Difference between revisions of "George Locke"

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(February 3, 1936 – February 1, 2019)
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(February 3, 1936<ref>Some sources such as ''Skyrack'' #26 give his birth date as February 9.</ref> – February 1, 2019)
  
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'''George Locke''' was a [[fan]], writer, one-time pharmacist, antiquarian bookseller, and [[bibliographer]] living in the [[UK]].  (Some sources give his birth date as February 9th.) He began publishing SF with "The Human Seed" for ''[[Authentic Science Fiction]]'' in October, 1957.  Under the name '''Gordon Walters''', he published a number of [[SF]] stories in the 1960s.  He was on the [[RePetercon]] [[committee]] and with [[John Berry]] was one of the organizers of [[IPSO]].
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'''George Walter Locke''' was a [[UK]] [[fan]], writer, [[fan editor]], one-time pharmacist, antiquarian bookseller, and [[bibliographer]] active from the mid-1950s.
  
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He also published [[bibliographic]] works for SF [[collectors]], including ''Science Fiction First Editions'' (1978).
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He was described in ''[[Eye]]'' #6 (Christmas 1956) as 'a young fan who rolled up at [[The Globe]] one day and ''offered'' stuff to editors!'. He was the subject of the first of a 'Who's Who in British Fandom' series published in ''[[Skyrack]]'' where [[Ron Bennett]] wrote in #26 (November 1960):
  
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{{SFE|name=locke_george}}.
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If [[fannish]] ability counted with military authorities, George Locke would be pushing the rank of field-marshal. In three short years George has sprung to the fore in British fandom and his writings are without doubt an acquisition to any [[fanzine]] in which they appear. George, who was born on 9th February 1936 (he stands 5' 10" and weighs just over 12 stones), came into [[fandom]] about the time of the [[1957 Worldcon|London World Convention in 1957]] and was content for over a year to sit on the sidelines at Globe meetings in London, merely drinking in the [[fannish]] atmosphere and grounding himself in fannish history. Suddenly, in 1959, he burst forth as an [[actifan]] with his own fanzine ''[[Smoke]]'' as well as competing with [[John Berry]] in prolific writing. Apart from the 1957 Worldcon he attended the [[Brumcon|1959 BrumCon]] in [[Birmingham, UK|Birmingham]] but was prevented by an untimely callup from appearing at this year's [[Loncon-eastercon|LonCon]]. He was voted one of the best new fans in last year's [[Fanac (Carr)]] poll. George possesses a most enviable balance of puckish humour and mature seriousness. His [[OMPA]]zine ''[[Eyetracks]]'' is devoted in the main to items from his fabulous book collection. A thoroughly nice guy who is an asset to British fandom.
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He was an early although not founder member of the [[BSFA]], contributing to the second issue of its journal, ''[[Vector]]''. He was also a member of The [[Science Fiction Club of London]] (SFCoL), leaving in April 1960 for National Service in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He subsequently served in Kenya and Kuwait.
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Locke was a member of [[OMPA]] and [[FAPA]]. With [[John Berry]] he founded [[IPSO]], the UK's short-lived second [[APA]], in November 1960. His ''Smoke'' placed sixth in the 1959 Skyrack Poll and second in 1960 while Locke himself placed fourth and second as [[fan writer]] in the same years and remained in the top-ten until 1963. He was on the [[RePetercon]] [[committee]], publishing its ''[[The East Fanglian Times]]'' [[progress reports]]. He was also a member of [[The Fan Squadron]] group of fans who were also aircraft enthusiasts.
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He largely withdrew from fandom after 1966 to increasingly devoted himself to his book-selling business, becoming a full-time bookseller in 1972. He did however attend [[Beyond This Horizon]] in 1973, and more recently [[ReRepetercon]] in 2004 (where he and [[Dave Barber]] 'continued a discussion they had left off at their last convention in 1966'<ref>'
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Stargazing: Old fans but not tired' by [[Peter Weston]] at [https://efanzines.com/PW/ReRe/Trufen/rere.htm) trufen.net archived at efanzines.com]</ref>) and [[Cytricon V]] in 2008. He was also an occasional correspondent of ''[[Trap Door]]'' and ''[[Prolapse]]'' in the 2000s.
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He was the author of a few professionally published stories, starting with 'The Human Seed' for ''[[Authentic Science Fiction]]'' #85 (October 1957) and then five other short stories published under the name '''Gordon Walters''' in various venues in the 1960s . He was however far better known as the the author of several [[bibliographic]] works for SF [[collectors]], including ''Science Fiction First Editions'' (1978) and the ''A Spectrum of Fantasy'' volumes. His particular specialism was pre-1914 inter-planetary fiction. He was also the publisher of [[William Temple]]'s somewhat fictionalised version of life at [[The Flat]], ''88 Gray's Inn Road''.
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'''Links'''
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* {{SFE|name=locke_george}}
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* {{ISFDB|George_Locke}}
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* [https://www.sheila-markham.com/interviews/george-locke.html George Locke interviewed for ''The Bookdealer'' in January 1996 at sheila-markham.com]
  
 
{{fanzines}}
 
{{fanzines}}
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* ''[[Deadwood (Locke)]]'' [1964-66]
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* ''[[Deadwood (Locke)]]'' [1964-66] (for [[FAPA]])
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* ''[[The East Fanglian Times]]''
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* ''[[The East Fanglian Times]]'' [1963-4] (for the [[Eastercon-1964|1964 Eastercon]])
 
* ''[[Eye Tracks (Locke)]]'' [1960] (for [[OMPA]])
 
* ''[[Eye Tracks (Locke)]]'' [1960] (for [[OMPA]])
 
* ''[[Lockjaw]]'' [1961]
 
* ''[[Lockjaw]]'' [1961]
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* ''[[Topee or Not Topee]]'' [1961] (for [[OMPA]])
 
* ''[[Topee or Not Topee]]'' [1961] (for [[OMPA]])
  
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<references/>
  
 
{{person | born=1936 | died=2019}}
 
{{person | born=1936 | died=2019}}
 
[[Category:fan]]
 
[[Category:fan]]
 
[[Category:UK]]
 
[[Category:UK]]

Latest revision as of 11:02, 9 September 2024

(February 3, 1936[1] – February 1, 2019)

George Walter Locke was a UK fan, writer, fan editor, one-time pharmacist, antiquarian bookseller, and bibliographer active from the mid-1950s.

He was described in Eye #6 (Christmas 1956) as 'a young fan who rolled up at The Globe one day and offered stuff to editors!'. He was the subject of the first of a 'Who's Who in British Fandom' series published in Skyrack where Ron Bennett wrote in #26 (November 1960): 

If fannish ability counted with military authorities, George Locke would be pushing the rank of field-marshal. In three short years George has sprung to the fore in British fandom and his writings are without doubt an acquisition to any fanzine in which they appear. George, who was born on 9th February 1936 (he stands 5' 10" and weighs just over 12 stones), came into fandom about the time of the London World Convention in 1957 and was content for over a year to sit on the sidelines at Globe meetings in London, merely drinking in the fannish atmosphere and grounding himself in fannish history. Suddenly, in 1959, he burst forth as an actifan with his own fanzine Smoke as well as competing with John Berry in prolific writing. Apart from the 1957 Worldcon he attended the 1959 BrumCon in Birmingham but was prevented by an untimely callup from appearing at this year's LonCon. He was voted one of the best new fans in last year's Fanac poll. George possesses a most enviable balance of puckish humour and mature seriousness. His OMPAzine Eyetracks is devoted in the main to items from his fabulous book collection. A thoroughly nice guy who is an asset to British fandom.

He was an early although not founder member of the BSFA, contributing to the second issue of its journal, Vector. He was also a member of The Science Fiction Club of London (SFCoL), leaving in April 1960 for National Service in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He subsequently served in Kenya and Kuwait.

Locke was a member of OMPA and FAPA. With John Berry he founded IPSO, the UK's short-lived second APA, in November 1960. His Smoke placed sixth in the 1959 Skyrack Poll and second in 1960 while Locke himself placed fourth and second as fan writer in the same years and remained in the top-ten until 1963. He was on the RePetercon committee, publishing its The East Fanglian Times progress reports. He was also a member of The Fan Squadron group of fans who were also aircraft enthusiasts.

He largely withdrew from fandom after 1966 to increasingly devoted himself to his book-selling business, becoming a full-time bookseller in 1972. He did however attend Beyond This Horizon in 1973, and more recently ReRepetercon in 2004 (where he and Dave Barber 'continued a discussion they had left off at their last convention in 1966'[2]) and Cytricon V in 2008. He was also an occasional correspondent of Trap Door and Prolapse in the 2000s.

He was the author of a few professionally published stories, starting with 'The Human Seed' for Authentic Science Fiction #85 (October 1957) and then five other short stories published under the name Gordon Walters in various venues in the 1960s . He was however far better known as the the author of several bibliographic works for SF collectors, including Science Fiction First Editions (1978) and the A Spectrum of Fantasy volumes. His particular specialism was pre-1914 inter-planetary fiction. He was also the publisher of William Temple's somewhat fictionalised version of life at The Flat, 88 Gray's Inn Road.

Links

Fanzines and Apazines:

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  1. ↑ Some sources such as Skyrack #26 give his birth date as February 9.
  2. ↑ ' Stargazing: Old fans but not tired' by Peter Weston at trufen.net archived at efanzines.com
Person 1936—2019
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.

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