The 10th Annual Convention of I.B.M. British Ring No.25 takes place 19thâ22nd September 1946 in Hereford, with events at the Green Dragon Hotel, the Town Hall, the Shire Hall and the Garrison Theatre, Bradbury Lines. Oswald Rae is President, Harry Kaye is Director of Programmes, and the programme includes the Competition for the British Ring Shield, a Magical Brains Trust, the Grand Convention Ball and Magical Cabaret, Lectures by Peter Warlock and His Honour Judge Wethered, the Dealersâ Den with Elliottâs Playing Card Exhibition, a Sensational Firewalk by Lenz, a Kiddiesâ Matinee and the Grand Magical Entertainment.
The Tenth Annual Convention of the British Ring (International Brotherhood of Magicians No. 25) takes place at Hereford from Thursday 19th to Sunday 22nd September 1946, billed throughout as the âVâ Convention. The President, Oswald Rae, welcomes members and visitors. The British Ringâs officers are President Oswald Rae; Vice-Presidents Herbert J. Collings, Gus Fowler, Les Levante, Jasper Maskelyne and Wm. G. Stickland; Hon. Secretary and Treasurer Wm. G. Stickland (âThe Wandâ, Dudsbury Crescent, Ferndown, Wimborne, Dorset); Hon. Librarian Archie Tear; and Hon. Editor Eric P. Wilson. The Committee is L. Bofeys, Ralph Chart, Harry Kaye, Walter Kemp and Eric P. Wilson, and the Convention Committee is Ralph Chart and Harry Kaye. Wallace Ollerhead, Castle House, Castle Street, Hereford, is Billeting Officer for the Convention; Ralph Chart is in charge of Reception and Mrs. Marelle of the Box Office; Harry Kaye is Director of Programmes; the Dealersâ Den is under the direction of Eric Williams and Wilfred Tyler; and the Competitions are under the direction of Professor Bofeys. Greetings and best wishes come from the officers of the International Brotherhood of Magicians â John Braun (President and Editor of âThe Linking Ringâ), Walter W. Coleman and Everett W. Morgan (Vice-Presidents), Dr. A. L. Baldwin (Secretary) and Hazel Miller Krock (Treasurer) â as well as from the London Society of Magicians (Hon. Secretary Geoffrey Robinson, A.C.A.), the Staffordshire Magical Society, the members of the Newcastle Magic Circle and âThe Worldâs Fairâ, which congratulates the British Ring on its organisation of this Grand âVâ Convention and promises continued service to magic through its weekly âAbout Magiciansâ column.
The Convention opens on Thursday 19th September at 4.30pm at the Green Dragon Hotel, when the President, Oswald Rae, Esq., opens the Convention, followed by a Magical Entertainment compèred by George Smallwood and featuring Mysterro (Broadlandâs Breezy Bewilderist), Eric (Immaculate Magic), Elizabeth (Lady-like Magic), Cecil V. Tebbett (The Loughborough Legerdemaniac), Norman Rashleigh and Bertram Millidge. At 8pm a Reception is given at the Town Hall by the Right Worshipful the Mayor of Hereford (Alderman C. G. Marchant), followed by a Magical Programme compèred by Walter Kemp: James Charlesworth, assisted by Tina (Magic from Yorkshire), Geoffrey Robinson (Great Unexpectations), A. C. G. S. Amaraskara (Magic of the East), Gabrielle Varley (A Cameo in Light and Shade), Francis Haxton (Card Magic), Jeff Atkins (presenting his Magic Miscellany), Donald G. Crombie (Nonchalant Necromancy) and Professor Woodley (Sorcery from Southampton).
Friday 20th September begins at 10am at the Town Hall with the Competition for the British Ring Shield, to be held for one year under the direction of Professor Bofeys and continued on Saturday morning if necessary. The judges are Dr. C. Holmes Denham, John Ramsay and Ian MacGregor Muir; George H. Smallwood is Timekeeper and Ivan L. Fowler Stage Manager. Each competitor is limited to seven minutes, with a warning thirty seconds before the time limit. First prize is the British Ring Shield and cash or a voucher value ÂŁ5 presented by Burtini; second prize is a Plated Dove Pan presented by Messrs. Davenports; third prize is 52 weeksâ subscription to Abracadabra presented by Goodliffe; and fourth prize is 12 monthsâ subscription to The Magic Wand presented by Geo. Armstrong. A ÂŁ5 voucher presented by Jack Hughes & Harry Stanley is offered for the Most Original Performance, a further list of prizes will be awarded for Best Sleight of Hand Trick, Best Comedy Trick, Best Mental Effect and Best Presentation, and Max Andrewsâ Streamlined Giant Coffee Vase (value ÂŁ3/10/0) is offered for the Most Original Trick. At 2.45pm a Magical Brains Trust is held at the Town Hall, with Freddie Carter (of âDiscussion Cornerâ) as Question Master, open questions included so that everyone can join in, and Oswald Rae, Peter Warlock, Ralph Chart (Raoul), Herbert J. Collings and Wm. G. Stickland as the Brains Trust. At 4pm the Group Photograph is taken, followed by the Outside Attractions, including Lenz, âThe Oriental Mysticâ, who will endeavour to walk barefooted through a 16-foot trench of red-hot embers on Merton Meadows, with free admission and a collection in aid of the County Association for the Blind. At 8pm the Grand Convention Ball and Magical Cabaret is held at the Town Hall, compèred by Peter Waring, with Neville Crathorne (The London Cabaret Artiste), Edward G. Love (Manipulative Card Magic), Leslie Hall and âJakeâ (Ventriloquially Yours), Rex Reader (Entertaining Magic), Oswald Rae (The Bewildering Humorist), Guybert (The Popular French Magician) and Oscar Paulson (Magical Novelties).
On Friday and Saturday, from 10am to 6pm, the Dealersâ Den â a Magical Trades Exhibition directed by Wilfred H. Tyler and Eric Williams â is open at the Shire Hall, Hereford, with stands from Hamleys (represented by Max Andrews), Burtini Quality Props, Central Printing Co. (Chas. Sowden) Ltd, Will Goldston Ltd, âAbracadabraâ (Goodliffe), George Jenness, Magikraft Studios, Macâs Mysteries, âThe Pentagramâ (Peter Warlock), Treasure Trove (Stanley Marelle), The Unique Studio of Magic (Jack Hughes & Harry Stanley), Walter Wandman, âCyroâ, The British Ring Enquiry Bureau, J. H. Vermeyden and Guybert. The Special Feature is Elliottâs Collection of Playing Cards, approximately 10,000 different cards from all parts of the world, admission 1/- (children 6d.), with all profits donated to the British Ring Benevolent Fund.
Saturday 21st September opens at 10.30am with Lectures at the Green Dragon Hotel: Peter Warlock on âSlates and Their Possibilitiesâ and His Honour Judge Wethered, O.B.E., M.I.M.C., on âBuilding of Effectsâ. The afternoon brings the Special Kiddiesâ Matinee at the Garrison Theatre, Bradbury Lines, at 2.30pm, with Eric C. Lewis (âDelightful Fooleryâ), Cyro (Novel Clown Interlude), Professor Will Fleet (âStory Magicâ), Nupluc with Jimmy (âThe Cheeky Chappieâ, B.B.C.), Wilfred H. Tyler (Playing with Magic) and Peter Akester with Punch and Judy. In the evening, at 7.30pm, the Grand Magical Entertainment is staged at the Garrison Theatre, compèred by Walter Kemp, with J. Amottâs âAcesâ Orchestra (Musical Director W. Fish) playing the Overture, followed by Stanley Marelle (The Midland Wizard), John Ramsay (âAYRial Magicâ), Frederick Carter (The Magical Entertainer), Harold Poole (âChalk and Chatterâ) and Col Ling Soo (The Royal Command Entertainer); then, after the interval, Cyraldo (The Master Magician), Harbin (âThe Wizard of the Eastâ), Douglas Francis (âOn the way homeâ), Peter Waring (The New Radio Personality), Fritz Olai (âA Symphony in Silkâ, President of the Danish Magic Circle) and Murray (The Famous Illusionist). The programmes are under the direction of Harry Kaye, with Morris Ross and George H. Smallwood as Stage Managers and Ivan L. Fowler as Assistant Stage Manager.
Sunday 22nd September begins at 10.30am with the Annual General Meeting, for members only. Mrs. and Prof. Bofeys announce that a âVâ Party will be held when food conditions permit. The programme also announces the Cotswold Magical Societyâs 4th Annual Competition, Assembly and Magical Trades Exhibition at Cheltenham from 1st to 4th May 1947, and the first issue of Peter Warlockâs monthly periodical âThe Pentagramâ on 15th October. The President and Committee take the opportunity of thanking all who have helped towards the success of the Convention, especially the Mayor of Hereford (Alderman C. G. Marchant), the Town Clerk of Hereford (T. B. Feltham, Esq.), Mrs. Stanley Marelle, Wallace Ollerhead, Eric Williams, Wilfred Tyler, all the artistes who have contributed to the various programmes, Elliott for his Playing Card Exhibition, His Honour Judge Wethered and Peter Warlock for the Lectures, and Lenz for his Fire-Walking Attraction.
