Keele University SF Society
A UK university club.
Taken from Rob Hansen's excellent Then:
Towards the end of the 1976 Autumn term, students Phil Wain and Dave Penn founded the Keele University SF Society. Previously known in fandom mainly for being Peter Roberts’s old alma mater, Keele University was to produce a number of fans in the coming years who would go on to be active in fandom nationally and to be the venue for some memorable conventions in the early 1980s. KUSFS would grow steadily over the next few years, its membership reaching 60 in mid-1978, but would meet irregularly, its members only gathering when special lectures or film shows could be arranged.
In May 1978, Keele University SF Society published the first issue of Scope, their official organ, which was to be published once a term.
UNICON 80 was held at Keele University over the weekend of 4th - 7th July 1980 with Harry Harrison as GoH, Keele graduate Peter Roberts as FGoH, Dave de Leuw as Artist GoH, Ashley Walker as Artist FGoH, and Bob Shaw as 'Special Guest'. John Fairey was Chairman. The main and alternative programmes included items such as Ken Slater on 'The Golden Age of SF', Harry Harrison and Bob Shaw interviewing/insulting each other, Alan Dorey on 'Getting Into Fandom', Peter Roberts comparing types of fanzines to kinds of animals, a 'Mastermind' quiz, etc. Bob Shaw was Toastmaster at a banquet whose goodies included the famous wines bottled especially for Keele University in Germany. The con was judged a great success and was to be the first in a trio of UNICONs to be held at Keele by the university's energetic SF group whose most active members then included founder Phil Wain, Chris Hughes, Jan Huxley, Colin Hand, Chrissie Pearson, John Wilkes, and Paul Davies.
| Club | 1976—1980s |
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