The 27th Annual Convention of I.B.M. British Ring No.25 takes place 11th–15th September 1963 in Southport, with Convention Headquarters at the Prince of Wales Hotel and events at the Cambridge Hall, the Floral Hall and the Odeon Theatre. Under the presidency of Donald Crombie, and honoured for the first time by a visit from the reigning International President of the I.B.M., Arnold Drennen, with the Mayor of Southport, Alderman Sam Goldberg, J.P., sending his welcome, the week brings together visitors from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Eire, France, Germany, Holland, India, Switzerland and the United States of America for ‘Around the World of Magic’, the Civic Reception, Ball & Cabaret, the Mammoth Dealers’ Demonstration and the Grand Dealers’ Magical Trade Fair, lecture demonstrations by George Blake, Cliff Green and Ace Gorham, the Hospital Shows, the Ladies’ Afternoon, the Competition for the New Silver British Ring Shield, International Close-Up Magic, the Micro Magic Competition for the Zina Bennett Trophy, the Convention Banquet, the Laughing-Horse Saloon, Children’s Playtime, Peter Warlock’s ‘Stage Classics in the Modern Manner’, the Grand International Gala of Magic at the Odeon Theatre and the midnight New Era Magic Co., closing on Sunday with the Convention Service and the Installation of Milton Woodward as the new President.
President Donald Crombie, who has attended every British Ring Convention since the Ring was founded by Oswald Rae, recalls the very successful Conventions at Southport in 1939, 1949 and 1955 and welcomes members and visitors on the Ring’s return to the resort for the fourth time. He pays tribute to the kindness of the Mayor and Corporation, to the hard-working Convention Committee headed by Wm. G. Stickland and to the programme set out in the Bill of Fare, and extends a particularly warm welcome to the Overseas Visitors — especially the large American contingent headed by the International President of the I.B.M., Arnold Drennen, the first reigning International President ever to visit the British Ring. He reminds newcomers that they are part of a Brotherhood and sends good wishes for a speedy recovery to those unable to attend through illness. Arnold Drennen sends greetings to all in attendance, congratulating the committee and describing the British Ring Convention as annually one of the largest in the world, renowned for its good magic and good fellowship; he and Mrs. Drennen hope to be present. The Mayor of Southport, Alderman Sam Goldberg, J.P., offers a sincere welcome to all attending the 27th Annual Convention, especially those visiting the town for the first time. Overseas visitors are expected from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Eire, France, Germany, Holland, India, Switzerland and the U.S.A. Convention Headquarters is the Prince of Wales Hotel, where events are announced on the fixture boards at the Registration Office; two Registration Desks (one for delegates who have previously registered, one for those registering at the Convention) are open throughout, the rule ‘Admission only by badge’ will be strictly enforced, official Convention Stewards (distinguished by arm bands) are anxious to assist newcomers, and Professor E. Duployen is Official Interpreter to the British Ring.
The Convention opens on Wednesday 11th September. The Grand Dealers’ Magical Trade Fair — ‘Your Shop Window’ — directed by Eddie Dexter, opens at 12 noon in the Cambridge Hall, Lord Street, with twenty dealers exhibiting in the Green Room, the Assembly Room and the Victoria Hall. The Fair runs on Wednesday 12 noon–7.30 p.m., Thursday 9.30 a.m.–8.30 p.m., Friday 11.30 a.m.–6.30 p.m. (the halls are shut to all delegates this year to allow dealers who wish to attend the A.G.M. to do so, and the 6.30 p.m. closing allows Banquet attendance), Saturday 9.30 a.m.–8 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m.–mid-day. The Dealers’ Trophy, presented by Mystic Craig for the most attractive stand and currently held by L. Davenport & Co., is judged on Wednesday at 5 p.m. by L. Hamblet, Esq., Director of Forbes Keir Ltd. At 3.15 p.m. the President, Donald Crombie, officially opens the Convention at the Cambridge Hall, followed at 3.30 p.m. by ‘Around the World of Magic’, in which Pilot John Shearer and Hostess Elizabeth Warlock await the arrival of an aircraft whose passenger list includes Ace Gorham (U.S.A.), Claude Rix (France), Mr. Senko (Bulgaria), Ronny Rex and Dinah (Germany), Fred Lowe and Hilary (Great Britain) and Anverdi (Holland), with Tommy Rowe as Flight Engineer and music by the Thomas Nightingale Quartet. From 8.30 p.m. the Mayor and Mayoress of Southport, Alderman Sam Goldberg, J.P. and Councillor Mrs. M. Goldberg, give the Civic Reception, Ball & Cabaret at the Floral Hall, when the Overseas Visitors are introduced, with dancing to Edwin Harper and his Orchestra and a cabaret compèred by Ace Gorham with Robert Knight (‘Looking for the Incredible’) and The Four Robertis (‘Acrobatic Cocktail’). The Treble Chance Tombola, arranged by George Smallwood, is in aid of the Benevolent Fund.
Thursday 12th September begins at 9.45 a.m. with the Mammoth Dealers’ Demonstration in the Cambridge Hall, arranged and announced by Eddie Dexter, in which thirteen dealers each take an eleven-minute slot from East London Magical Supplies to Murray, with Rex Reader as Stage Manager, Tony List as Property Master, David Howarth as Runner and Jack Potter as Timekeeper. At 2.30 p.m. George Blake gives a lecture demonstration, ‘Magic As You’ll Like It’, introduced by Peter Warlock; the Ladies’ Afternoon in the Ballroom of the Prince of Wales Hotel presents the Food and Cooking Centre of T. Wall & Son Ltd. in ‘Ice Cream Dishes for All Occasions’, followed by tea, entertainment and bingo; and Wilfred Tyler’s Hospital Shows take magic to the Bradstock Lockett Special School and Hospital, the Children’s Convalescent Hospital, the Infirmary (Children’s Ward) and the Hatherlow Homes, with the Salvation Army Children’s Home visited at 4.30 p.m. At 7.30 p.m. Alastair introduces the twenty-one entrants in the Competition for the New Silver British Ring Shield at the Floral Hall, judged by Geoffrey Buckingham (Chairman), Stanley Thomas, Harold Morton, De Vega and Arnold Drennen, with George Smallwood as Stage Manager, Alfred Gabriel as Musical Director and Jack Potter as Timekeeper. At 11.30 p.m. Tommy Rowe presents Sid Lorraine’s ‘Lecture on Tape’, ‘A Talk About Patter’, in a private room at the Prince of Wales Hotel.
Friday 13th September opens at 10 a.m. with the Annual General Meeting and Election of Officers in the Floral Hall (members only) under Chairman Donald Crombie, with the Reverend Michael Seacome as Returning Officer. At 2.15 p.m. Francis Haxton introduces International Close-Up Magic at the Cambridge Hall, with Ace Gorham, Cliff Green, Phoa Yan Tiong, H. R. Von Heldt and Claude Rix seen by means of closed circuit television. At 3.45 p.m. Fred Lowe organises the Micro Magic Competition for the Zina Bennett Trophy at the Prince of Wales Hotel, with eight competitors judged by Richard Du Bois, Leslie May and Rex Reader. The Convention Banquet at the Prince of Wales Hotel (6.30 p.m. for 7 p.m.), with Les Downham as Toastmaster, brings toasts to The Queen, the County Borough of Southport (proposed by Ken De Courcy, response by the Mayor), the British Ring I.B.M. (proposed by Arnold Drennen, response by the President) and the Ladies and Visitors (proposed by Peter Warlock, response by Richard Du Bois). At 10.30 p.m. Alastair, the Saloonkeeper, invites everyone to the Laughing-Horse Saloon at the Floral Hall — Western dress encouraged — with Sheriff Harold Taylor and Deputy Wilfred Tyler keeping order, and the awards are presented by the President during the entertainment.
Saturday 14th September starts at 10.30 a.m. with Wilfred Tyler’s Children’s Playtime at the Floral Hall. At 2.30 p.m. Cliff Green lectures on ‘Professional Card Magic’ at the Cambridge Hall, introduced by Peter Warlock, and at 4.15 p.m. Peter Warlock presents ‘Stage Classics in the Modern Manner’, with Anthony Crabbe, John Derris, Alfred and Cecelia Gabriel, Louis Histed, Francis Haxton, Geoffrey Robinson, John Shearer, Harold Taylor and Milton Woodward. The Grand International Gala of Magic is presented by the International Brotherhood of Magicians (British Ring) at the Odeon Theatre on 14th September, with the programme arranged by Wm. G. Stickland and Jeffery Atkins, Paul Graham as Stage Manager and Harold Taylor as compère: Jon and Jo, Louis Marino (Switzerland), Aurelien (Germany), El Condor (Mexico), Richard Du Bois (U.S.A.) and Mister Cox & Partner (Germany) in the first half, and Robert Swadling and Valerie, Rudy and Trudy, Bruce Allen, Cliff Green (U.S.A.), Phoa Yan Tiong (China) and Jorgen Samson (Denmark) in the second. At midnight the New Era Magic Co. presents its show somewhere in the basement of the Headquarters Hotel.
The Convention closes on Sunday 15th September with a Convention Service at the Cambridge Hall at 10.15 a.m., conducted by the Reverend Michael Seacome, Vicar of Barnwood, Gloucester and Official Chaplain to the British Ring, followed at 11 a.m. by Ace Gorham’s lecture demonstration ‘Routining’ and, at 12.15 p.m. at the Prince of Wales Hotel, the Installation of Milton Woodward as the new President, with a Cocktail Party at 12.30 p.m. under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Dexter. Greetings to the Convention are also sent by the International Brotherhood of Magicians (President Arnold Drennen, 1st Vice President Thornton Poole, International Secretary Irving M. Lewis, International Treasurer & Executive Secretary Thomas A. Dowd and Linking Ring Editor Alvin R. Plough), and the Magic Circle invites everyone to continue the magical ‘Merry-Go-Round’ at its Festival of Magic at the Scala Theatre, London, 14th–19th October. Event organisers include Wm. G. Stickland and Jeffery Atkins (Gala Show), Jeffery Atkins (Registration), Peter Warlock (Classics, Lectures and Souvenir Programme), Eddie Dexter (Dealers’ Exhibition, Demonstration and Welfare Stand), Robert Johnson and Tommy Rowe (Publicity), George Smallwood (Tombola), Geoffrey Robinson (New Era), Francis Haxton (Banquet and Close-Up), Alastair (Shield Competition), George Boston and Will Norman (Films), Wilfred Tyler (Children’s Playtime and Hospital Shows) and Fred Lowe (Micro Magic).
