SKYRACK Number 55, dated 20th June 1963 and published by Ron Bennett, 13 West Cliffe Grove, Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. 6d per copy, 2/6d. for 6 issues. 35 cents for 6 issues in USA (70cents for 6 issues sent airmail) where subscriptions should be sent to Bob Pavlat, 6001-43rd. Avenue, Hyattsville, Md. Cartoon and heading by Arthur “Atom” Thomson.  Contributions by Jill Adams, Jhim Linwood, Keith Freeman, Colin Freeman, Ethel Lindsay, Tom Schluck, Burkhard Bluem, Ian McAulay, Chuck Wells, Charles E Smith, Axe, E.F.Times and Starspinkle. Contributions always welcomed with open arms.

NOTE THAT BECAUSE OF POSTAGE INCREASES IT HAS BEEN NECESSARY TO RAISE THE PRICE OF AIRMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS ABROAD TO 70 CENTS OR 5/- STERLING. Existing subscriptions will naturally be honoured at the old rate.

FIRST FAN POLL

THE FIRST ANNUAL FAN POLL results have just been published by Pollster Charles Wells, 200 Atlas No. 1, Durham, North Carolina, USA, from whom additional copies are available on request. Briefly, the main places in the ballots were as follows:,

BEST SINGLE PUBLICATION. 1. A Sense of FAPA (Eney) 74pts. 2. A Remembrance of Things Past VIII (Enoy) 21. 3. Xero 9 (Lupoff) 20. The Atom Anthology rated 5 points, Parker’s Peregrinations 4 points, The Harrogate Convention Booklet 2 points.

BEST FANZINE: 1 Warhoon (Bergeron) 356 pts. 2 Xero (Lupoffs) 268pts. 3 Yandro (Coulsons) 252 pts. Hyphen was 8th with 115 pts, Scottishe 13th with 6.pts, Orion 16th with 57 pts. Skyrack rated 20 points, Pot Pourri 7, Scribble 5., Parker’s Peregrinations and Vagary 4 points each.

Arthur Thomson ran away with two categories, BEST FAN ARTIST and BEST FAN CARTOONIST. Eddie Jones, Terry Jeeves and Jim Cawthorn were also well placed in these sections.

BEST COLUMN was Willis’ The Harp That Once or Twice in Warhoon with (143 points, a tremendous lead over File 13 (Boggs in Wrhn) 2nd with 36pts. Willis’ I Remember Me in Scottishe was 14th with 10 points. Scribblings - 5pts.

BEST FAN WRITER was Walt Willis with 159 pts. John Berry was 9th with 23.

BEST NEW FAN OF 1962 was Fred Patton with 19 points. Walt Willis was the year’s outstanding personality, taking the NUMBER ONE FAN FACE section with 64 pts. Ethel Lindsay was second, jointly with Ron Ellik, 15 points each.

The Fan Polls Committee for this year lines up as Dick Eney, Bob Lichtman, Terry Carr, George Scithers and Ron Bennett.

THIS YEAR’S EUROPEAN CONVENTION was held over Whit weekend in Bielefeld. Due to the fact that most Gerfans live in southern Germany, the attendance was somewhat small and around the sixty mark. Tom Schluck writes that with Mario Kwiat, Wolfgang Thadewald, Franz Ettl and others he toured historic places around the consite and on the con notes that there was a reunion between Germany’s biggest clubs, Stellaris and the SFCD. There were speeches about literature and electronics and the film shown was 1984. Plans are meanwhile going ahead, as in. England, for the 1964 con, which so far appears to be developing on fantastic lines. The  locale is near Unterwoessen in Upper Bavaria. An entire castle into be rented to house the convention. Most of the English speaking fans will be present and as the date is early August 1964, this looks to be a wonderful chance for British fans to take a fannish holiday in the Alps. Further details will be given in Skyrack as and when they are realised. This one sounds good! ::: Tom also says that Guntram Ohmacht, Franz Ettl and Wolfi Thadewald have for some time been selling their own fannish brew, Vurguzz, a green and Germanic equivalent of Blog, I gather, which boasts an 80 proof kick. Three hundred bottles have so far been sold. Put me down for a bottle, gentlemen. ::: Other news from Germany is that we can offer congratulations and good wishes.to Guntram Ohmacht, Gerfandom’s own taxi-driver (to conventions, I hasten to add) and Sabine Brama, engaged on 8th June.

AUCTION. Ellis Mills donated a dozen Stateside prozines for auction for TAFF a short while ago. Sight of these has tended to get lost through recent activity, but because of lack of bids in excess of the reserve of 7/- or $1 these were sold at l/6d each at the Peterborough Convention. All except one, that is. Remaining is a copy of aSF April 1958 containing Eric Russell’s Basic Right and a short by Jon Stopa who recently married Joni Cornell, a market-study selling point in itself. First donation to TAFF over the 5/- voting minimum which asks for this item of Ethel Lindsay gets it. If two different donations arrive on the same post, the larger of the two takes. If they’re both the same did you say? Don’t complicate matters!

Eight issues of APORRHETA are also for auction with an outstanding collection of fan writings and comment of 1958-59 fandom. This zine won the first Skyrack poll and copies are always in demand. Top bid on: the eight to date is 10/- from Terry Overton. 50% of the sale goes to TAFF. Bidding closes 15th July.

AND HOW ABOUT THIS? This is a never to be repeated offer due to a forthcoming move. I’m selling off fanzines in ”grab-bag” fashion once again. At 20 different for five shillings! All must go, one way or another. Postage free. to all who take over eighty. (Stateside 20 for 70cents)

OVER 100 COPIES OF COLONIAL EXCURSION, the bulky report of my TAFF trip to the 1958 Los Angeles SolaCon, have now been sold. Illustrated profusely, by Arthur Thomson copies are still available from Ron Bennett or Bob Pavlat @ 7/- or $1. While supplies last I’m throwing in a bonus of the new Dircetory of SF Fandom.

THE DIRECTORY OF 1962 SCIENCE FICTION FANDOM, an eighth annual listing containing the addresses of over 500 fans around the world, the most up to date and revised listing ever produced, is available at $1 or 5/- to non fans. With its Arthur Thomson cover, however, fans can obtain it from Ron Bennett or Bob Pavlat at 1/6 or 25g. Members of FAPA or OMPA rate copies at return postage.

THE FAR REACHING SKYRACK NET. Linn’s Weekly Stamp Paper (Sidney, Ohio) 6th May published photo of Wauwatosa Philatelic Society’s May exhibition committee. Prominent was one Claude Degler. ::: Liverpool Group’s AGM 10th June. John Roles re-elected Chairman, John Humphries takes over as Secretary, Norman Shorrock & Stan Nuttall joint Treasurers. Meeting attended by guest Ron Bennett. ::: Ian McAulay mentions possibility of sf group forming in Dublin.

SCRIBBLE 12 (Summer 1963;Colin Freeman, 41 Mornington Crescent, Harrogate,Yorks. 6d or 10 cents to Bob Pavlat; 16pp) Old Gold covers this time and looking even more like a fanzine than ever, with caustic comments on the world scene, a new line for pun addicts and outside material by Fred Hunter, Sid Birchby, John Berry and the late Roger Norris. An even better than usual Scribble and of course an excellent sixpennyworth.

VECTOR 19 (May 1963; The official organ of the B.S.F.A., edited by Archie Mercer, 70 Worrall Road, Bristol 8) Without doubt, this is the most readable issue of Vector ever to be produced, with excellent continuity and chitchat by Editor Archie. The Editorial covers the Peterborough Convention and BSFA services and plans. Ian Peters looks at the windy wild west,. James Parkhill-Rathbone puts forward some views on sf, Irene Potter is reprinted on smoky chimneys, Brian Aldiss writes on the reasons behind writing, Ian Aldridge drew the cover and there are interesting letters and three competition ideas. An exceptionally good all-round issue. Also to hand is THE BSFA NEWSLETTER No. 17 (June 1963). with a break-down on the NFFF, book reviews, a column by David Sparrow and news.

POT POURRI 30 (15th July 1963 mailing of SAPS; John Berry, 31 Campbell Park Ave., Belmont, Belfast 4, N. Ireland) A Speciality Collector’s item in that this issue features a 16 page story, “The Return of the Goon.” Vintage Berry, this, with an abundance of throw-away humour.

INSIDE 2 (June 1963; Jon White, .90 Riverside Drive, New York 24.; 25 cents, 5 for 10/-, 11 for £1) Right on time is the second of the new series of Inside, in the hands of Jon White since Ron & Cindy Smith moved to Australia. 56 pages, digest sized, with material by Fowler Wright, Ashton Smith, George O Smith, Mike Deckinger, Gordon Weaver, Arthur Jean Cox, Art Castillo and Keith Nelson. Of special interest to British fans is That Man Clarke by Bill Temple, which proves how under- rated Bill can often be ((all part of the subscription service, William!)), while George O. Smith’s Seven Stages of Authordom takes first place. Highly recommended.

GOING THE ROUNDS AT THE “FLICKS” are two sf features The Damned. and The Day of the Triffids. The latter was recently featured on the cover of New Worlds, but whilst fandom possesses a certain frondness for the book, the enthusiasm does not seem to be shared for the film. Very little is left of the original and its excellent effects are offset by the poor acting and direction. Author John Wyndham attended a special preview in the company of Ted Carnell and Mike Moorcock. His only comment is said to be “I liked the tea.” Joseph. Losey’s The Damned is far more intelligent in presentation, without being so well publicised. This film concerns a group of children who are closely guarded by the government because they are immune to radioactivity. Unfortunately for viewers apart from John Ramsey Campbell, the film is being generally bracketed with a typical Hammer offering entitled Maniac. (JhL)

BURROUGHSIANA EDITOR Dick Ellingsworth celebrated his 20th birthday with a three day party which began Friday 10th May and continued until the Sunday morning.Pernod and vodka were in good supply and attendees included Diane Goulding, Alan Rispin, Marion Lansdale, Jim Linwood, Pat Kearney and Brian Burgess, who mentioned a contemplated move to Bournemouth. ((If you do, Brian, LiG have a job for you.)) A typewriter was in evidence and the resultant oneshot is due for publication shortly. Making a first party appearance was new London fan Betty Woodhead who brought along her daughter Wendy.

Congratulations to long-time Globe attendee and bookshop proprietor Alan Bale who last month married London 1960 Con attendee Penny Chandler. :::: OMPA’s new officers for the coming year are President Bruce Burn, Editor Ethel Lindsay and Treasurer Ron Bennett. :::: Jim Groves Whitsun guest of Jill & John Adams in S’ot,’on.

CHANGES OF ADDRESS DEPT:
Keith & Wendy Freeman, la Hamlyn Ave.,Anlaby Road, Hull, E.Yorks.
Tony Walsh, 167 Sydenham Road, Bridgewater, Somerset.

EAST FANGLIAN TIMES, volume 2, number 1 has appeared. This, the first newsletter of the 1964 Convention tells that attendance fees have gone up and that the Committee comprises Tony Walsh, Ethel Lindsay, Dave Barber, Ken Slater, George Locke, Peter West, Alan Rispin and Arthur Thomson. A host of prizes will be given, it is reported, for several different categories of fancy dress.

WASHINGTON DisCon HUGO NOMINATIONS include Arthur Clarke’s A Fall of Moondust in the Best Novel section, The Day The Earth Caught Fire in the section on Best Dramatic Production and Science-Fantasy for Best Professional Magazine. These are Britain’s only representatives. Fanzines nominated are Xero,Yandro, Shangri L’Affaires, Warhoon .and Jack Chalker’s Mirage.

BIGGEST RECENT TALKING POINT in world of sf was Thursday 6th June’s BBC TV programme World of the Unknown, fifty minutes of sf films from Things To Come to The Day The Earth Caught Fire and The Damned. In the main the programme, vague and disjointed at times, seemed to be making the point that man (and sf) was today looking into the mind and not out into space. And just five years after John Campbell’s SolaCon talk, too!

S.F.BOOK CLUB is offering Larousse Enclyclopedia of a of Astronomy @ 37/- . Films & Filming (June 1963) ran article on sf films entitled Out of This World. Paperback seen on Lime Street Station bookstall, Liverpool: Pope John XXIII, Pastoral Prince (Monarch Giants 50cents or 3/6d). Author? Randall Garrett! June F&SF features short novel by Poul Anderson, contains verse by Brian Aldiss and a story by Marion Zimmer Bradley & John J. Wells, popularly believed to be Juanita Coulson. July F&SF contains a letter column and features 1st part of Heinlein’s Glory Road. Today Magazine, May 25th & June 1st, ran 2 part article on The Men Before Time, mentioning a rise in level of intelligence possibly due to Strontium 90 and super-beings from pre-history, theories advanced in The Dawn of Magic (Anthony Gibbs & Phillips, 30s.) by Louis Pauwels & Jacques Bergier. Bergier has been named as a possible attendee at the Trieste film festival next month. The Perils of Scobie Prilt, Britain’s first sf musical with Mike Sarne opens in London next month. Assistant Editor of Ace Books, Alice Cohen, now in London and staying with Ella Parker.