BRITAIN IN 87!
WORLDCON U.K. BIDDING NEWSLETTER NUMBER ONE
APRIL 1984
If you've already met and been revolted by the fangs of our British Bulldog, you know what this is all about – turn over to check that you've signed up. If instead you're vaguely wondering whether it's a picture of Hugo Gernsback, read on.
The time has come for the World SF Convention to return to Britain. Once each decade is about right, and past British Worldcons have taken place in 1957 (London), 1965 (London) and 1979 (Brighton). The hour approaches! And 1987, as we keep remarking at tedious length, is a Significant Anniversary. Not only is it thirty years after the first British Worldcon, it's fifty years from the first organized SF convention ever – Leeds in 1937 when men were men and cons happened in Theosophical Halls with no bar. Attendance then was eleven, including Eric Frank Russell and Arthur C. Clarke – who supports us, as do Brian Aldiss, Isaac Asimov, Kenneth Bulmer, Ramsey Campbell, Richard Cowper, Chris Evans, Harry Harrison, Garry Kilworth, Anne McCaffrey, Peter Nicholls, Chris Priest, Lisa Tuttle, Ian Watson, James White, Jack Williamson, Gene Wolfe and many, many more.
Worldcons these days are huge events – there were 6,400 people at last year's in Baltimore. Happily, Britain is well prepared to run one. We have large reserves of fans who learnt their job running Seacon '79, and many more accustomed to play their part in the national Eastercons which are now hitting near-Worldcon size with Seacon (no relation) '84. That's the advantage of a cosy little country like Britain: it's small enough that major events can draw on the whole nation's resources rather than one local fan-group's.
How do we acquire a Worldcon for our very own? The 1987 venue will be chosen by polling members of the 43rd Worldcon, 1985 – Aussiecon II in Melbourne. Our wonderful British bid faces hefty opposition from two US bids. We need to campaign, advertise, cajole, and generally persuade all and sundry of our superior wonderfulness. Then comes the vote. To do the decent thing and lend us your support, you can: –
(1) Spread the word and send money! Campaigning is expensive. A mere £l gives you presupporting membership (and counts against your membership fee when we win). Larger donations, brilliant ideas and valuables for auction are perpetually welcome.
(2) Real fanatics can enlist as Aussiecon II supporters and take part in the vote. Their main address is in Australia (funny, that): GPO Box 2253U, Melbourne 3001. Or UK agent Joseph Nicholas will take your membership – 22 Denbigh St, Pimlico, London, SW1V 2ER. The £17.50 sterling (supporting – until July) brings you all manner of goodies.
And who are 'we'? The steering committee features Malcolm Edwards in the chair (Gollancz SF editor, Seacon '79 concom), Chris Atkinson (award- and poll-winning fanwriter), Dave Langford (TAFF winner, 8 Hugo nominations), Colin Fine (Seacon '84 concom), Hugh Mascetti (Oxcon chair) and Martin Tudor (Novacon veteran). Further vainglory from these and members of the larger committee being recruited will appear in future issues. Meanwhile, don't forget our address (ex-UK agents overleaf) and do please send a donation.
BRITAIN IN 87, 28 DUCKETT ROAD, LONDON, N4 1BN, GREAT BRITAIN
BRITAIN IN 87 OVERSEAS AGENTS
Australia: Roger Weddall, 79 Bell Street, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065. (Presupporting: $2A.)
France: Jean-Daniel Brèque, Résidence Britannia 2, Ent.E, Apt.70, 141 rue des Douvres, 59240 DUNKERQUE. (To be confirmed.)
Netherlands: Roelof Goudriaan, Postbus 1189, 8200 BD Lelystad.
Sweden: Ahrvid Engholm, Maskinistgatan 9 ö.b., S-117 47 STOCKHOLM.
U.S.A: Marty Cantor, 11565 Archwood Street, North Hollywood, CA 91606-1703. ($2 US)
Gary Farber (new address), 420 Vine Street #108, Seattle, WA 98121.
Also: You can rush £1 via credit transfer to National Girobank account 24 475 4403, or hand £1 sterling (or $2, or the equivalent of £1.50 in local currency) to one of our roving volunteers such as Bryan Barrett (PO Box 6202, Hayward, CA 94540, USA), Jan Howard Finder (PO Box 428, Latham, NY 12110, USA), Pascal Thomas (PO Box 351293, Los Angeles, CA 90035, USA) – or any Britain in '87 committee member!
PRESUPPORTING MEMBERS
|
Gene Wolfe |
Ashley Watkins |
Graham Middleton |
Marc Corthouts |
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