The Horror Film Club of Great Britain's Convention

The Horror Film Club of Great Britain's Convention was a convention held September 23–25 September 1966 at The Royal Oak, Pulteney Road, Bath, UK. The organiser was Gary Parfitt. The guest of honour was supposed to be Ian Scoones but he was unable to attend and similarly a number of promised celebrities such as Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing didn't appear. While the convention is tangential to Fancyclopedia's core interests, it is worth noting as there was at the time usually only one convention a year in the UK. A number of known fans did attend.

Preparations

Derek Stokes reviewed the convention in Gothique #6 (November 1966) and provides much of the information used here. He said the convention had been promised since January 1965. Presumably there had been some publicity material as he also mentions celebrities who were expected and didn't appear. The convention was mentioned in Skyrack #92, about two weeks before it was due to happen. This quotes a relatively high registration fee of 15/6 although this seems to have included at least dinner.

Venue

The convention proper took place in a what Stokes described as 'a long wooden hut with a tarpaulin roof', associated with a pub called The Royal Oak. The pub closed permanently in 2022 although reportedly it had a skittle alley out the back, perhaps the 1966 convention hall although hopefully with a more permanent roof. Attendees stayed in a hotel which turned out to be run by the Salvation Army and was thus 'dry', rather putting a cramp on room parties. Skyrack #93 (November 1966) referred to the venue as The White House, or rather a white house. It's unclear whether this was the convention hall or the hotel.

Attendees

Stokes estimated about 40 to 50 attendees. Names mentioned by him or in the Skyrack report include:

1. Dave Baldock
2. Linda Barnes
3. Dave Britton
4. Ken Bulmer
5. Bill Burns
6. Ramsey Campbell
7. Ray Fawcett
8. David Fletcher
9. Bob Holland
10. Brian Marshall
11. Sue Morris
12. Harry Nadler
13. Marie Nadler
14. Barbara Rawlins
15. Gary Parfitt
16. Ted Tubb
17. Dave Trengrove

Skyrack also noted 'three local children who huddled together in terror during the Delta film show'. A report in

The convention

The programme mostly consisted of films, albeit these were absent on Friday due to the delayed arrival of the Delta SF Film Group who were bringing the projection equipment and had trouble finding the venue. Early arrivals were treated to the soundtrack (recorded from the TV) of King Kong. Only about a dozen people turned up.

Stokes said that several promised full-length features never appeared and Saturday's screening were of short extracts from silent movies. There was also an auction conducted by Ramsey Campbell and a film quiz won by either Campbell (Skyrack) or David Fletcher (Gothique). In the evening there was a 'Monster Ball' where only four people came in costume because, according to Stokes, 'there was nowhere to change'. Hammer Films had offered a prize of a visit to their Bray Studios which was won by Fletcher. The ball was followed by the only full-length film, Return of the Ape Man (1944).

On the Sunday the Delta SF Film Group showed some of their amateur horror movies with commentary from Campbell. Stokes thought some of these better than the earlier professional films. The last film was King Kong, a substitute for Son of Kong and perhaps only in extract given Stokes's earlier comment about Return of the Ape Man. It was in any event silent although attendees had had the opportunity to hear the soundtrack on Friday.

Stokes summarised:

On the whole it was quite a good convention for somebody who'd never been to one before but to someone who had been to similar functions the lack of organisation was very noticeable.

Skyrack #93 (November 1966) said that the organiser Parfitt:

attempted to shoulder the convention single handed and ultimately was left with the responsibility for dinners which were ordered but neither eaten nor paid for, and for the actions of certain people who simply did not pay for their attendance.

Publications

If there were any they don't seem to be available online.

Future conventions

Stokes concluded:

I only hope that by next year (if another convention is attempted) the H.F.C.G.B. has a programme planned with films, or even a guest of honour who turns up, otherwise British fandom will neglect them entirely.

In fact the final issue of the club's quarterly official magazine, the ninth, appeared before the convention in June 1966, and the convention finished them off, the club fading away soon after.

Links

• Report in Skyrack #93 (November 1966) at gostak.co.uk.

____

---

Convention
	1966

This is a convention page. Please extend it by adding information about the convention, including dates, GoHs, convention chairman, locale, sponsoring organization, external links to convention pages, awards given, the program, notable events, anecdotes, pictures, scans of publications, pictures of T-shirts, con reports, etc.