Norcon

Did you mean a different Norcon?

Norcon was a convention in Manchester in the UK running from December 31, 1943 to January 2, 1944 held mostly in the home of Ron Lane. Ron Holmes later claimed that the 'event just managed to be a Convention because it published a booklet' although it was clearly also arranged and publicised in advance, even if it was described as a meeting.

Preparation

Futurian War Digest #32 (December 1943) said:

The New Year Meeting is to be of a somewhat more informal character, and has been arranged to take place in Manchester, thus enabling fans in the North of England to have a rally.

All people informing Mr Lane of their desire to attend, will be forwarded fullest details and instructions (including a plan of Manchester) at a later date when all arrangements have been made. A programme has been provisionally arranged to include various discussions, brains trust, stf quiz bee, auction and excursions. This is the first formal stf gathering to take place in the North of England since January 1937 – lets make it a good one.

Potential attendees had been previously contacted by Lane or J. Michael Rosenblum.

Venue

The 'actual deliberations' took place at Ron Lane's house, 22 Beresford Road, Longsight, Manchester, although the weekend involved some excursions.

Attendees

Futurian War Digest had listed 12 people 'who have already expressed their intention of being present' and the hope that 'this list will be doubled or trebled in the near future'. In the end, half of them didn't turn up presumably because of what Rosenblum described as 'service contingencies'. And perhaps just as well as 36 people might have been a tight fit for 22 Beresford Road. There were in fact eight attendees:

1. Ron Bradbury
2. George Ellis
3. Ron Holmes
4. Rita James (see below)
5. Roy Johnson
6. Joan Lane
7. Ron Lane
8. J. Michael Rosenblum
9. Gus Willmorth

Rita James was Holmes's girlfriend and there is no evidence she was a fan per se. Joan Lane, who was a fan of more accurately became a fan in the aftermath of the convention, wasn't mentioned in the list of attendees in Futurian War Digest #33 but she appears in a group photograph taken at the event, meaning she and James get joint honours as the first women to attend a UK convention. Similarly, Willmorth was the first overseas fan to attend a British convention, albeit with the advantage that he was stationed in the UK.

The convention

Futurian War Digest #33 (February 1943) said that:

the meeting held at Manchester over New Year can rightly be said to have been a success in every way, although the actual number of participants was somewhat more meagre than anticipated.

Rosenblum explained that:

Activities included the usual gabfest, brains trust, stf quiz, visit to the Belle Vue Zoo and Pleasure Ground, a call on Marion Turner and inspection of Harry's books, games of Solo!, music – piano and gramophone, and the intermittent production of a Norcon Booklet.

The auction raised £2 16/- (two pounds, sixteen shillings).

Publications

A 10-page Norcon booklet was produced by Rosenblum in January 1944 and was available from him for 3d post free.

Future conventions

Futurian War Digest said that:

Great enthusiasm was shown for further meetings and the conference decided to support the meeting at London (Easter) and Leicester (Midsummer).

See Early Conventions.

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first	Norcon	Norcon II
	1943

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