Midventionette

Midventionette, effectively Midvention 2, was a small convention held September 1–3, 1944, in Leicester, UK. As the name implies, it was even smaller than the relatively small Midvention and is likely the smallest convention ever held in the UK. The organiser was presumably R. Rowland Johnson.

Preparation

There seems to have been little advance publicity through Futurian War Digest. The report of the first Norcon in #33 said 'Great enthusiasm was shown for further meetings and the conference decided to support the meeting at London (Easter) and Leicester (Midsummer)'. A document called Second Midvention was issued as a rider with #36, the August 1944 issue, but a copy isn't available so we don't know what it said. J. Michael Rosenblum said in the same issue of FWD, 'As yet I am not aware as to whether the promised Leicester meet at Bank Holiday will eventuate, but if it does I am likely to be there.' It did and he wasn't

Venue

There was no venue as such aside from Johnson's home. Out-of-town attendees stayed at a hotel. It's not named but may have been the Belmont used for Midvention.

Attendees

There were six attendees although the report says 'six slan attendants, plus two musicians and the fencer':

1. Tony Anticoni
2. A. W. Gardner
3. R. Rowland Johnson
4. Ralph E. Orme
5. Boris Parker
6. Gus Willmorth

Anticoni and Parker are both described in the report as 'semi-slan's (presumably fringe fans).

George Wearn was the fencer and Bill Gutteridge (piano) and 'Viv' Green (trumpet) the musicians but there is no indication that they were fans and by the wording of the report they explicitly weren't.

The convention

The group variously wandered around Leicester, visiting a bookshop and having tea, with other events such as they were at Johnson's home. Johnson fought 'an impromptu duel' with a fencing instructor at the gymnasium of the YMCA. There was also a 'not over-successful' auction, conducted by Willmorth where Orme was the main buyer, and later a jam session featuring Johnson, Parker and two non-fan musicians.

Publications

Aside from the Second Midvention document, a convention report was produced during the gathering and is the work of various uncredited attendees. It was issued by Johnson in October.

Future conventions

While not floated at the Midventionette itself, attendees at Norcon II at the end of 1944 'decided to advocate a Midvention for Easter [1945]', according to the British Fantasy Society Bulletin #20. Nothing came of the idea and there were in fact no conventions after 1944 until the Whitcon of 1948.

• Report of the Midventionette at fanac.org
• Transcription of the report at fiawol.org.uk

See Early Conventions.

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