Lakeland S.F. Organisation

The Lakeland S.F. Organisation (LSFO), later the London S.F. Organisation, was a UK sf club formed by Peter Campbell around June 1952.

Campbell lived in Windermere in the Lake District and created the 'primarily book-centred group' (Rob Hansen, Then) with members scattered throughout the UK keeping in touch by letter. Its 'chief attraction to most fans was its large lending library of SF, and the casual PAYL (Pay As You Like) system Campbell operated for its services' (Hansen again).

The first two issues of Orion were produced by the group in December 1953 and February 1954, after which the fanzine became independent. Campbell also issued a Circular of the Lakeland Science Fiction Organisation with two known issues numbered 5 and 6. There were presumably earlier issues numbered 1–4 and there may have been later ones too.

In May 1954 John B. Hall took over the running of the group from Campbell. Hall was also part of the Surrey Circle – he lived in Wimbledon in south-west London – and held the LSFO's library. Arthur Thomson, a recent recruit to the Surrey group, was visiting Hall when found some copies of Hyphen among the LSFO library holdings. He borrowed them, and contacted Walt Willis to subscribe.

Around spring of 1955, Hall decided that the 'L' is LSFO now stood for 'London'. He issued a circular announcing that the Organisation had four branches in Prestwich, Redditch, Edinburgh and the United States with its headquarters in Wimbledon.

---

Club

1952—????

This is a club page. Please extend it by adding information about when and where the club met, when and by whom it was founded, how long it was active, notable accomplishments, well-known members, clubzines, any conventions it ran, external links to the club's website, other club pages, etc. When there's a floreat (Fl.), this indicates the time or times for which we have found evidence that the club existed. This is probably not going to represent the club's full lifetime, so please update it if you can!