This is SKYRACK No. 12 dated 5th January 1960 and published by Ron Bennett, 7 Southway,Arthurs Avenue, HARROGATE, Yorkshire, England. 6d per copy, six issues for 2/6d. 35 cents for 6 issues in USA (65cents for 6 issues sent by air), subscriptions to Bob Pavlat, 6001-43rd Avenue, Hyattsville Md. News of fannish interest gratefully accepted. Cartoon by Atom. Contributors: Archie Mercer, Bob Madle.
FORD BY A LANDSLIDE
THE l959 TAFF CAMPAIGN closed at midnight, 31st December, with Ohio’s Don Ford being elected as America’s delegate to the 1960 London Convention by an overwhelming majority. The final figures were:
DON FORD 499, TERRY CARR 33l, BJO WELLS 288.
Don’s name has been a fannish byword for many years. A reader since 1930 who used to spend his high school lunch money to buy science fiction magazines, his extensive collection overflows the basement of his country home in Loveland, Ohio, where he, his wife Margaret and their family have lived for the past four years. In addition to having attended major conventions since 1948 (The Toronto Worldcon), Don has been primarily associated with the organisation of the popular and highly successful Midwestcons since their inception in 1950. He has twice raised money to help fans in Britain, and is also known to fans over here as having been an active member of OMPA since l955.
Don was one of the original administrators of TAFF and many consider that as he has been the only administrator not to have made the journey across the Atlantic, his forthcoming visit to London is long overdue. Fans who have had the advantage of his hospitality know him to be a generous and gracious host and an interesting conversationalist who possesses a wealth of fannish anecdotes. Congratulations, Don.
THE DIRECTORY OF l959 SCIENCE FICTION FANDOM (Ron Bennett, 7 Southway, Arthurs Avenue, Harrogate,Yorkshire - or Bob Pavlat, 6001-43rd Avenue, Hyattsville, Maryland, USA; 16pp; 1/9d or 25cents). This is the fifth annual listing and contains the up to date whereabouts of over 500 fans the world over, listing addresses, telephone numbers, and tape recorder speeds available. The cover features an excellent Atom illustration, and interior artists are Atom, Don Allen, Vince Clarke, Terry Jeeves, Archie Mercer, Bill Rotsler and Bjo Wells. The Directory will be included in the 90th FAPA mailing (February 1960) and. will be issued free to any member of OMPA who requests a copy,while supplies last.
ARCHIE MERCER reports on the party held on 19th December at the London home of BSFA Secretary, Sandra Hall. “Total attendance was somewhere in the twenties, drawn from fandom and folk- fandom, including Sandra and Mike Moorcock, Tikki Hall, complete sets of Bulmers and Buckmasters, Ted Tubb, Ella Parker, Tony Klein, Pete Taylor, Alistair Graham (from Gloucestershire for the occasion), Barry Bayley (from Shropshire or somewhere equally impossible - ditto) , John Wisdom (the John Wisdom) ,Frank Herbert, Mervyn Ross, Ann, Tom, Barbara, and another Tony (Ann and Marion may possibly be Anne and Marian/ne, etc). A fine fannish and/or folkish time was had by all, to the accompaniment of about four guitars, a banjo, a small mandolin, a balalaika, two mouth organs, a kazoo, a musical box and. a record player (NOT all at once, though). Fancy dress was worn for part of the evening, in the course of which an impromptu ceremony was held to proclaim the existence of Sir Lonfan (Or possibly St. Lonfan). Survivors finished the night sleeping on couches and the floor in the living room. Wish you were there.” Yes, it sounds quite a party. The next similar event lined up is the Liverpool New Year party at Higher Bebington, 9th January. Harrogate fandom hopes to be there in force.
MAKE A NOTE IN THAT BRAND NEW DIARY. Good Friday 15th April to Easter Monday 18th April. Event - The London Convention organised by the BSFA. The Place - The Dominion Hotel, Lancaster Gate, London W.2. Bed and Breakfast is 35/-, with reductions for juniors who are willing to share rooms. Bookings should be made directly to the hotel manager, and not to BSFA Secretary, Sandra Hall. The Convention fee will be inclusive for the weekend and has been set at 15/.- (10/- for BSFA members, with reductions for juniors). Deposits on Convention fees may be paid to Archie Mercer, 434/4 Newark Rd., North Hykeham, Lincoln. Guests of honour at the Convention will be Nova Editor, Ted Carnell and TAFF delegate, Don Ford. Suggested programme outline is as follows: Friday - general renewal of fannish acquaintances. Saturday - “light” items, such as twenty questions, cover guessing competitions, etc., with the possibility of an informal banquet in the evening, followed by a dance. Sunday – BSFA AGM late morning, with the afternoon devoted to more serious items (in contrast to the light items of Saturday, and NOT to the AGM!), with films in the evening. Suggestions from groups willing to fill in the blanks of this outline should be sent to Sandra (41 North End House, Fitz-James Avenue, London W 14) How about you, hmmm?
TAFF – AN ANALYSIS
The votes received wre split up between the two Administrators as follows –
FORD CARR WELLS
Received by Bob Madle
399
235
198
Received by Ron Bennett
100
96
90
499
331
288
It will be seen from this that Don Ford Led on both sides of the Atlantic. Though his majority in Britain was a slim one from the time the first vote arrived in Harrogate, he never lost the lead. Returns taken at the first of each month show the following:
1st March 5 voted Ford 13 Wells 8 Carr 5. 1st April 18’voted Ford 39 Wells 34 Carr 28. 1st May 22 voted Ford 48 Wells 35 Carr 30. 1st June 26 voted Ford 52 Wells 45 Carr 34. 1st July 55 voted Ford Wells 46 Carr 40. let August 33 voted Ford 64 Wells 58 Carr 48. let Septeiner 38 voted Ford 74 Wells 62 Carr 55. let October 44 voted Ford 89 Wells 7l Carr 64. let November 47 voted ord 92 Wells 80 Carr 67. lst December 50 voted Ford 99 Wells 83 Carr 72.
These figures are naturally only for Britain. The American figures are not yet to hand (We may have a slick organisation working here, thanks to Western Union, but there are limits!). It was only during the last week of voting that Bjo Wells lost 2nd place in Britain to Terry Carr. In America, Terry Carr took an early lead which he held until April. Don Ford was trailing third but caught up to take the lead. Terry and Bjo interchanged places more than once and at one time were level pegging. All this merely goes to show that the Administrators are as much in the dark as anyone while the voting is taking place.
In Britain, the votes for each candidate were split up as follows:
1st
2nd
3rd
Total
Don Ford
22
10
14
100
Terry Carr
21
10
13
96
Bjo Wells
15
18
9
90
Several fans voting did not make use of all three spaces. There was one write-in vote giving BOB PAVLAT 3 points. Those who returned voting papers to Ron Bennett were:Frank Arnold, Norman Ashfield, Mal Ashworth, Mervyn Barrett, Ron Bennett, Eric Bentcliffe, Pamela Bulmer, Ted Carnell, Jim Cawthorne, John Challoner, George Charters, Dave Cohen, Karl Dollner, Charlie Duncombe, DR Fawcett, Keith Freeman, James Groves, Barry Hall, Sandra Hall ,Terry Jeeves, Eddie Jones, Eric Jones, Brian Jordan, Jean and Annie Linard, Ethel Lindsay, Jim Linwood, George Locke, Jim McArthur, Ian R.McAulay, Ken McIntyre, Archie Mercer, Mike Moorcock, Ray Nelson, Derek Oldham, Ella Parker, Ken and Irene Potter, Bob Richardson, Alan Rispin, Phil Rogers, John Roles, Michael Rosenblum, Sandy Sandfield, Frank Simpson, Peter Singleton, Ken Slater, Phil Sless, Pete Taylor, Arthur Thomson, Ted Tubb, Norman Weedall, Dr.Arthur Weir, Peter West, James White, Roberta Wild, Walt and Madeleine Willis, Martine and Pierre Versins.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO TAFF were as follows: TAFF Auction at Birmingham Convention £4-6-1d. TAFF Raffle at Birmingham Convention £1-14-0d. TAFF Auction at London Circle Symposium £1-8-6d. Ivor Mayne 30/-, George Locke £1, Michael Rosenblum £1,Archie Mercer 17/6d, Dcrek Oldham 17/6d, Ray Nelson 13/9d, Anon 10/-, Pamela Bulmer 10/-, Gregg Calkins 10/-, Karl Dollner 10/-Inchmery Fandom 10/-, Eric Jones 10/-, John Challoner 7/6d. Norman Ashfield 7/2d, “Shaggy” 7/2d, Linards 6/7d each.
Mal Ashworth, Eric Bentcliffe, Jim Cawthorne, Dave Cohen, Barry Hall, Chuck Harris, John Hautz, Terry Jeeves, Brian Jordan, LA. 56 Fandom, Ethel Lindsay, Ian R.McAulay, Ken McIntyre, Mike Moorcock, Bob Richardson, Alan Rispin, Sandy Sandfield, Science Fiction Club of London, Peter Singleton, Pierre and Martine Versins - 5/- each.
Arthur Thomson 4/6d, Mervyn Barrett 4/-, Ken and Irene Potter 4/- each, Dr. Arthur Weir 3/9d, Sid Birchby 3/-, Jim Groves 3/.-, John Roles 3/-, Norman Weedall 3/-, “Legion of the Forgotten” 2/10, Ken Slater 2/9d.
Frank Arnold, Ron Bennett, Alan Burns,Ted Carnell, George Charters, Charlie Duncombe, D.R.Fawcett, Keith Freeman, Ron Hall, Sandra Hall, Eddie Jones, Jim Linwood, Jim McArthur, Ella Parker, Phil Rogers, Frank Simpson, Phil Sless, Pete Taylor, Ted Tubb, Peter West, James White, Bobbie Wild, Madeleine Willis, Walt Willis - 2/6d each.
Bruce Pelz 2/-. Boyd Raeburn 1/10d. MOKA feed fund 1/-
These contributions add up to £28-7-2d, which when added to the balance of £17-10s from the 1958 Fund, totals £45-17-2d. In addition Sid Birchby contributed a dime and Dick Schultz contributed the first dollar to the “PittCon Push.” Many thanks indeed to all those generous fans who did contribute to this worthy cause,and that includes contributions of auction and raffle material.
THE TAFF ADMINISTRATORS invite nominations for candidates to attend the Pittsburgh WorldCon in September. Nominations should be sent to Ron Bennett or Bob Madle (672 Ripley St., Brookville,Alexandria,Va.) to arrive before midnight 15th January. Nominations must by signed by 5 wellknown fans (3 from Britain, 2 N.America). Must be accompanied by 35/-, and election platform of 100 words. It now seems certain that Eric Bentcliffe and Mal Ashworth will stand. More? # Coming free with this SKYRACK (The 2nd in 3 days!) is mi , a flyer from Eric Bentcliffe # Liverpool party 9th Jan # Back issues available.