London Minicon
The London Minicon was a one-day convention held in November 1967 in a small hall at the base of William Dunbar House in West Kilburn, London, the building where Ella Parker had a flat. It was organised by the Science Fiction Club of London (SFCoL). Oddly, we don't know for sure when it happened. The programme is undated and the single known convention report, by Jean Muggoch in London Newsletter #5 (November 1967), doesn't give a date either
The guest of honour was Ted Carnell and the programme listed a 'mystery guest' who turned out to be Earl Kemp. The programme ran from 10am and included:
- 'How and When the BSFA Began' by Ella Parker and Doreen Parker
- 'Divided We Stand,Provided We Prop Each Other Up' by John Brunner
- Guest of honour presentation by Ted Carnell
- 'Why Flying Saucers?' panel featuring Gerry Webb, Jim Linwood, Norman Sherlock and Dicky Howett
- 'On Being a Filthy Huckster' by George Locke
- Mystery item by Our Mystery Guest (Earl Kemp)
It's unknown how many people attended but Rob Hansen has identified the following from photos or the Jean Muggoch report:
- Merv Barrett
- John Brunner
- Ted Carnell
- Arthur Cruttenden
- Diane Ellingsworth
- George Hay
- Dicky Howett
- Langdon Jones
- Pauline Jones
- Earl Kemp
- Ethel Lindsay
- Jim Linwood
- George Locke
- Ken McIntyre
- Michael Moorcock
- Jean Muggoch
- Ella Parker
- Chris Priest
- Arthur Sellings
- Norman Sherlock
- Arthur Thomson
- Ted Tubb
- Gerry Webb
Muggoch considered it:
All in all, an extremely good Con. The catering was efficient and the people who served the food and coffee were both pleasant and fast. We are lucky in London to have so many of the professionals who are willing to come along to a function of this kind for this, I feel, was the keynote of the success of this Minicon.
A follow-up would be announced in the London Newsletter #9 (May 1968)
Links
- The 1967 London Minicon at fiawol.org.uk
- Minicon Programme at fiawol.org.uk
- Report by Jean Muggoch in London Newsletter #5
first | London Minicon | London Minicon 2 |
1967 |
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