It’s just ten years since the formation of the
Liverpool Science Fiction Association, whose
members have been so actively engaged in many
social pursuits, whose members have been so
prominent at so many national conventions and
whose members gave us several excellent issues of
SPACE DIVERSIONS. On 11th/12th November the
Society, now known as the, Liverpool Group,
celebrated its entry into double figures with a
party and slap-up-beano. Some thirty fans
representing the country’s major groups gathered
at the Higher Bebington home of Ina and Norman
Shorrock where coal tea was served before guests
piled into cars and on to scooters for a rousing
motorcade journey into the metropolis at the
Lancashire end of the Mersey Tunnel. A Chinese
restaurant was invaded, and subjected to the full
treatment. Hats and coats wore exchanged as
souvenirs and the party moved on to the Group’s
recently redecorated clubroooms. An auction was
held, dances were danced and smooth, smooth drinks
(Shorrocks 69’s) were served. More and more fans
arrived and the pressure was relieved by frequent
excursions to the nearby Jacaranda club. The party
included sleep on its programme with a move back
to Arnot Way, where a more energetic programme was
continued on the Sunday morning. The Harrogate
contingent returned east by the grace of Phil
Rogers who returned to Scunthorpe via Harrogate,
Manchester (with Eric Bentcliffe & Beryl) and
a safari across the Wirral Peninsula.
ATTENDEES AT THE LIVERPOOL 10th ANNIVERSARY PARTY
WERE: Norman & Ina Shorrock, Bruce Burn, Ethel
Lindsay, Eric & Margaret Jones, Archie Mercer,
Jimmy Groves, Pat Kearney, Al Ajax Hoch, Mike
Moorcock, Dave Barber, Geoff Winterman, John Humph
Humphries, Peter Mabey, Wally & Joy Johnson,
Audrey Eversfield, Ron Bennett, Elizabeth Humbey,
Eddie Jones, Norman Weedall, Bob Richardson, Joe
Navin, John Roles, Eric Bentoliffe & Beryl,
Phil Rogers, Pat & Frank Milnes, Stan &
Marjorie Nuttall, Pat & Peggy Denton, John
Owen, Les Johnson, Ted and Geoff Collins and a
dozen sophisticated beatniks who gatecrashed early
ayem.
BUT IT WASN’T IN SKYRACK, they said when they saw
the ring, so to put the records straight
condolences are offered Miss Elizbeth Humbey, one
time guest attendee of the Washington Science
Fiction Association, on the occasion of her
enagement to one time guest attendee of the
Westminster Salvation Army Hostel, Ron Bennett.
YOU’RE NOT LOSING A DAUGHTER BUT GAINING A
FANCLUB, Jimmy Groves told Bill Temple when on
25th November, Bill’s daughter Anne married BSFA
Secretary Joe Patrizio. Fifty people attended the
Congregational Church, Wembley. The bride was in
white and the four bridesmaids in yellow. Fans
present were Ted Forsyth, Jimmy Groves, Ethel
Lindsay, Brian Burgess, Fred Parker, Bruce Burn,
Alan Rispin, Diane Goulding, Pat Kearney, Betty
& Ian Peters, Ken & Irene Potter, Don
Geldart, Al Ajax Hoch and of course Joe Patrizio.
From Edinburgh came Joe’s parents, brother Michael
(The Best Man at 16), brother Victor with wife and
son, and Victor’s mother-in-law. Gus Poll, a
friend from Joe’s work (Leo Computers) was there
and has been inveigled into coming to the next
SFCoL meeting. In Church the SFCoL choir was
obviously out of practice and Ken Potter
reluctantly decided not to overwhelm everyone with
his bass profundo, though Victor’s son spent most
of the time tuning his voice. Outside the church
the photographer spent so long taking pictures
that the bride almost froze solid. After this
ordeal guests made their way to a nearby hotel
where the assembled multitude filed past the bride
and groom to offer condolences and/or
congratulations where appropriate. It was soon
obvious which were Joe’s friends as they filled the
spots at the bar. When everyone was well
lubricated the wedding breakfast was served.:
Champagne followed and Bill Temple began his
speech, “Unaccustomed as I am to speaking in
public......, however.....”. He said that he was
under orders not to say anything as when he opened
his mouth he put his foot in it. Disregarding
this, however, he sailed gaily on, naturally. He
said that Joe combined serveral of his own
interests. Bill had served with an Edinburgh
regiment, he liked Italy and hoped to go back
again and thirdly there was science fiction. He
liked selling science fiction and certainly he
likes Scotch (a fact most of us know). In fact, he
said, Joe is something like a combination of
Rabbie Burns, Michelangelo and William F. Temple.
When someone asked further about SF, Bill turned
to the SFCoL saying, “‘The Science Fiction Group
is over there..chained to the table, of course.”
In view of Joe’s job, the best congratulatory
telegram read, “May your future programme be well
calculated.” Joe made a short speech and then the
fans drifted back to the bar. Joe and Anne
circulated amongst the guests and Bruce Burn and
Ken Potter started an impromptu glee club, helped
at times by Fred Parker and Irene. (Ted Forsyth)
Ethel Lindsay adds that after the departure of
bride and groom for their secret honeymoon in
Golders Green, the majority of SFCoL members went
off to see The Day The Earth Caught Fire.
THE 62 EASTERCON. A statement was promised for
this issue of Skyrack, but unfortunately it is not
the statement I had hoped to make. A month ago, at
the time of the last issue, negotiations were
pending with what was quoted as being “an
excelIent North Western Hotel.” This was the
Kendal Hotel in Kendal, Westmorland, on the edge of
the Lake District. I had spent a day travelling up
to the city and looking over the hotel and at that
time only final terms had to be arranged. Sad to
relate, however, negotiations broke down
dramatically and suddenly. We are currently without
a convention site - a sad state of affairs, but
one which it is hoped will soon.be changed.
LAP OF HONOUR. Last issue we left our wandering
Orion Editrix on the last lap of her Stateside
tour, all ready to leave New York on 10th
November. Ella was eventually persuaded to extend
her stay for a further fortnight in order to
attend the Philcon (Philadelphia, 18/19 Nov) at
which gatherng she was looking forward to meeting
Harry Warner once again. The only others news to
hand about Ella’s return trip is that she sailed
from New York 24th Nov, on Cunard’s 'Sylvania’ and
that she should be back in the U.K. by the time
you read this.
THE AUCTION. The file of Lee Hoffman’s EXCELSIOR
went to Walter Breen for $3. The two issues of
PSYCHOTIC were taken by Darroll Pardoe for 8/-.
Dick Schultz paid 6/- for THE SELECTED WRITINGS
OF RICK SNEARY. The Three Tattooed Dragon booklets
went to Lenny Kaye for $2.50 per. And the 20
consecutive FAPA mailings are right now in the
process of being parcelled off to Dick Bergeron
who bid $40 on as bulky an auction lot as has ever
been sold in fandom. Bidding closes 1st Jan on the
remaining items, - half cash to Bennett and
half to the buyers favourite fannish charity. Lot
l2. Dick.Schultz has bid 10/- on the first
issue of Ray Bradbury’s FUTURIA FANTASIA. Lot 13
the aforementioned Richard Schultz has also bid on
the original TATTOOED DRAGON publication by Bill
Rotsler, to the tune of 14/-. John Foyster has bid
25/- for the 100 page anthology THE INCOMPLEAT
BURBEE. Lot 15. Vic Ryan is currently high with a
bid of $2 on DAG’s GRUE 29.
All fans except creditors are asked to note that 7
Southway has now ceased to exist as an alternative
address. My parents have moved and any mail sent to
Southway will possibly not be seen. Other news on
the Harrogate scene - my, how the joint is jumping
- is that since the last issue we have been
visited by two fans. Keith Freeman, now stationed
at nearby (sic) Dishforth, but at present on a
short leave, has dropped in for a couple of
stencil and flat-minding sessions and Phil Rogers
dropped Liz and me off after the Liverpool party,
staying long enough to try to convince us to buy a
caravan. I hope to see them again here soon, and
I’ll also take the opportunity of inviting any fan
to drop in; If you have your own bedding (li-lo
etc) or don’t mind trying the armchairs, you can
stay over any night. Er, no, despite the first
paragraph on this page, the Easter Con will not be
held at 13 West Cliffe Grove.....
IT HAS BEEN A BLANK MONTH on the British zinescene
but notable from the US have been CRY 154 (Box 92,
507 3rd Ave., Seattle 4, Washington) with lots of
interesting chitchat, PANIC BUTTON 6 (Les
Nirenberg, 1217 Weston Rd., Toronto 15, Ontario,
Canada) with some snide comments on the world in
which we live, and a very thick WARHOON 13 (Dick
Bergeron, 110 Bank St., New.York 14) with Walt
Willis’ Harp outstanding and well backed up by
Lowndes, Berry and Blish. From the home fringe
quarters comes another roaring SCRIBBLE from Colin
Freeman, Ward 3, Scotton Banks Hospital,
Knaresborough,Yorks., which is well worth a try
for 6d.
TAFF - somewhere around you’ll
probably notice a TAFF voting form. Use it now,
while you remember. It’s not too much trouble to
fill the form in and address an envelope, at the
same time marking on your shopping list a
reminder to buy a postal order. The TAFF treasury
is, as is well, known, in a fairly healthy state,
but the more votes (and cash) the better. The
present campaign between Ethel and Eddie looks
like being such a close one that EVERY VOTE WILL
COUNT. Use yours! Now!
STOP PRESS!! Wandering Ella Parker is back with
us. Ella docked early Saturday morning (2nd Dec)
in Liverpool and rushed over to Arnot Way to drag
the Shorrocks out of bed. She says that she had a
restful but near boring voyage across the Pond
home, that she wonders who arranged the bad spell
of weather for her, that everything looks small
and that she thinks our English policemen are
wonderful. She’ll be back at 151 Canterbury Rd.,
West Kilburn, NW 6 very shortly and the suspended
Friday meetings at the Penitentiary will be
starting up again 15th December. Any BSFA members
who live in London or who will be visiting will be
welcome to drop in then.
Congratulations are due to honorary Britfen Dave
& Ruth Kyle who have us produced a.near 9lb
matzoball in the shape of Arthur Chester Kyle III
--- From Ken Slater; Rushed reprint of the Aldiss
Penguin SF out tomorrow. Tolkein's, “The
Silmarillion”out by Allen & Unwin next autumn.
--- Melbourne SF Club has had to move – may be
contacted by writing Mervyn Binns, 90 Spring St.
Preston, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ---
London summary: Klaus Eylman spent a week in London
recently. Visited SFCol members and Alan
Dodd...Ian & Betty Peters held a well-attended
party Hallowe'en ...Don Geldart now back in
Britain..Arthur Clarke visited Globe 2nd Nov .::::
Fan gathering 4/5th Nov at Stourbridge where Dave
Hale and Ken Cheslin hosted Jhim Linwood, Archie
Mercer, Bruce Burn, Ajax and Al and Nell Rispin.
Thanks for the card, peoples. ::: Rolf Gindorf
was in London recently too. Attended the
above-mentioned Hallowe’en party. ::: Ted White’s
NULL-F 23 retracts all “crude remarks” he may have
at any time uttered in regard to Chris Moskowitz
thereby evidently saving New York fandom from
another lawsuit. Hey ho. :::: BUG EYE 9 in from
Hel Klemm, 16 Uhland Str., Utfort/Eick, (22a) Krs
Moers, Germany. :::: CoAs - Don Geldart, Sgts
Mess, 3rd Carabiniers, (POWDG), Aliwal Barracks,
Tidworth, Hants. --- Ivor Mayne, Anchorage Farm
Caravan Site, Bronllys, S. Wales. :::: HAVERINGS 8
in from Ethel Lindsay. :::: The Times of 18th Nov
reported the discovery of fossilised organic
matter in a meteorite, giving rise to another
life on other planets theory. |