The 11th Annual Convention of I.B.M. British Ring No.25 takes place 10thâ13th July 1947 in Buxton, with Convention Headquarters at the Spa Hotel and events at the Pavilion and the Opera House. The programme opens with âStars from the Servicesâ, a show by members who served in the various Services during the War, and includes a Reception by the Mayor of Buxton with an International Cabaret, the Competition for the British Ring Shield, a Magical Brains Trust, a Grand Convention Ball and Cabaret, lectures by Judge Wethered and Charles Harrison, Childrenâs Playtime, the Grand Magical Gala and a Farewell Luncheon, with outside attractions including a blindfold motor-car drive and a Fire Walk.
The Eleventh Annual Convention of the British Ring (International Brotherhood of Magicians No. 25) is held at Buxton, Derbyshire, with the Spa Hotel as Headquarters. The Mayor of Buxton, Councillor R. Martin, J.P., writing from the Mayorâs Parlour on 6th June 1947, bids delegates welcome in the name of Buxton and hopes that the Conference will prove both enjoyable and profitable; he reminds visitors that the town is renowned for its salubrious air and the healing properties of its waters, and hopes that they will enjoy every minute of their stay and desire to come again. The President, Oswald Rae â Founder and Hon. Life Member of the British Ring â writes that he greatly regrets his unavoidable absence from the 1947 Convention, being under contract and working, but that his thoughts will be with the delegates. The Corporation extends an invitation to delegates to visit the Pavilion (up to 6pm each day) and to avail themselves of the facilities for Bowls, Putting and Tennis.
The Ringâs officers are Oswald Rae (President); Ralph Chart, Herbert J. Collings, Gus Fowler, Harry Kaye, Les Levante, Jasper Maskelyne, âMurrayâ and Wm. G. Stickland (Vice-Presidents); Wm. G. Stickland (Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, âThe Wandâ, Dudsbury Crescent, Ferndown, Wimborne, Dorset) with H. J. Atkins (Southampton) as Assistant Hon. Secretary; Archie Tear (Hon. Librarian) and Howard D. Denovan (Hon. Editor of âThe Budgetâ). The Committee is L. Bofeys, F. A. Carter, Ralph Chart, Harry Kaye, Walter Kemp and Eric P. Wilson; the Convention Committee is Ralph Chart and Harry Kaye, with Ralph Chart in charge of Reception, Mrs. Marelle at the Box Office and Harry Kaye as Director of Programmes. The Competitions are under the direction of Professor Bofeys and Oscar Paulson. The Committee thanks the Mayor of Buxton, J. A. Robinson (Publicity Manager), W. Cox (Manager of the Spa Hotel), George Henriques, His Honour Judge Wethered, O.B.E., and Herbert J. Collings for lectures, Mrs. Marelle for the Box Office, the artists contributing to Public and Private Shows and Outside Stunts, Wilfred Tyler for organising the Matinee, George Smallwood, James Charlesworth, Morris Ross and Ivan L. Fowler as Stage Managers, Francis Haxton for the Impromptu Shows, Walter Wandman for the badges, Fred Mills for films, Eddie Dexter and Ivan Fowler for demonstrations, and the Stewards, Lady Helpers and the Press. Greetings are sent by the International Brotherhood of Magicians under its President, Ren Clark, with Wm. G. Stickland as British Territorial Vice-President; delegates should look out for an announcement by him regarding the acceptance of new British members. The London Society of Magicians (Hon. Secretary Geoffrey A. Robinson, A.C.A.) also sends greetings to all members of the British Ring.
The Convention opens on Thursday 10th July. Members and visitors are requested on arrival to register at the Reception Offices of the Spa Hotel, where they receive their Official Badge and Programme; the Reception Committee are Mr. Jeff Atkins, Mrs. W. G. Stickland, and Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Bates, and those reserving tickets for the Farewell Luncheon and the Coach Excursion are asked to advise them. At 4.30pm the Official Opening of the Convention takes place in the Ballroom; tea will be served, and will be followed by âStars from the Servicesâ, a programme by members who served in the various Services during the War, compèred by Paul Graham (K.S.L.I.) with Baron (R.A.), Loyal S. Burke (Canadian Services), Dick Simonds (R.E.), Norman L. Gellion (N.F.S.), Donald Crombie (E.N.S.A.) and Reg. Gayton (R.A.P.C.). At 8.15pm the Mayor of Buxton holds a Reception at the Pavilion, at which an International Cabaret featuring visitors from overseas is introduced: Jack Hove (Northern Ireland), Guy Bert and Professor Brac (France), Wm. âScottyâ Lang (Canada), Douglas Swanson (Scotland), F. G. Cleaver (Argentine), Lao Tang â A Chinese Cameo â the holder of the British Ring Shield (England) and Fritz Olai (Denmark), with George Smallwood as compère. At 11.30pm, at the Spa Hotel, âDexterous Dexterâ presents a Demonstration of Hypnotic Phenomena and Ivan L. Fowler a Demonstration of Patterns in Fluorescence. Throughout the Convention, Principal Dealers demonstrate the latest apparatus in the Recreation Room and Private Rooms of the Spa Hotel, open until Saturday evening.
Friday 11th July begins at 10.30am in the Spa Hotel Ballroom with the Competition for the British Ring Shield and other prizes, under the direction of Professor Bofeys and Oscar Paulson, with Mr. Paulson as M.C. The holder is Stanley Thomas; the judges are Victor Farelli, John Gambling and Oliver Mackenzie, with Geo. Smallwood as Timekeeper and Ivan L. Fowler in charge of stage management. Each competitor is limited to seven minutes, with a warning thirty seconds before the time limit. First prize is the British Ring Shield and a cheque for ÂŁ5 presented by Burtini; second and third prizes are vouchers of ÂŁ3 and ÂŁ2 presented by Jack Hughes, Harry Stanley and Arthur Dowler. Further prizes are offered for the Most Original Magical Offering (Walter Wandman and Guy Bert), the Best Mental Effect (Ed. Graves of âWorldâs Fairâ), Ladies (Jax), Patter, and three prizes in each of the classes Presentation, Manipulation, Originality, Entertainment Value and Comedy, with prizes donated by many leading dealers; J. Poole of Northampton offers prizes of ÂŁ5, ÂŁ3 and ÂŁ2/2/0 for the Most Entertaining Act, judged by non-magician judges Ed. Graves and C. Twisleton, and each entrant automatically qualifies. At 11am a Coach Excursion to a local beauty spot is available to ladies and gentlemen friends (tickets 3/6). At 3pm the Magical Brains Trust meets in the Ballroom, with F. A. Carter (of âDiscussion Cornerâ) as Question Master and Francis Haxton, Wilfred Tyler, Peter Waring and Milton Woodward giving impromptu answers. At 5pm, starting from St. Anneâs Well, Paul Graham, âThe Man with Double Visionâ, performs his amazing feat of driving a motor car, blindfolded, through the streets of Buxton, and at 5.30pm at Ashwood Park Lenz, âThe Oriental Mysticâ, performs a sensational Fire Walk through a sixteen-foot trench of red-hot embers, with a collection in aid of local hospitals. At 8.30pm the Grand Convention Ball and Cabaret takes place in the Ballroom, with F. A. Carter as M.C., a cabaret by Jeff Atkins (âMagical Miscellanyâ), Cecil and Doris Twistleton (B.B.C. Musical Novelties) and Billy McComb (âIrelandâs Revenge on Magicâ), music by Prunier and the Spa Hotel Orchestra and a buffet provided by the Spa Hotel (tickets for non-delegates 7/6).
Saturday 12th July begins at 10.30am with the Official Group Photograph at the Hotel Front Entrance, and at 11am His Honour Judge Wethered, O.B.E., lectures in the Ballroom on the âRough and Smoothâ principle, with special reference to Hullâs effects and routines based thereon, followed by Charles Harrison on âOriginality in Magicâ. Artists appearing in the Public Shows attend a Band Rehearsal at the Opera House at 11.30am. At 2.30pm the Childrenâs Matinee, âChildrenâs Playtimeâ, arranged by Wilfred Tyler, is staged at the Opera House with the R. H. Burgess Trio, Arthur Leo and âMr. Punchâ, Oscar Paulson, Geo. Grimwood, F. Leslie Preston, G. H. Entwisle and Eric Lewis. At 7.30pm the Grand Magical Gala is held at the Opera House under the direction of Harry Kaye, compèred by Peter Waring, âPopular Personality of Radioâ: the Convention Orchestra under R. H. Burgess, Elizabeth, Wm. âScottyâ Lang, Col Ling Soo, Lenz and Woodward with Millicent Cooper before the interval, and Geoffrey Robinson, Arthur Worsley, Fritz Olai, Arthur Dowler and Walter Wandman after it (programme subject to alteration). Impromptu Entertainments organised by Francis Haxton and Magic Films presented by Fred Mills follow at the Spa Hotel at 11pm.
Sunday 13th July closes the Convention. At 10.30am the Annual General Meeting and Election of Officials is held at the Pavilion Gardens, members only, with a printed agenda handed to each member on arrival and voting papers not already posted to the Hon. Secretary able to be handed in at the Meeting. At 1.15pm the Farewell Luncheon takes place in the Spa Hotel Ballroom, with Herbert J. Collings in the chair (tickets 10/6); the toasts are The King, The British Ring (proposed by Wm. âScottyâ Lang), Ladies and Visitors (proposed by F. A. Carter, response by Mrs. Geoff Robinson) and The Press (proposed by Howard Denovan, response by Goodliffe). After the luncheon, a Farewell Programme compèred by Paul Graham presents Bert Dexter, Arthur Buckle, Frank Moore, Peter Warlock, Francis Haxton and Ivan Fowler, and Francis Haxton will arrange a programme for those remaining in the Hotel on Sunday night â âAnd so âAu Revoirâ until the Next Convention.â Delegates are also reminded of the Cotswold Magical Societyâs Fifth Annual Competition Assembly, to be held at Cheltenham from 6th to 9th May 1948 (Hon. Secretary R. C. Seymour, 20 North Place, Cheltenham).
