Difference between revisions of "Ron Holmes"

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(add FIDO research kindly proffered by Glasgow co-FGoH User:Mark Plummer lately understandably busy elsewhere; more of my own to come separately)
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(19?? – ????)
 
(19?? – ????)
  
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'''Ronald Holmes''' (usually going by '''Ron'''; some appearances emphasized the shortening with a period "Ron'''.''' Holmes") was a [[fan]] from [[Liverpool]] active in the 1930s and 1940s. He co-published ''[[Science Fantasy Review]]'' and later ''[[Science-Fantasy Review War Digest]]''. He was a member of the [[British Fantasy Society]] (BFS) and a founder of the [[British Fantasy Library]] (BFL) and the first editor of its ''[[Booklist (BFL)]]''.
+
'''Ronald Holmes''' (usually going by '''Ron'''; sometimes emphasized the shortening with a period "Ron'''.''' Holmes") was a [[fan]] from [[Liverpool]] active in the 1930s and 1940s. He co-published ''[[Science Fantasy Review]]'' and later ''[[Science-Fantasy Review War Digest]]''. He was a member of the [[British Fantasy Society]] (BFS) and a founder of the [[British Fantasy Library]] (BFL) and its first Librarian and editor of ''[[Booklist (BFL)]]''.
  
−
The Liverpool branch of the [[Science Fiction Association]] was created in June 1938 and Holmes joined 'just after the introductory stage when [[Eric Frank Russell]], [[Les Johnson]], etc., had created the group and it was about to fall apart' (quoted in ''[[Then]]''). He attended the [[Second British Convention]] in 1938 and the [[Third British Convention]] in 1939. With [[Leslie V. Heald|Les Heald]] he produced five of the thirteen issues of ''[[Science Fantasy Review]]'' between May 1939 and January 1940, succeeded by the ''[[Science-Fantasy Review War Digest]]'' for another nine (there were two in March), or not quite:
+
The Liverpool branch of the [[Science Fiction Association]] was created in June 1938 and Holmes joined 'just after the introductory stage when [[Eric Frank Russell]], [[Les Johnson]], etc., had created the group and it was about to fall apart' (quoted in ''[[Then]]''). He attended the [[Second British Convention]] in 1938 and the [[Third British Convention]] in 1939. With [[Leslie V. Heald|Les Heald]] he produced five of the thirteen issues of ''[[Science Fantasy Review]]'' between May 1939 and January 1940, succeeded by the ''[[Science-Fantasy Review's War Digest]]'' for another nine (there were two in March), or not quite:
  
−
''[[Then]]'' and ''[[Beyond Fandom]]'' say Holmes was a conscientious objector during the [[Second World War]], "assigned to a Pacifist Service Unit in Liverpool". However, in the September 1940 issue (#9) Holmes announced "I joined up for 7 years in the [Royal Army Medical Corps]" and "By the time that you get this your goldenhaired boy will be engaged." He turned over materials for the issue to be produced by [[J. Michael Rosenblum]], who noted that the pass-over was faster than planned as "unforseen circumstances have prevented" Holmes to finish the run. (Rosenblum then subsumed the newszine in his ''[[Futurian War Digest]]''.)
+
== War ==
 +
''[[Then]]'' and ''[[Beyond Fandom]]'' say Holmes was a conscientious objector during the [[Second World War]], "assigned to a Pacifist Service Unit in Liverpool". In the final issue of ''SFRWD'' (#9, September 1940) Holmes announced "I joined up for 7 years in the [Royal Army Medical Corps]" as well as "By the time that you get this your goldenhaired boy will be engaged." He turned over materials for the issue to be produced to [[J. Michael Rosenblum]], who noted that the pass-over was faster than planned as "unforseen circumstances have prevented" Holmes to finish the run. (From the next issue, JMR subsumed the newszine in his ''[[Futurian War Digest]]''.) But in ''FWD'' #2 (November) Holmes reported:
  
−
In ''FWD'' #2 (November) Rosenblum published anonymously description a brutal persecution of uncompliant objectors by their Colonel and Regimental Police
+
Hello Chums, I'm back again - and you'd better get used to me, for I'm here for a long - long time. My application to the R.A.M.C. has failed. In spite of the encouraging words of the recruiting officer, the central Board has turned me down - without explanation. Next registration will add another C.O. to the list. It may seem a complete turn-about to you - but you don't know the wheels within wheels.
 +
 
 +
In the same issue, Rosenblum published anonymously the description of brutal persecution of uncompliant objectors by their Colonel and Regimental Police:
  
 
  from a personal letter written by a personal friend of mine and I will absolutely guarantee its truth in every particular. It’s the treatment given to a C.O. in Liverpool, this September; a Leeds boy 21 years old who is as sincere a Pacifist as anyone I know. […] a more hideous caricature of justice than our local C.O. Tribunal would be difficult to imagine. Ask Ron Holmes who saw it in action for a few minutes, and left hurriedly while he was still in control of his temper.
 
  from a personal letter written by a personal friend of mine and I will absolutely guarantee its truth in every particular. It’s the treatment given to a C.O. in Liverpool, this September; a Leeds boy 21 years old who is as sincere a Pacifist as anyone I know. […] a more hideous caricature of justice than our local C.O. Tribunal would be difficult to imagine. Ask Ron Holmes who saw it in action for a few minutes, and left hurriedly while he was still in control of his temper.
  
−
The September timeline does not quite fit, nor the following mention of Holmes by name as seeing Rosenblum's local (i. e. Leeds?) tribunal, not to mention the victim being from Leeds; but then Rosenblum might have wanted to muddy waters in such identifying details (indeed he was investigated for distributing "seditious" material). Even if Holmes was just a witness of similar events, it would certainly explain his decision not to remain in the work units until the end of the War, as Rosenblum managed, and find – or be forced to take – an acceptable way out. (Should "boy 21 years old" refer to Holmes after all, he would have been born in 1918/9.)
+
Even if Holmes was just a witness of such events, it would certainly explain his decision to find – or be forced to take – an acceptable way out. Then ''FWD'' #10 (July 1941):
 +
 
 +
Ron Holmes appeared before his local C.O. tribunal this month. Verdict land work, ambulance or civil defence.
 +
 
 +
''FWD'' #11 (August 1941):
 +
 
 +
Ron Holmes has been transferred from Liverpool to [[London]] on his Pacifist Service Unit work. As this takes up the whole of his time, he must, [[fafia|perforce, retire]] from [[actifan|active fandom]] for the time being.
 +
 
 +
From the look of it, that lasted no more than a year or so, as from 1943 Holmes is pretty active. He attended [[Midvention 1|the Midvention]] in April 1943 and the two [[Norcon]]s over the New Years 1943–4 and 1944–5.
  
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Holmes also attended the [[Midvention 1|Midvention]] in 1943 and the two [[Norcon]]s over the New Years 1943-4 and 1944-5.
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== Post-War, BFL ==
  
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When the [[British Fantasy Society]] folded, Holmes and [[Nigel Lindsay]] formed the [[British Fantasy Library]] and published an official organ, ''[[Booklist (BFL)|Booklist]]''. The first issue of [[Ken Slater]]'s ''[[Operation Fantast]]'' was issued alongside it September 1947.  
+
When the [[British Fantasy Society]] folded, Holmes and [[Nigel Lindsay]] formed the [[British Fantasy Library]] and published its [[official organ]], ''[[Booklist (BFL)|Booklist]]''. The first issue of [[Ken Slater]]'s ''[[Operation Fantast]]'' was issued alongside it September 1947.  
  
−
However Holmes was hospitalised and in 1948 dropped out of fandom altogether, although not before providing [[Walt Willis]] with his introduction to fandom outside [[Ireland]]. Willis saw an advertisement for the BFL in a [[prozine]] and wrote off for details. Holmes replied, sending BFL material and a copy of ''Operation Fantast'' leading Willis to contact Ken Slater.
+
However Holmes was hospitalised and in 1948 dropped out of fandom altogether, although not before providing [[Walt Willis]] with his introduction to [[Anglofandom]] outside [[Ireland]]. Willis saw an advertisement for the BFL in a [[prozine]] and wrote off for details. Holmes replied, sending BFL material and a copy of ''[[Operation Fantast]]'' leading Willis to contact [[Ken Slater]].
  
−
Holmes was reportedly rediscovered by [[Ian Maule]] in the early 1970s and attended the [[Beyond This Horizon]] event in Sunderland in 1973.
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Holmes was reportedly rediscovered by [[Ian Maule]] in the early 1970s and attended the [[Beyond This Horizon]] event in Sunderland, 1973.
  
 
{{fanzines}}
 
{{fanzines}}
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* ''[[Review Section]]'' [1942–3] for ''[[FWD]]''
 
* ''[[Review Section]]'' [1942–3] for ''[[FWD]]''
 
* ''[[Science Fantasy Review]]'' [1939-40] (some issues with [[Leslie V. Heald]])
 
* ''[[Science Fantasy Review]]'' [1939-40] (some issues with [[Leslie V. Heald]])
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* ''[[Science-Fantasy Review War Digest]]'' [1940] (with [[Leslie V. Heald]]?)
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* ''[[Science-Fantasy Review's War Digest]]'' [1940] (early issues with [[Leslie V. Heald]])
  
 
{{person | born=????}}
 
{{person | born=????}}
 
[[Category:Fan]]
 
[[Category:Fan]]
 
[[Category:UK]]
 
[[Category:UK]]

Revision as of 17:02, 11 August 2024

(19?? – ????)

Ronald Holmes (usually going by Ron; sometimes emphasized the shortening with a period "Ron. Holmes") was a fan from Liverpool active in the 1930s and 1940s. He co-published Science Fantasy Review and later Science-Fantasy Review War Digest. He was a member of the British Fantasy Society (BFS) and a founder of the British Fantasy Library (BFL) and its first Librarian and editor of Booklist.

The Liverpool branch of the Science Fiction Association was created in June 1938 and Holmes joined 'just after the introductory stage when Eric Frank Russell, Les Johnson, etc., had created the group and it was about to fall apart' (quoted in Then). He attended the Second British Convention in 1938 and the Third British Convention in 1939. With Les Heald he produced five of the thirteen issues of Science Fantasy Review between May 1939 and January 1940, succeeded by the Science-Fantasy Review's War Digest for another nine (there were two in March), or not quite:

War[edit]

Then and Beyond Fandom say Holmes was a conscientious objector during the Second World War, "assigned to a Pacifist Service Unit in Liverpool". In the final issue of SFRWD (#9, September 1940) Holmes announced "I joined up for 7 years in the [Royal Army Medical Corps]" as well as "By the time that you get this your goldenhaired boy will be engaged." He turned over materials for the issue to be produced to J. Michael Rosenblum, who noted that the pass-over was faster than planned as "unforseen circumstances have prevented" Holmes to finish the run. (From the next issue, JMR subsumed the newszine in his Futurian War Digest.) But in FWD #2 (November) Holmes reported: 

Hello Chums, I'm back again - and you'd better get used to me, for I'm here for a long - long time. My application to the R.A.M.C. has failed. In spite of the encouraging words of the recruiting officer, the central Board has turned me down - without explanation. Next registration will add another C.O. to the list. It may seem a complete turn-about to you - but you don't know the wheels within wheels.

In the same issue, Rosenblum published anonymously the description of brutal persecution of uncompliant objectors by their Colonel and Regimental Police: 

from a personal letter written by a personal friend of mine and I will absolutely guarantee its truth in every particular. It’s the treatment given to a C.O. in Liverpool, this September; a Leeds boy 21 years old who is as sincere a Pacifist as anyone I know. […] a more hideous caricature of justice than our local C.O. Tribunal would be difficult to imagine. Ask Ron Holmes who saw it in action for a few minutes, and left hurriedly while he was still in control of his temper.

Even if Holmes was just a witness of such events, it would certainly explain his decision to find – or be forced to take – an acceptable way out. Then FWD #10 (July 1941): 

Ron Holmes appeared before his local C.O. tribunal this month. Verdict land work, ambulance or civil defence.

FWD #11 (August 1941): 

Ron Holmes has been transferred from Liverpool to London on his Pacifist Service Unit work. As this takes up the whole of his time, he must, perforce, retire from active fandom for the time being.

From the look of it, that lasted no more than a year or so, as from 1943 Holmes is pretty active. He attended the Midvention in April 1943 and the two Norcons over the New Years 1943–4 and 1944–5.

Post-War, BFL[edit]

When the British Fantasy Society folded, Holmes and Nigel Lindsay formed the British Fantasy Library and published its official organ, Booklist. The first issue of Ken Slater's Operation Fantast was issued alongside it September 1947.

However Holmes was hospitalised and in 1948 dropped out of fandom altogether, although not before providing Walt Willis with his introduction to Anglofandom outside Ireland. Willis saw an advertisement for the BFL in a prozine and wrote off for details. Holmes replied, sending BFL material and a copy of Operation Fantast leading Willis to contact Ken Slater.

Holmes was reportedly rediscovered by Ian Maule in the early 1970s and attended the Beyond This Horizon event in Sunderland, 1973.

Fanzines and Apazines:

Person ????—
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