The 16th Annual Convention of I.B.M. British Ring No.25 takes place 24th–28th September 1952 in Hastings, the Ring’s first visit to the ancient and historic County Borough, with events at the White Rock Pavilion, the Queen’s Hotel and the Pier Theatre. Wm. G. Stickland presides as Acting President for the second consecutive year, with John Gambling as President-Elect, and delegates and overseas visitors from Australia, Holland and the U.S.A. gather for a programme that includes Close-Up Magic on Television staged with Marconi cameras, the Competition for the British Ring Shield, the Grand Gala Show and the installation of the new President at the Sunday Cocktail Party.
Wm. G. Stickland, the Acting President, presides over the Convention for the second consecutive year, and acknowledges that the absence of our late President, Harry Kaye, will be keenly felt by all. The memory of Harry Kaye’s great work in connection with past Conventions has been a great incentive to the Convention Committeemen, who have worked like Trojans to ensure that 1952 excels all others. He sends sincere thanks to the Mayor and Mayoress, to the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Vint, and to Mr. J. Burton, Entertainments Director, as well as to all the artistes, lecturers, stewards, prize donors and other helpers, and extends a hearty welcome to all delegates, especially those who have made the long journey from overseas, hoping that the true spirit of Brotherhood will prevail throughout. The Mayor of Hastings, Alderman Herbert W. Rymill, J.P., adds a most cordial greeting to the Convention of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (British Ring No. 25) on its first visit to the County Borough, noting that Hastings “has it all, beside the sea”.
The souvenir programme’s “Years of Achievement” looks back from the modest beginning of the British Ring in 1928 — founder members included Oswald Rae, the Ring’s first President until 1947, L. Bofeys and Walter Kemp — through the conventions at Cheltenham (1931 and 1932), Northampton, Leamington Spa, Buxton, Malvern and Southport, the wartime break from 1940 to 1945, and the post-war conventions at Hereford, Buxton, Bournemouth, Southport, Harrogate and Bournemouth again. The Ring now has some 850 magicians on its roll, the Benevolent Fund and Welfare Scheme (under Hon. Welfare Officer Eddie Dexter) have grown steadily, and the Ring’s history includes the Presidencies of Herbert J. Collings, John Ramsay, His Honour Ernest Wethered, O.B.E., and Harry Kaye. Wm. G. Stickland, Hon. Secretary and Treasurer since 1932 when the Ring had only sixty-two members, was elected President in 1950; and now John Gambling, that grand “young” man of magic, takes the Presidential chair. “1066 and All That” introduces Hastings itself — the Castle on the West Hill, the Old Town, the Cinque Ports Confederacy, and the White Rock Pavilion, just opposite the Pier, the centre of entertainment where many of the magical events will be held.
The Convention Announcements welcome delegates to the Sixteenth Annual Convention and draw attention to a special Television feature in the White Rock Pavilion Ballroom on Saturday at 10.15am — the first private demonstration of its type in this country. Official Convention hosts, distinguished by red rosettes, are on duty to help newcomers, and the stewards listed in the programme will give information on any events. The Registration Office, in the Hotel entrance hall, opens on Wednesday evening and is open throughout the Convention at the White Rock Pavilion at regular hours: delegates who have previously registered apply to Desk “A” for the Convention Programme and badge, while all others register at Desk “B”; badges must be worn, and “Admission only by Registration Card” is strictly enforced. Overseas visitors are welcomed from Australia (Charles Wicks, Territorial Vice President of the I.B.M.), Holland (Henk Vermeyden, I.B.M. International Vice President) and the U.S.A. (Laurie Ireland, Mystic Craig and Elmer Eckam). The Convention Committee is H. J. (Jeff) Atkins, Paul Graham, Francis Haxton, Wilfred Tyler, R. E. Walbridge and Percy Bee, with a Management Committee that includes George Blake, Eric Williams, Oswald Rae, Jack Potter, Geoffrey Robinson, Ralph Chart and Voltaire, Will Ayling as Hon. Librarian, Eddie Dexter as Hon. Welfare Officer, Alan Kennaugh as Hon. Editor and Robert Johnson as Publicity Officer.
Wednesday 24th September is the Night Before Party at the Queen’s Hotel, organised by Burtini. Thursday 25th September opens at 11am in the White Rock Pavilion when the Acting President officially opens the Convention, introduces the visitors from overseas and receives a welcome to Hastings from the Mayor. At twelve noon Jon Gresham, Europe’s Youngest Fire Eater, attempts one of the most dangerous experiments of his whole career on the Hastings beach. At 2pm Fred Lowe of Liverpool lectures on “Self-Control in Magic, A Psychological Lecture”, and at 3.30pm the dealers give a special demonstration. Then, after tea, comes Scotland Entertains, a Caledonian Cabaret arranged, directed and compèred by A. Douglas Swanson, featuring Bill and Lena Taylor, Oliver Mackenzie, Chick Strachan and Helene, Savola, Johnny Geddes and Alastair with Shirley-Ann. At 5pm Tex Lawson rides along the Promenade rope-spinning on horseback, leaving the Pier, and at 8.30pm the Civic Reception is held at the White Rock Pavilion, with a cabaret by Percy Press and Elizabeth Warlock. The Dealers’ Exhibition, in the Elizabethan Room of the Queen’s Hotel, is open all day Thursday, Friday and Saturday and on Sunday morning, and the Convention Tombola, directed by George Smallwood and Miss Dorothea Woolley, raises funds for the Benevolent Fund.
Friday 26th September begins at 10am at Convention Headquarters with the Annual General Meeting and Election of Officials, for members only, with Wm. G. Stickland in the chair; voting papers must be left at the Reception Desk by 4pm on Thursday. At 2pm promptly, with a Band Call at 11am, the Competition for the British Ring Shield is held at the Pier Theatre, with twenty-three competitors from Ipswich to Edinburgh, judged by Elmer Eckam, George Blake, J. Lea Axon, Henk Vermeyden, Stewart Revers and John Burton, Director of Entertainments, Hastings. The Shield and £10 (held by Frank Boynett), the Theo Speaker Cup and £5 for the runner-up, a third prize of three guineas, the Conventioneers Trophy for the most original trick or routine, and the Craig Trophy for the best performance by a lady member are all at stake. At 7.30pm the Grand Convention Banquet is held in the Concert Hall of the White Rock Pavilion with Wm. G. Stickland presiding, followed by an After Banquet Entertainment introduced by Paul Graham, including “Shifting Shadows” by The Templetons, and at 11.30pm Fogel’s Ghost Show — an hour’s excursion to another world — appears for the first time at a Convention.
Saturday 27th September opens with a Band Rehearsal at 10am for the Gala artistes and, at 10.15am in the White Rock Pavilion Ballroom, the private demonstration of Close-Up Magic on Television, introduced by Francis Haxton, in which Marconi Image Orthicon cameras televise close-up magic for the first time, with Ernest Wethered, Frederick Lowe, Al Koran, Peter Warlock, Eric de la Mere, Jack Avis, Archie Tear, John Ramsay, Gus Southall, Jack Salvin, Tom Harris, Bertram Millidge, Lewis Ganson and Francis Haxton. At 12.30pm the Convention Official Photograph is taken outside the White Rock Pavilion, and at 2.30pm Wilfred Tyler invites everyone to Children’s Play Time in the Concert Hall, with Lenz (Uncle Len), the Phyllis Godfrey Troupe, the Risto Troupe of Clowns, Tex Lawson, Edwin the Magician, Will Norman, Sydney De Hempsey’s Mr. Punch and Percy Press. At 7.45pm the Grand Gala Show opens with Ken Brooke, Lewis Ganson, Harold Taylor, Susy Wandas and Fogel before the interval, followed by Albinio and Tiny of Holland, Jean Paperman (Monarque), Frank Boynett and Marelle’s Marvellous Marionettes, introduced by Paul Graham with an orchestra under Cecil Alden.
Sunday 28th September closes the Convention. At 10.15am in the Queen’s Hotel Peter Warlock lectures on “Card Magic for Mr. Everyman”, and at 12 noon the Cocktail Party — to which the Members’ Ladies are guests of the I.B.M. (British Ring) — closes the Convention activities, during which the new President, John Gambling, is installed.
