The 13th Annual Convention of I.B.M. British Ring No.25 takes place 22nd–25th September 1949 in Southport, with Convention Headquarters at the Palace Hotel and the Floral Hall on the Promenade hosting the Civic Reception, Children’s Playtime and the Grand Magic Gala. It is the Ring’s twenty-first anniversary Convention, held under the Presidency of John Ramsay, with a Close-Up Magic session, the Competition for the British Ring Shield, the Grand Convention Banquet, a lecture on make-up, demonstrations by John Ramsay, Judge Wethered and Theo Speaker, and overseas visitors from France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark and Argentina.
The Thirteenth Convention, Southport 1949, celebrates the twenty-first anniversary of the British Ring (International Brotherhood of Magicians No. 25), and the programme pays tribute to the Founder Members: Oswald Rae, Walter Kemp, L. Bofeys, Joe Rendell, Nelson Denys, C. Ducarel and G. H. Turner. In his “1928 to 1949” message Oswald Rae, who founded the Ring and was its first President, reflects that his little acorn has grown into a mighty oak and that the Ring now stands as one of the strongest magical societies extant. The Ring’s Brief History runs from the founding in 1928 and the first Convention at Cheltenham in 1931, through Northampton, Leamington Spa, Buxton, Malvern and Southport, the wartime break from 1940 to 1945, and the post-war Conventions at Hereford, Buxton and Bournemouth; present membership is about 800. The Worshipful Mayor of Southport, Councillor Richard Johnson, J.P., extends a very cordial welcome to all who visit the town in connection with the Convention, and the President, John Ramsay, writes that Southport will be his first opportunity of personally thanking members for electing him.
The Ring’s officers are John Ramsay (President); Oswald Rae and Herbert J. Collings (Past Presidents); Ralph Chart, Gus Fowler, John Gambling, Harry Kaye, Les Levante, Jasper Maskelyne, “Murray” and Wm. G. Stickland (Vice Presidents); Wm. G. Stickland (Hon. Secretary and Treasurer) with H. J. Atkins as Assistant Hon. Secretary; Archie Tear (Hon. Librarian), Donald Crombie (Hon. Solicitor) and Howard D. Denovan (Hon. Editor). The Convention Committee is Ralph Chart, Eddie Dexter, Harry Kaye, F. A. Carter, Wm. G. Stickland and W. Woodford, with Harry Kaye as Director of Programmes, Paul Graham as Assistant Director of Programmes and the Shield Competition under the direction of Oscar Paulson. Convention Headquarters is the Palace Hotel, Southport. The programme welcomes the overseas visitors Jean Poisson (Hon. Sec. French Ring and International Vice President, Belgium), Ken Murray (Argentine Ring), H. J. Vermeyden (International Vice President, Holland), Fritz Olai (International Vice President, Denmark), Guy Bert (International Vice President, France) and Huguette Delysiolle, “Miss Magie 1949”, of France. The I.B.M. sends greetings under its President, Russ Walsh, and members of the British Ring wishing to become full members of the I.B.M. should apply to Wm. G. Stickland for membership forms.
Thursday 22nd September opens at 11am with the Registration Office in the Hall of the Palace Hotel, where members and visitors receive their official badge and programme and where tickets for the Convention Banquet (10/6) and Farewell Luncheon (8/6) are obtainable; Convention Hosts, distinguished by a red rosette, are on hand to introduce new members. At 3pm at the Floral Hall, Murray the Australian escapologist will be drawn up by his feet to the top of the building and will attempt to escape from an orthodox straight jacket while dangling, and Lenz gives a demonstration of “Bloodless Surgery”. At 4.30pm a Demonstration of Close-Up Magic is given “at the tables” in the Lounge of the Palace Hotel by Ken Brooke, Francis Haxton, Al Koran, John Ramsay, Stan Simpson and Gus Southall. At 8pm the Civic Reception and Official Opening of the Convention is held at the Floral Hall, by invitation of the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the County Borough of Southport, with a reception by the Mayor and Mayoress, the Official Opening by the President, and dancing until midnight (evening dress requested), with a cabaret by Jean Poisson, Bayard presenting Marion in “Radio-Vision” and George Blake with “The Cat and the Conjuror”, compèred by Paul Graham. Motor buses leave the Palace Hotel for the Floral Hall at 7.30pm. The Dealers’ Exhibition in the Sun Lounge, the Convention Pictorial (the Convention’s own daily newspaper) and the British Ring Prize Distribution, in aid of the Benevolent Fund, run alongside the main events.
Friday 23rd September begins at 10am in the Palace Hotel Ballroom with the Competition for the British Ring Shield, for the most entertaining act, held under the direction of Oscar Paulson, who will M.C. the Competition. The present holder is G. A. Robinson; Jack Potter is Time Keeper, Paul Graham handles stage management and Miss Mary Philpott is the pianist. The judges are John Ramsay, L. P. Bedford (General Manager, Southport Publicity and Attractions Department) and Mollie Dexter. Each competitor is limited to ten minutes, with a warning thirty seconds before the time limit. The winner receives the British Ring Shield (to be held for one year) and ÂŁ10.10.0 kindly donated by G. Henriques; second prize is ÂŁ7.7.0 and third prize ÂŁ3.3.0, donated jointly by The Order of Magi and The Southport Magic Circle. At 2.15pm in the Lounge Richard Blore, of the Leichner Make-up Studio, London, gives a lecture and demonstration on the art of make-up; tea follows at 3.45pm (non-residents 2/6), and at 4.15pm John Morris demonstrates marionettes, glove puppets and model theatres.
At 7.30pm on Friday the Grand Convention Banquet is held in the Palace Ballroom with John Ramsay in the chair. The menu, devised under the personal supervision of Chef Louis Philippes, offers Crème Portugaise, a choice of Filet de Sole Frite Sce Rémoulade or Poulet de Surrey Rôti à la Flamande, Glace Napolitaine and Café. The toasts are The King; the Borough of Southport (proposed by His Honour Judge Wethered, O.B.E., with a response by the Mayor); The British Ring (proposed by Henk Vermeyden, with a response by the President); The Ladies and Visitors (proposed by F. E. Walker, with a response by Dr. Catherine Atkins); and The Press (proposed by Donald Crombie, with Andrew Heald responding for the National Press). The After Dinner Entertainment, compèred by Billy McComb with the Marie Philpott Trio, features Leslie and Mary Stewart, Tommy Rowe and Irene, Mardino from South America, Guy Bert presenting Huguette Delysiolle, Harold G. Beaumont, Fred and Beatrice Mills and Neville Crathorne in “The Garden of Allah”. The evening also includes Lenz’s Query Competition, a £2 prize contest in which the audience acts as judge, and close-up magic and magic films by Fred Mills.
Saturday 24th September starts with orchestral rehearsals at the Floral Hall for the matinee (10am) and the Gala (11am). At 10.45am in the Palace Hotel Ballroom John Ramsay demonstrates “The Cups and Balls”, His Honour Judge Wethered demonstrates “Magic”, and Theo Speaker relates his experiences at the I.B.M. Convention in Chicago. At 12.30pm all delegates are requested to be present for the Official Group Photograph at the H.Q. Hotel. At 2.30pm at the Floral Hall Wilfred Tyler arranges Children’s Playtime, with the Marie Philpott Trio, Wilfred Tyler, Alaston, Geo. Wallman, Stanley Marelle, Arthur Culpin, Austin Mitchell with Johnny Jones and Gil Leaney and Co.; admission is 2/6 for adults and 1/- for children, with proceeds to the Infantile Paralysis Fellowship. At 7.45pm the Grand Magic Gala opens at the Floral Hall under the direction of Harry Kaye, with Ted Nightingale and his Sextette, Geoffrey Robinson and Marjory, Lenz assisted by Sandra, Joe Marsh and Brenda and Willane before the interval, followed by Eric Williams and Ma, The Voltaires, Jeffery Atkins offering Catherine in “A Magical Valentine”, Haakon Edeling of Denmark and Murray and Company in “Round the World in Magic”, compèred by Freddie Carter. At midnight at Headquarters Geoff Robinson presents his latest inventions that “will be on the market soon”, in aid of the Benevolent Fund.
Sunday 25th September closes the Convention with the Annual General Meeting and Election of Officials at 11am at Convention Headquarters (members only), with John Ramsay as President and Harry Kaye in the chair, followed at 1.15pm by the Farewell Luncheon in the Palace Hotel, at which the New President, His Honour Judge Wethered, O.B.E., takes the chair. The President and Committee thank the Mayor and Mayoress of Southport, L. P. Bedford, Jackson Hoggard (General Manager of the Southport Transport Department), the management and staff of the Palace Hotel, Judge Wethered, John Ramsay, Theo Speaker, Richard Blore (Messrs. Leichner) and John Morris, the artists, stewards, lady helpers and press, A. R. Johnson and Chas. Taylor for the Convention Pictorial, the prize donors, Chas. Sowden of Central Printing Co. Ltd., Burnley, Cow and Gate Milk Foods for presenting balloons, and the Southport Magic Circle.
