Difference between revisions of "Norman Ashfield"
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| − | ( | + | [[File:Norman Ashfield (1950s) from the collection of Vince Clarke. Courtesy of Rob Hansen..jpg|thumb|right|'''Norman Ashfield (1950s)'''.<br>''From the collection of [[Vince Clarke]], courtesy of [[Rob Hansen]]''.]](April 12, 1914 – July 1998) |
| − | Norman Ashfield was a [[ | + | '''Sidney George Norman Ashfield''' was a [[UK]] [[fan]] from Thornton Heath in south [[London]] active from the 1940s through to the 1960s. He was a member of the [[British Fantasy Library]] (BFL), the [[Science Fantasy Society]] (SFS) and the [[N3F]] and a contributor to such [[fanzines]] as ''[[Spacewarp]]'', ''[[Operation Fantast]]'' and ''[[Mutant (MSFS)]]''. |
| − | {{person | died= | + | His own fanzine ''[[Alembic]]'', 'an occasional miscellany for fantasy fans', was credited with encouraging [[Walt Willis]] to begin fan publishing. Willis explained in ''[[Pamphrey]]'' #3 (October 1956) that in early 1948 he received an issue of [[Ken Slater]]'s ''[[Operation Fantast]]'' but: |
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| + | More important to me than ''OF'', as it turned out, was one of its enclosures... the first issue of Norman Ashfield's ''Alembic''. It was just two duplicated foolscap pages, stapled together in the top lefthand corner. It was this that started me off as a fanzine publisher, for [[Madeleine Willis|Madeleine]] held it up and said, 'Surely you could do better than ''that''.'; and I thought maybe I could. I hope this doesn't hurt Norman's feelings. It wasn't that we had such a contempt for ''Alembic'', it was rather that it was more our sort of thing than ''OF'' had been. ''OF'' had had news items and all sorts of proper magazine stuff, whereas ''Alembic'' was just comments and general talk by Norman. Besides this was only the second fanzine I'd seen, and it made me realise that there was no closed shop. | ||
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| + | Early in 1953, [[Don Ford]] and the [[Cincinnati Fantasy Group]] started a [[fan fund]] to bring Ahfield to [[Philcon II]], the 1953 [[Worldcon]]. He was unable to take the trip, and the [[money]] raised was the foundation of [[TAFF]]. | ||
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| + | Ashfield attended [[Whitcon]], the first [[Eastercon]], in 1948 and other conventions intermittently up to at least the [[BSFA Convention, 1960]] although Willis said in his [[Coroncon]] report in ''[[Hyphen]]'' #4 (October 1953) that Ashfield 'hasn't been active in [[fandom]] for quite a while but who has evidently kept up his [[correspondence]] with his friend, Don Ford.' | ||
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| + | {{fanzines}} | ||
| + | * ''[[Alembic]]'' [1948-49] | ||
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| + | {{person | born=1914|died=1998|locale=Thornton Heath, London, UK}} | ||
[[Category:fan]] | [[Category:fan]] | ||
| − | [[Category: | + | [[Category:UK]] |
Latest revision as of 02:31, 25 February 2025
_from_the_collection_of_Vince_Clarke._Courtesy_of_Rob_Hansen..jpg)
(April 12, 1914 – July 1998)
Sidney George Norman Ashfield was a UK fan from Thornton Heath in south London active from the 1940s through to the 1960s. He was a member of the British Fantasy Library (BFL), the Science Fantasy Society (SFS) and the N3F and a contributor to such fanzines as Spacewarp, Operation Fantast and Mutant.
His own fanzine Alembic, 'an occasional miscellany for fantasy fans', was credited with encouraging Walt Willis to begin fan publishing. Willis explained in Pamphrey #3 (October 1956) that in early 1948 he received an issue of Ken Slater's Operation Fantast but:
More important to me than OF, as it turned out, was one of its enclosures... the first issue of Norman Ashfield's Alembic. It was just two duplicated foolscap pages, stapled together in the top lefthand corner. It was this that started me off as a fanzine publisher, for Madeleine held it up and said, 'Surely you could do better than that.'; and I thought maybe I could. I hope this doesn't hurt Norman's feelings. It wasn't that we had such a contempt for Alembic, it was rather that it was more our sort of thing than OF had been. OF had had news items and all sorts of proper magazine stuff, whereas Alembic was just comments and general talk by Norman. Besides this was only the second fanzine I'd seen, and it made me realise that there was no closed shop.
Early in 1953, Don Ford and the Cincinnati Fantasy Group started a fan fund to bring Ahfield to Philcon II, the 1953 Worldcon. He was unable to take the trip, and the money raised was the foundation of TAFF.
Ashfield attended Whitcon, the first Eastercon, in 1948 and other conventions intermittently up to at least the BSFA Convention, 1960 although Willis said in his Coroncon report in Hyphen #4 (October 1953) that Ashfield 'hasn't been active in fandom for quite a while but who has evidently kept up his correspondence with his friend, Don Ford.'
- Alembic [1948-49]
| Person | 1914—1998 |
| 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. |
