
 
 +
Daphne married [[Ron Buckmaster]] in 1949 (which he noted as "the first [[Trufan]] marriage"); she seemed to remember talking to him at Whitcon "although I was not to meet him again until a year later". He also wrote "Her insatiable feminine curiosity enabled me to lure [[Pamela Bulmer|my sister Pamela]] to the White Horse."
 
   
 
   
She began publishing her [[fanzine]] ''[[Esprit]]'' in 1954: at first it was intended only for circulation in the [[Offtrails Magazine Publishers Association]] (OMPA), but with the 13th issue in 1960 she decided to make it generally available. In 1960, she released the fanzine ''[[Hobo]]'', and also began publishing ''[[Random]]'', of which three issues appeared, the first in 1960 and the second and third in 1961. She contributed [[art]] to other fanzines.  
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She began publishing her [[fanzine]] ''[[Esprit]]'' in 1954: at first it was intended only for circulation in the [[Offtrails Magazine Publishers Association]] (OMPA), but with the 13th issue in 1960 she decided to make it generally available. It mentions 'This last year’s burst of frantic activity, with the production of '[[Eye|i]]' and, now, the formation of OMPA'.
  
She married [[Ron Buckmaster]] in 1949. She later lived in [[Scotland]].  
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The Buckmasters moved to [[Scotland]] around 1960, driven by Ron's army posting. In 1960, Daphne released the fanzine ''[[Hobo]]'', and also began publishing ''[[Random]]'', of which three issues appeared, the second and third in 1961. She contributed [[art]] to other fanzines.  
  
In ''[[Distaff]]'' #1 ([https://fanac.org/fanzines/Femizine/Femizine10.pdf September 1958, p. 2]), [[Ethel Lindsay]] described her:
+
From May 1961 she was on the [[waitlist]] for [[FAPA]]. In April 1962 her address had changed to Wiltshire, seemingly reflecting another change in Ron's military posting, and she was back in London by June. She published ''[[Rackhamart]]'' (Spring 1962, with [[John Rackham]]'s art) in the 31st OMPA mailing as her farewell to the [[apa]] after eight years. She finally topped the FAPA list in May 1966 when OE [[Bruce Pelz]] wrote:
  
  Daphne Buckmaster is the only [[femmefan|femme<ref>Buckmaster actually had an 'aversion' to the term 'femme', preferring 'fanne', at least in 1954</ref> fan]] I meet, who can draw, She produced the cover, invented the new name [of ''[[Femizine]]'', now ''Distaff''], and helped out with [[illos]]. When I first met her at the [[Supermancon|Manchester Con]] I had great difficulty believing that she was really married, she looked about 14 years old, she still looks very young and ingenious.
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  Daphne Buckmaster (#1 last mailing) has been dropped. She was invited to fill the vacancy left by [[Al Lewis]], and failed to respond (a belated response was received stating that her husband's new business is too demanding to allow her to join at this time.)
  
{{fanzines}}
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[[File:Distaff1.jpeg|thumb|upright|''[[Distaff]]'' 1 cover by Daphne Buckmaster: "The New ‘Femizine’" rising Phoenix-like from fire]]
* ''[[Esprit]]'' [1954-early '60s] (for [[OMPA]])
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In ''[[Distaff (Lindsay)]]'' #1 ([https://fanac.org/fanzines/Femizine/Femizine10.pdf September 1958, p. 2]) [[Ethel Lindsay]] described her:
* ''[[Hobo]]'' [1960]
 
* ''[[Random (Buckmaster)]]'' [1960-61]
 
  
 +
Daphne Buckmaster is the only [[femmefan|femme fan]]<ref>Daphne herself actually had an 'aversion' to the term 'femme' from her school years, preferring 'fanne', at least in 1954 as explained in ''Esprit'' 1.</ref> I meet, who can draw. She produced the cover, invented the new name,<ref>I. e. for the former ''[[Femizine]]'', which Lindsay was resurrecting as ''Distaff''. However, the changed title was universally disliked by the readers, and it reverted to ''Femizine'' for the rest of its run.</ref> and helped out with [[illos]]. When I first met her at the [[Supermancon|Manchester Con]] I had great difficulty believing that she was really married, she looked about 14 years old. She still looks very young and ingenious.<ref>This should likely read "ingenuous".</ref>
  
[[File:Distaff1.jpeg|thumb|center|500 px|'''Cover of ''[[Distaff]]'' 1. Art by Daphne Buckmaster.''' ]]
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Per that description, Daphne was taking night classes in statistics. She herself had another story how she had to prove she was 22 at Whitcon.
  
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{{fanzines}}
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* ''[[Esprit]]'' [1954–61] (early issues for [[OMPA]])
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* ''[[Hobo]]'' [August 1960 one-off]
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* ''[[Random (Buckmaster)]]'' [1960–61] (for [[OMPA]])
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* ''[[Rackhamart]]'' [1962] (for [[OMPA]])
  
 
{{person | born=1926}}
 
{{person | born=1926}}

Latest revision as of 08:42, 18 June 2024

(1926 – )

Daphne Buckmaster (1950s), courtesy Rob Hansen

Daphne Buckmaster (née Bradley) was a UK fan and artist originally from Chatham in Kent active from the late 1940s to the 1960s. She began attending SF conventions in 1948 when she was reportedly 'the only unattached woman' at the Whitcon. She was a member of the British Fantasy Library (BFL), the Woolwich Science Fiction and Vargo Statten Appreciation Society in 1954. She was a founding member of OMPA, and its OE in 1960/1 season.

In "Fannegenesis" in Esprit #1 (1954) she described early experiences with Wells, Doyle and Haggard but

I did not live near one of the street markets which seem to have formed part of the early environment of most fen and thereby missed the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the American magazines […] 
until about the end of the war when my brother began buying the British Editions of Astounding and Unknown. For a long time I scorned them but, after continual urging on his part, I at last gave in and tried one. That, of course, was my downfall. Or uprising. How long it was between then and the time when I bought a copy of the first issue of New Worlds, which was to put me on the road to fandom, I do not remember.

She described seeing an advertisement for the British Fantasy Library in either the first of second issue of New Worlds (but there doesn't appear to be anything in either of those). Anyway, BFL

provided me with books and American Magazines in profusion and with the first fanzine I had seen — Operation Fantast. This was really something. At last - contact with other readers!

From a letter there she learned about the London Circle meeting near her work, although she initially found herself unable to come as a shy single woman, even with the accompaniment of her brother (who was as shy; he seems not to have progressed beyond the "avid reader" stage, so his name is lost to history). The prospect of the Whitcon in 1948 turned out more accessible. She subsequently became a regular at White Horse meetings, for a long time the only woman:

except for a couple of efforts which I wrote for Vin¢'s S.F.N., I settled down to the inactivity for which the White Horse was so famous.

Daphne married Ron Buckmaster in 1949 (which he noted as "the first Trufan marriage"); she seemed to remember talking to him at Whitcon "although I was not to meet him again until a year later". He also wrote "Her insatiable feminine curiosity enabled me to lure my sister Pamela to the White Horse."

She began publishing her fanzine Esprit in 1954: at first it was intended only for circulation in the Offtrails Magazine Publishers Association (OMPA), but with the 13th issue in 1960 she decided to make it generally available. It mentions 'This last year’s burst of frantic activity, with the production of 'i' and, now, the formation of OMPA'.

The Buckmasters moved to Scotland around 1960, driven by Ron's army posting. In 1960, Daphne released the fanzine Hobo, and also began publishing Random, of which three issues appeared, the second and third in 1961. She contributed art to other fanzines.

From May 1961 she was on the waitlist for FAPA. In April 1962 her address had changed to Wiltshire, seemingly reflecting another change in Ron's military posting, and she was back in London by June. She published Rackhamart (Spring 1962, with John Rackham's art) in the 31st OMPA mailing as her farewell to the apa after eight years. She finally topped the FAPA list in May 1966 when OE Bruce Pelz wrote:

Daphne Buckmaster (#1 last mailing) has been dropped. She was invited to fill the vacancy left by Al Lewis, and failed to respond (a belated response was received stating that her husband's new business is too demanding to allow her to join at this time.) 
Distaff 1 cover by Daphne Buckmaster: "The New ‘Femizine’" rising Phoenix-like from fire

In Distaff #1 (September 1958, p. 2) Ethel Lindsay described her:

Daphne Buckmaster is the only femme fan[1] I meet, who can draw. She produced the cover, invented the new name,[2] and helped out with illos. When I first met her at the Manchester Con I had great difficulty believing that she was really married, she looked about 14 years old. She still looks very young and ingenious.[3]

Per that description, Daphne was taking night classes in statistics. She herself had another story how she had to prove she was 22 at Whitcon.

Fanzines and Apazines:


Person 1926
This is a biography page. Please extend it by adding more information about the person, such as fanzines and apazines published, awards, clubs, conventions worked on, GoHships, impact on fandom, external links, anecdotes, etc. See Standards for People and The Naming of Names.

  1. Daphne herself actually had an 'aversion' to the term 'femme' from her school years, preferring 'fanne', at least in 1954 as explained in Esprit 1.
  2. I. e. for the former Femizine, which Lindsay was resurrecting as Distaff. However, the changed title was universally disliked by the readers, and it reverted to Femizine for the rest of its run.
  3. This should likely read "ingenuous".