The 14th Annual Convention of I.B.M. British Ring No.25 takes place 21st–24th September 1950 in Harrogate — “Britain’s Floral Resort” — with the Grand Hotel as Convention Headquarters and events at the Royal Hall, the Lounge Hall in Parliament Street and the Valley Gardens. His Honour Ernest Wethered, O.B.E., presides as President, with Wm. G. Stickland as President-Elect, and Harry Kaye is Director of Programmes. The programme includes “Echoes of First Conventions”, the Civic Reception given by the Mayor and Mayoress of Harrogate, the Competition for the British Ring Shield under the direction of Oscar Paulson, a Ladies’ Only Afternoon, Friday’s Outside Attractions in the Valley Gardens, the Grand Convention Banquet and comedy programme, a Cocktail Party with Close-Up Magic, Children’s Playtime, the Dealers’ Exhibition, and the Grand Magic Gala at the Royal Hall.
His Honour Ernest Wethered, O.B.E., President, extends most sincere and hearty greetings to all members of the British Ring, their guests and all others attending the Convention, in the hope that one and all will thoroughly enjoy their visit to Harrogate. He describes a splendid programme covering the whole field of magic (and some of the domestic arts as well!), thanks W. G. Stickland, “our tireless Honorary Secretary”, Harry Kaye and the members of the Convention Committee and of the local Committee for the work of preparation, and warmly thanks the Mayor and Council of Harrogate and their officers for the courtesy and facilities extended to the Ring. The Mayor of Harrogate, Alderman Charles E. Whiteley, extends a very sincere welcome to delegates, with a special word of welcome for those visiting the town for the first time, and W. W. Baxter, Conference Secretary of the Harrogate Information Bureau, promises that all the resources of the Corporation will be mobilised to ensure the success of the Convention. Greetings and best wishes for a successful Convention also come from the International Brotherhood of Magicians, headed by its President, Walter Coleman. Members of the British Ring desiring to become full members of the I.B.M. should apply to Wm. G. Stickland for membership forms (first year’s subscription £2 2s., subsequently 27/6 p.a.).
The Convention Announcements stress that the Convention badge should be worn at all times, as stewards have strict instructions to enforce the “Admission by Badge or Registration Card only” rule; lost badges cannot be replaced, and the Committee reserves the right to refuse entrance to any Convention event. Tickets for the Gala and Children’s Playtime are obtainable only from the Royal Hall Box Office, while Banquet and Luncheon tickets (until the maximum number is sold) can be obtained from the Registration Office. Surplus Souvenir Programmes will be on sale at the Registration Office at 1/6 each on Saturday morning. Delegates requiring information about any event should consult the steward in charge of it, and the Official Convention Hosts, wearing red rosettes, will be happy to assist members, visitors and newcomers and to effect introductions. Impromptu Magic Sessions will be arranged by Francis Haxton, who will be pleased to receive offers of assistance from those willing to perform. The Convention Daily Monitor — “Ourselves as others see us”, edited by Robert Johnson from an idea by Charles Scott — a wall newspaper of cuttings from the national and local press and pictures by the Special Photographer, will be in the Grand Hotel foyer.
The British Ring’s officers are President His Honour Ernest Wethered, O.B.E.; President-Elect Wm. G. Stickland, who is also Hon. Secretary and Treasurer; Past Presidents Oswald Rae, Herbert J. Collings and John Ramsay; Vice Presidents Professor Bofeys, Ralph Chart, Gus Fowler, John Gambling, Harry Kaye, Les Levante, Jasper Maskelyne, “Murray” and Wm. G. Stickland; Assistant Hon. Secretary H. J. Atkins; Hon. Librarian Archie Tear; Hon. Solicitor Donald Crombie; and Hon. Editor Howard D. Denovan. The Convention Committee comprises Ralph Chart, Harry Kaye, G. T. Raynor, George Blake, W. S. Hartley and Wm. G. Stickland, with Harry Kaye as Director of Programmes and Oscar Paulson in charge of the Shield Competition. The Convention extends a welcome to its overseas visitors: Chas. Wicks (I.B.M. Vice President, Australia), Henk Vermeyden (Holland), Jean Poisson (Belgium) and Guy Bert (France), together with Ralph W. Read, Secretary of the Magic Dealers Association Inc. (U.S.A.), and his “Conventioneers” Mystic Craig, Elmer Eckam and Amedeo, who bring greetings from America.
The Convention opens on Thursday 21st September, when the Registration Office opens at 11am in the Hall of the Grand Hotel. The Official Opening of the Convention by the President and the introduction of Overseas Visitors takes place at 3.30pm in the Grand Hotel Ball Room, with Afternoon Tea (non-residents 2/6), followed at 4.45pm by “Echoes of First Conventions”, a programme contributed to by performers who attended the first Conventions at Cheltenham and introduced by Harry Kaye. At 8.30pm the Mayor and Mayoress of Harrogate, Alderman Charles E. Whiteley, J.P., and Mrs. Whiteley, invite delegates to the Civic Reception, Ball and Cabaret at the Royal Hall (8.30pm to 1am, evening dress, entrance only by Official Invitation Card), with music from Walter Gerrard and His Orchestra and a cabaret by Huguette Delysiolle (“Miss Paris 1948”), Mystic Craig (U.S.A.) in “Fashions in Magic” and Joe Marsh and Brenda in Novelty Juggling.
Friday 22nd September begins at 9.30am at the Royal Hall with the Competition for the British Ring Shield, under the direction of Oscar Paulson, who also acts as M.C. The holder is Billy McComb, and nineteen competitors, from Edinburgh to London, will appear in an order decided by draw, each limited to ten minutes, before judges W. J. Bate, W. W. Baxter, Dr. C. Holmes Denham, Ralph Read (U.S.A.) and Chas. Wicks (Australia), with Cyril Messenger at the piano. First prize is the British Ring Shield, to be held for one year, and a cash prize of £10 10s.; second prize is £5 5s.; and third prize a Case of I.B.M. spoons, the prizes being generously donated by J. Lea Axon, Dr. C. Holmes Denham and a Member of the Harrogate Society of Magicians. At 12.45pm cars enter the Magic Badge or Mascot Contest outside the Grand Hotel, voting for the Most Handsome Magician closes at noon, and the Ladies’ Embroidery Contest exhibits are on display at the Grand Hotel. The Official Group Photograph is taken in front of the Royal Hall at 2.30pm. At 3pm the Ladies’ Only Afternoon at the Grand Hotel presents Autumn and Winter Fashions by Messrs. W. J. Buckley & Co. with competitions and gifts, while at the same hour Wilfred Tyler lectures on “Practical Pointers for the Children’s Entertainer” at the Lounge Hall, Parliament Street. At 5pm a Sensational Programme of Outside Attractions in the Valley Gardens features Lenz, The Oriental Mystic; “Sinclair”, catching a triple marked bullet in his mouth; and Frank Cooper’s escapes from chains, manacles and padlocks and from an electric chair, arranged by George Blake. At 7.30pm the Grand Convention Banquet is held at the Grand Hotel with His Honour Ernest Wethered in the chair, with toasts to The King, the Borough of Harrogate, the British Ring and The Visitors, immediately followed in the Ballroom by Geoffrey Robinson’s all-comedy magical entertainment “We’re After Laughter”, and a Special Midnight Attraction presented by Francis Haxton with Mr. & Mrs. Jack Salvin and Ernest Wethered.
Saturday 23rd September opens with the British Ring entertaining the patients at the Royal Bath Hospital (Adults and Children’s Ward) and the Yorkshire Home for Incurables at 10.30am under the direction of Wilfred Tyler, while the morning until 11.30am has been left free for delegates to visit the Dealers’ Exhibition in the Ballroom Annexe of the Grand Hotel, with thirteen dealers. At 11.30am the Cocktail Party, at which the ladies are the guests of the British Ring, is held in the Grand Hotel Ball Room, followed by Close-Up Magic arranged and presented by Francis Haxton, with eleven magicians entertaining at the tables. At 2.30pm Wilfred Tyler presents Children’s Playtime at the Royal Hall, with Uncle Len (Lenz), Cuthbert and Laurence, Sydney Sterk, Oscar Paulson, Percy Bee and Tom Harris (admission 2/6 adults, 1/- children, in aid of Empire Cancer Research and the British Ring Benevolent Fund). At 3pm Al Koran presents his lecture demonstration “Advanced Card Technique” at the Grand Hotel, “of special interest to card workers”. At 7.45pm the Grand Magic Gala is held at the Royal Hall under the direction of Harry Kaye, compèred by Paul Graham, with Stanley Thomas, Amedeo, Billy McComb, Deveen, Gil Leaney, Viggo Jahn, Willane, Frederick Barlow and Marie, and Neville Crathorne. At midnight the New Era Magic Co. invite delegates to a Demonstration of Exclusive Magic in the Basement at Headquarters. The Prize Distribution, organised by Donald Forsyth (tickets 1/- each, proceeds to the Benevolent Fund), offers prizes including “Vampire” Rising Cards presented by Murray, bottles of whisky and gin, three one-guinea vouchers presented by Ken Brooke and an I.B.M. subscription.
Sunday 24th September closes the Convention. At 11am the Annual General Meeting and Election of Officials is held at Convention Headquarters for members only, with Ernest Wethered in the chair; voting papers not already posted must reach the Official Scrutineer, Mr. Recaldin, or the Committee Room by 1pm on Saturday. The Farewell Luncheon follows at 1.15pm at the Grand Hotel, with the new President, Wm. G. Stickland, in the chair.
