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THE LONCON PROGRAMME BOOKLET
The Loncon Programme Book is 52 pages long (inc. covers). The vast majority of
those pages are ads, which have not been included here. What follows is just the
editorial material.
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C o m m i t t e e
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President
Chairman
Secretary
Treasurer
British Publicity
Overseas Publicity
Programme Committee
Film Liaison
Publicity Liaison
Fred Brown
Dave Cohen
Philip Duerr
Ewan Hedger
Terry Jeeves
Eric Jones
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John Wyndham
John Carnell
Roberta Wild
Charles Duncombe
Joy Clarke
Vincent Clarke
Pamela Bulmer
Ken Bulmer
Dave Newman
Norman Shorrock
Peter West
John Brunner
Ethel Lindsay
Nigel Lindsay
John Roles
Arthur Sellings
Ken F. Slater
Walter A. Willis
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Journal design and make-up: Harry Turner
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Secretarial Address:
Treasurer's Address:
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204 Wellmeadow Road, Catford, London S.E.6, England
82 Albert Square, Stratford, London E,15, England
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ON BEHALF OF THE PRESIDENT AND THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE
lot me welcome you to what will be, I hope, the most
outstanding World Science Fiction Convention yet
held - and if you are one of the unfortunate members
who will only be with us in spirit, thank you for
your interest and support and may this souvenir
booklet be some slight recompense for your absence.
To those of you who will be attending in person we
know that you will have a good time - our only request
is our full co-operation whenever it is required.
There in a central control room from which the entire
proceedings both formal and informal will be governed:
your prompt response to announcements will be gratefully
appreciated. Information on anything may be
obtained from the Committee members wearing the special
badge, or if they do not know the answer they will
find out for you.
Finally, I feel sure that you will wish me to thank
the Committee on your behalf for the endless hours of
arduous work they have put in to make this Convention
possible. In particular I would commend your thanks
to Secretary Roberta Wild for her exceptional ability
in co-ordinating details, and her patience with endless
correspondence; Dave Newman and Norman Shorrock
together with their Programme Committee for months of
planning, tape recordings, filming, and co-ordination
of all electronic equipment; Joy and Vincent Clarke
for British Publicity and the vast amount of work
they have done on other items; Pam and Ken Bulmer for
Overseas Publicity and in particular overseas
advertising obtained for this Programme Booklet: Peter
West for invaluable assistance on film equipment and
lighting; John Brunner for his enthusiasm as general
leg-man on Publicity Liaison with the press and film
companies; Charles Duncombe as Treasurer and 'Sandy'
Sanderson, who as Cost Accountant, has kept us out of
the 'red'; Harry Turner for layout and design of the
Journals and Programs; and all the remainder of the
London and provincial Committee members who will be
working throughout the Convention to ensure your
pleasure.
They will be more than rewarded if you thoroughly
enjoy yourselves.
- Ted Carnell
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EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE the publishing
world finds itself containing an
editor of stature visibly above the
average. The reason is always the
same: the big feller is a natural.
Not merely a natural-born editor but
also one who fits his particular
publication as a hand fits a glove.
The effect is to create an era long
remembered by afficionados.
Thus we had a period when new standards
of reportage were set up by
C,P. Scott as editor of the Manchester
Guardian. The small-town newspaper
hit its high-note and became
an international voice when William
Allen White editorialized in Emporia
Gazette. Sophisticated humour reached
its polished peak during Harold
Ross' editorship of the New Yorker.
No detective-story magazine before
or since quite climbed the heights
reached by Black Mask in the thirties
when Joe Shaw was the genius at the
helm.
Whether he know it or not and
whether he likes it or not, John
Campbell has long filled the role of
science-fiction's big feller to such
effect that when we've degenerated
into a bunch of toothless dodderers
many of us will still be thinking
wistfully of the 'Campbell era'.
Ah-h-h, those were the days
I've never bothered to ask exactly
how John became an editor in the
first place. But I like to think
that he just happened to walk in and,
with great business acumen, Mr.
Street pinned him
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against the wall
while Mr. Smith locked the door and
flung the key out of the window.
However it occurred, it was a mighty
smart move on their part and most
obviously one they have found no
cause to regret.them.
What makes a person outstanding is a
happy combination of exceptional
ability and good fortune. He must be
the right man in the right place at
the right time. An individual creates
his qualifications by his own efforts,
he has a limited choice of
place, but no control over time.
If right out of luck he can arrive a
hundred years too early or fifty
years too late.them.
John Campbell was there, complete
with all the necessary abilities, at
the very time whan science-fiction
needed someone who really knew his
job - thus proving the old adage
that the moment produces the man.
The growth that has since taken
place in the field is due 1n part to
the impact of world events, in part
to individual effort, of which John
Campbell's share is too formidable
to estimate.
What makes him what he is? A number
of things. A persistent reader of
science-fiction from the earliest
days, he is sympathetic toward the
buyer, tries to provide what is
wanted without intruding upon the
policies of fellow editors. A top-
flight author in his own right, he
sees the problems of his writers and
is peculiarly competent to work with
them. What a pity that he gave up
writing,
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say some - and then go on
to read his current editorial before
turning to the stories.
A considerable scientific background
enables him to sort out the permissable
from the unforgivable and thus
avoid the everlasting trap into
which authers and other editors fall
with resounding thumps and dismal
regularity. This background is such
that but for the grace of God and
the perspicacity of Mr. Street and
Mr. Smith, the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology might have shoved
him into editorship of Nuclear
Science instead of Astounding Science
Fiction, a danger that has loomed
much nearer than readers wot.
Above all he is a chronic and
incurable nosey-parker. He likes to
speculate about human problems, pick
them to pieces and put them together
again. An irresistible bait at which
he will invariably snap is to offer
him a personal problem and tell him
it cannot be solved. After
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that, dive
for cover. He will chivvy the problem,
and you, until he has found at
least one workable solution or,
better still, six. He will deny this,
but it is true: given six equally
workable solutions he will prefer
the one that is slightly whacky.
Since science-fiction is entirely a
speculetive, thought-provoking form
of literature, one can see the natural
advantage enjoyed by an editorial
mentality that has the persistent
fidgets and must pry into everything.
It amused me to hear an old-timer
announce that science-fiction has
lost its sense of wonder. This at a
time when the leading editor in the
field was wondering right, left and
centre and kicking everyone else
into wondering with him!
John's investigatory instinct is
accompanied by a tolerance greater
than that exhibited by most of us.
He reserves judgment until he has
got to the bottom of the matter. The
pseudo-science of dianatics provided
a typical instance.
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I read the book,
rejected the whole thesis on the
strength of one reading. So did
others. We damned it by personal
taste and inclination, nothing more.
That wasn't enough for John. He
sifted it thoroughly, got out of it
what little was worth getting, slung
the rest into the lake. Today, all I
can say about the subject is that I
shied away from it like a frightened
horse. But he can say precisely what
is wrong with it and why. He is the
sort of man who would spend six
months in a monastery before
criticising the Buddhist faith, thinking
it a cheap price to pay for knowing
what he is talking about.
Overwhelmed by his editorials and by
the academic discussion, in his
letter-column, some young readers
think of John Campbell as a serious-
minded, ponderous and unsmiling
individual, a sort of grim-faced egg-
head, That's their mistake. He has a
puckish humour, loves to take people
by surprise and has a tendency to
jerk away the conversational carpet.
Characteristic of him was that incident
where a reader gently pulled
his leg by reviewing an imaginary
future issue of Astounding Science
Fiction. Printing the letter without
comment, he bided his time, produced
an issue to match the review and
mailed a special complimentary copy
to the more than dumbfounded
reviewer.
His sense of humour and his good
business instinct combined to bring
about a state of affairs for which he
will never be forgiven. In January
1939 he produced a genuinely unique
magazine called Unknown Worlds in which
anything was permissible and forgivable
provided that it was genuinely
entertaining. It became a war casualty.
Despite twelve years of piteous
appeals from the readership he has
never revived it. That cold-blooded
and heartless refusal is the one
serious flaw in his editorial character,
a dirty, rotten, lousy trick
that . . . . pardon, I'm forgetting
myself.
To go back to remembering myself, an
outstanding characteristic of John
Campbell is that he is kind. On my
first contact with him nearly twenty
years ago, across three thousand
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miles, as strangers and foreigners
to each other, he assisted me solely
because it was his nature to do so.
Ever since then he has helped me
repeatedly, above and beyond the
call of duty. I have been able to
repay him only with loyalty, hoping
he would think that enough. My case
is not an isolated one. He has given
a helping hand to many others,
advising, encouraging, almost nursing
young authors into the field. Many a
mature writer well-established in
some market other than Astounding
owes his start to John Campbell.
I was asked, no, I was told to write
this piece and now I'm nearing the
end it looks pretty futile. Street &
Smith, the oldeet magazine publishers
in America, switched from pulps to
slicks but retained Astounding
Science Fiction as the sole survivor
of a once-imposing chain of magazines.
Since then Astounding has continued
without a break, backed by a large
following of regular readers. It is
self-evident that John has the full
support of hie bosses, the equal
support of his customers. Nothing
that one of his writers can say
is equal to that kind of appreciation,
the kind that really means something
to an editor.
For reasons of national prestige -
or, in plain language, tribal pride -
it must have been tempting to nominate
a Britisher as Guest of Honour
at a world convention held in London
and I'm sure that John would have
been happier had this been done. It
seems to me a very fine thing that
such a petty consideration was swept
aside the moment it was known he was
coming. He is the natural choice. I
hope he has a wonderful time and
that nobody bawls him out on account
of Unknown Worlds.
In given and very special circumstances
John Campbell can become the
victim of his own delusions just
like any other human being. I'd make
a large bet that he is suffering from
one right now. He thinks we are
honouring him by having him as Top Guest.
Not so!
He is honouring us.
- Eric Frank Russell
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1957 Convention Rules
G E N E R A L
a) The formal sessions of the 15th World Science Fiction Convention will be
conducted in accordance with such Rules of procedure as shall be deemed
acceptable to the Directors of the World Science Fiction Society, Inc.,
several of whom will be present in London.
b) The General Committee will be responsible for the administrative work of
the Convention throughout the 4-day session and the Programme Committee
will be responsible for all programming, programs items and delegates
concerned with the programs. A central control room will be used, connected
to the hotel P.A. system, which will be under the jurisdiction of the
Programme Committee, for the co-ordination of administration and programming.
c) All bids for the 1958 Convention site must be submitted in writing to
the Convention Secretary, Miss Roberta Wild, on or before 10.00 a.m.
Monday, September 9th. Each bid must contain the name of the proposed site,
a list of names of the proposed officers and members of the Convention
Committee, and the name of the group bidding.
d) In the event of more than one bid, nominating speeches shall be allowed
a maximum time of ten minutes for each group placing a bid. Bids shall
be placed in the name of the proposed Convention site.
e) Seconding speeches for each group shall be limited to three with a maximum
total time of ten minutes.
f) Voting procedure to select the next Convention site will be by ballot,
except in the event that only one bid to received when a majority vote
of the Active Membership present and voting on the question will constitute
the election of the Convention site and the Convention Committee.
g) Should two ballots be required to elect the next Convention site, only
the top bids which together receive the majority votes shall be placed
on the second ballot.
E L E C T I O N S
a) The offices for which elections are to be held at the business Session
are: two Directors of the World Science Fiction Society, Inc. to serve a
term of three years. The election for each office will be by ballot.
N O M I N A T I O N S
a) Nominations for the elections which shall be held at the Business Session
on Monday morning must be submitted in writing on or before mid-day
Monday, September 9th to the Convention Secretary. Each nomination must be
signed by the nominator and the nominee.
b) Any qualified Active Member of the World Science Fiction Society, Inc.,
may be nominated.
c) In the event of a tie-vote between nominees a re-vote will be taken.
O T H E R * B U S I N E S S
a) In the event of any Active Member wishing to put forward resolutions or
Amendments to the By-laws or any further business to be considered at
the Business Session such resolutions or amendments must be tendered in
writing to the Convention Secretary no later than 10.00 a.m. on Monday,
September 9th.
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1. The following rules pertain to the
Tea Drinking Contest to be held at
the 15th World Science Fiction
Convention on Sunday, 8th September 1957,
and hereinafter called the "Contest".
2, The Contest shall be open to members
of the above mentioned Convention
only.
3. The object of the Contest in to
retain internally the maximum quantity
of tea, subject to Rules 8, 9 & 10
below.
4. The prepared beverage shall be of
a brand or make selected by the Judges
and shall be prepared in a manner
accepteble to them.
5. The tea shall be served at a
temperature of 75 degrees Centigrade
plus or minus 5 degrees.
6. The tea shall be consumed from
standard measures which will be
selected by the Official measurers from
crockery in normal use at the Convention
Hotel. These measures will be
of "breakfast cup" size (approx. one
third Imperial Pint or six and two
thirds fluid ounces).
7. Each contestant will be supplied
with six standard measures of tea at
the start of the Contest. When these
have been consumed it will then
become the responsibility of each
contestant to call for further supplies
ae required. After the first six
measures are disposed of, tea will
only be supplied to each individual
contestant in single measures.
8. No limit shall be imposed upon the
duration of the Contest, but any
contestant failing to consume 10 standard
measures in the first hour of the
contest shall be disqualified.
9. The winner of the Contest shall be
that contestant who consumes the
greatest quantity of tea before
quitting the contest table.
10. In the event of a tie, elapsed
time shall be taken into account.
11. Any tea spilled, wasted or otherwise
called-for and not consumed by
any contestant shall not count towards
that contestant's score. The estimation
of such quantities shall be at the
sole discretion of the Judges.
12. Each standard measure shall be
filled to within 1/4" of the brim. The
whole of the contents of each measure
shall be consumed and the tea will be
poured through strainers to ensure
that the measures include no
objectionable dregs.
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13. Sugar will be provided at the
contest table and may be added to the
tea by the contestants to suit indivual
tastes.
14. The organisers of the Contest will
provide tea without milk and tea
ready-milked at the standard temperature
and all contestants will be required to
indicate their preferences prior to the
commencement of the Contest
in order that adequate quantities
of each may be made available.
15. The addition to the tea of any
matter other than the sugar provided
at the contest table is expressly
forbidden. This particularly applies
to salt or any form of alcoholic
beverage. Any effort to cool the tea by
means other than blowing with the
mouth or fanning with hat or handkerchief
is forbidden.
16. For the duration of the Contest
no contestant may consume any form of
nourishment other than that which
forms the subject of the Contest. For
the purposes of these Rules chewing-
gum and similar items are regarded as
nourishment. Smoking shall be permitted.
17. Any diversionary tactics on the
part of a contestant or his adherents
other than heckling shall, at the
discretion of the Judges, result in the
disqualification of that contestant.
This particularly applies to actions
of a physical nature such as spillage
of an opponent's tea or attempts to
remove the contest table to a location
other than that laid down by the
organisers. Talking of a conversational
nature and reasonable verbel
encouragement by spectators shall be
permitted.
18. Any appeals, protests, disputes
or complaints from contestants shall
be addressed to the Judges who shall
settle such matters by reference to
the Rules. The interpretation of
the Rules shall be solely at the
Judges' discretion, and in the
eventuality of a situation arising which
is not already covered by the Rules
the matter shall be settled by majority
decision among the Judges.
19. The Judges, Scrutineers, and
Offficial Measurers shall be appointed
by the Convention Programme Committee
and at least one member of that
Committee shall be present upon the
panel of Judges.
20. In all matters concerning the
Contest the decision of the Judges
will be final.
21. Any entry for the Contest shall
be deemed an acknowledgement and
acceptance of these Rules.
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407 N. Pinner
408 Robert G. Gardner
409 Patrick Chamberlain
410 Ralph M. Holland
411 Alan Bale
412 Jack Harbold
413 Alan J. Lewis
414 F.R. Smith
415 Mrs Patricia Platt
416 G.R. Meyer
417 Nicholas Solnstseff
418 Mrs. J. Joyce
419 Keith Thiselton
420 K.Sterling Macoboy
421 Warren Somerville
422 Alvar Apneltoft
423 R.J. Tilley
424 Mrs. R.J. Tilley
425 Doris M. Weldon
426 Anders Petersen
427 Mervyn R. Binns
428 Marjorie Keller
429 Robert Colbert
430 L.F. Childs
431 Daniel MacPhail
432 Melvin B. Hipwell
433 Eleanor S. Walker
434 M. Kingsley
435 J.H. Bristow
436 Carl L. Barber
437 Al King
438 R. Roger Pierce
439 Howard Neuberger
440 May Middleton
441 Eva Lusk
442 Arlene Donovan
443 Ben Keifer
494 Stan Skirvin
445 Joan Skirvin
446 Arthur C. Kyle
447 Constance Kyle
448 Kenneth T. Pearlman
449 John Borchert
450 Randy Warman
451 Madeleine Willis
452 George Charters
453 Brian Lewis
454 Paul Enever
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England
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U.S.A.
England
U.S.A
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England
Australia
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Sweden
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Canada
Australia
England
U.S.A
England
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England
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N.Ireland
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England
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455 K. Martin Carlson
456 Jim Caughran
457 Don Ford
458 P.B. Wring
459 Greg Benford
460 Jim Benford
461 Jerome Mendel
462 Graham Kingsley
463 James Lawrence
464 Dale Hart
465 Leslie Flood
466 E.F. Denby
467 B. Avient
468 Rainer Eisfeld
469 Peter Taylor
470 Michael Gates
471 Philippa Boland
472 William M. Noe II
473 James Cooper Jr
474 Donald Miller
475 Doreen Lewthwaite
476 K.W. Tolman
477 Graham Bishop
478 Dr.med.E. Disselhoff
479 Frau H. Dieselhoff
480 Miss Leslie Minards
481 Wm. E.H. Price
Amendment:
Member No. 46 Ruth Landis
Now to read Ruth Kyle
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U.S.A.
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England
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Germany
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Germany
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