Chronological Notes - 1937-1940 | FOOTNOTES Page | Obituary Page | |
Items from Fanzines & Letters + Observations.
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1937Ted Carnell's first personal contact with fans came when he met Les Johnson and Eric Frank Russell - they came down to London and went to Ilford to meet Wally Gillings. Had contacted Les Johnson earlier: Les was Treasurer of the British Interplanetary Society, Ted was working for a printing firm in London where he soon helped to produce the BIS Journal.
...The Leeds branch of the SFA in 1937 was enthusiastic enough to meet weekly, on Saturdays. Harry Warnes was chairman.
SCIENTIFICTION Vol. 1 No 3. June 1937 Editor Walter H. Gillings, Ilford.
Members of Manchester Interplanetary society doing the Longsight Shuffle outside Harry Turner's home in Manchester in 1937. July 1937 Headquarters of Manchester Interplanetary Society moved from Eric Burgess' home on Ashton New Road to Harry Turner's home in Victoria Park, Longsight, Manchester. Novae Terrae Vol. 2 No. 3 July, 1937 Edited by Maurice Hanson in Nuneaton.
SCIENTICTION Vol. 1 No. 4 August 1937
Novae Terrae Vol. 2 No. 4 August-September 1937
SCIENTIFICTION Vol. 1 No. 5 October 1937
Novae Terrae Vol. 2 No. 5 October 1937 MKH @ Bernard St. address. Cover by Frank Dobby.
URANIA Journal of the Junior Astronomical Association, October 1937 Novae Terrae Vol. 2 No. 6 November 1937 Novae Terrae Vol. 2 No. 7 December 1937
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1938Harry Turner of the MIS and Marion Eadie of the JAA were swapping back issues of their respective journals; as the MIS was mainly interested in space travel, Miss Eadie recommended the articles by Arthur Clarke as of most potential interest. Novae Terrae Vol. 2 No. 8 January 1938
Novae Terrae Vol. 2 No. 9 March 1938 Tomorrow Vol. 2 No. 1 - Spring 1938, page 7, Rocketry News: Letter April 18: ref to "my visit to London last week" when Arthur mentioned the astronautical section in Urania. [Journal of the Junior Astronomical Association, edited by Marion Eadie in Glasgow] Novae Terrae Vol. 2 No. 10 April 1938 URANIA Journal of the JAA, April 1938 Novae Terrae Vol. 2 No. 11 May 1938 Cover Harry Turner
URANIA Journal of the JAA, May 1938 Marion Eadie on visit to London in May, included meeting with A.C.C., who visited the M.I.S. later in the month. Letter May 30: M. asks about formation of MAA. FUTURIAN No. 1 June 1938
June 1938 Rocket mail film shown at meeting of M.I.S. Novae Terrae Vol. 2 No. 12 June 1938 Harry Turner cover Figure right, helicopter left, futuristic thorofare.
URANIA Journal of the JAA, June 1938 July 1938 Article by Harry Turner accepted by Armchair Science. The M.I.S. distributing copies of the Breslau Astronomical Society's journal, so everyone reaching for their German dictionaries. The J.A.A. has a member in Germany, underlining the interconnection of these societies. The Germans are struggling to find funds for publication just like the societies in Britain. URANIA Journal of the JAA, July 1938 Novae Terrae Vol. 3 No. 1 August 1938 THE ASTRONAUT / Journal of the Manchester Interplanetary Society / Vol. 2 No. 2
URANIA Journal of the JAA, August 1938 Letter 4 Aug: MIS in touch with Hans K. Kaiser of Breslau Astronomical Society. Letter Aug 28: Arthur writing series The Outline of Astronautics for Urania. Letter Aug 30: ref to second issue of Astronomische Rundschau, 16pp, with 4 pp article by Willy Ley on meteorological rockets. Sept 5-6th: Travelled up to Glasgow with Fred Tozer, to meet MFE at Empirex. (Train due to arrive in Glasgow Central at 5.54am and returns at 11.40pm!). MFE working Sat morn, but arranges to meet us at fountain outside the Palace of Engineering. Letter Sep 12: Note to say we arrived back in semi-comatose condition. Later letters mention that day of visit was a record Saturday - bigger crowd than the opening Saturday - there was an accident on the line that interrupted the train service from Bellahouston, hence the rush on evening trains when we were trying to get back to Glasgow. (Got two complimentary tickets for Sir James Jeans' lecture in Edinburgh on 7 October, but no hope of enticing him to Glasgow even if he is JAA Patron.
Novae Terrae Vol. 3 No. 2 September 1938
FUTURIAN No. 2 September 1938
URANIA Journal of the JAA, September 1938 Letter Sep 22: Starting on illos for TOW 5. In No.4 Bill Temple has The Smile of the Sphinx in which Arthur meets with a very sticky finish. Missed hearing JBS Haldane at Manchester on Tuesday; arrived late and place crammed to capacity. Hope to return to Glasgow on Sat Oct 15. SATELLITE Vol. 1 No. 1 October 1938 (Hekto) Edited by John Burke & Dave McIlwain. URANIA Journal of the JAA, October 1938 Letter 3 October: Ref to Doug Mayer having an article No More Bombs in the Daily Worker, and the Manchester SFA branch visiting London on 22nd October. Letter 17 Oct: Back home after Glasgow visit to M.F.E. and 2nd visit to Empire Exhibition... train an hour late and greeted by torrential downpour. Found postcard awaiting me from Maurice asking me to rush through cover for NT, typescripts from Wally for TOW illos, and a note from Ken Chapman asking me to speak at next Sunday's SFA meeting! Probably fall back on red shifts in nebular spectra and possible inconstancy of speed of light. / see letter Nov 20 re Hubble stating that results seem to favour concept of a stationary universe. / Also letters in Nature on light speed decrease theory in December.
Glasgow air defences testing searchlights and guns... End of October: H.E.T. in London, first visit to The Flat @ 88 Gray's Inn Road. Letter 3 Nov: London trip went off well: privileged to give the Grays Inn Rd flat the once-over... Together with Eric and George, escorted there by Maurice to find the inmates churning out the latest BIS Bulletin. Vast flights of stairs to be negotiated.
Letter Nov 20: Saw the eclipse when totality was near on bus on way home from evening classes. Top of bus empty so I was able toscurry to various vantage points as the bus travelled round corners. Conductor came up several times during this performance and seemed puzzled at finding me in a different seat each time... Cleator is upsetting Arthur with his comments on Bulletins in latest issue of Tomorrow. SATELLITE Vol. 1 No. 2 November 1938 (Hekto - 24pp - 3½d.)
Novae Terrae Vol. 3 No. 3 November 1938 Cover by Harry Turner & ACC 'The Conquest of Space' [Done on a visit - check with Midnight series].
URANIA Journal of the JAA, November 1938 Letter 4 December: "While TOW still continues to demand 'adaptable' drawings, it was pleasant news to hear from Stanhope Sprigg that he wants me to do some illustrations for the second issue of Fantasy, due out early next year..." / Volunteer to help out as JAA Treasurer. M's LTR 5 Dec: comments on NT items incl. ACC in Natural Haunt... Novae Terrae Vol. 3 No. 4 December 1938 Cover Harry Turner
SATELLITE Vol. 1 No. 3 December 1938
URANIA Journal of the JAA, December 1938 Letter from M 12 Dec: Setback to Manchester visit as no cheap excursions from Glasgow. Letter Dec 18: - ref to Churchward books.
Letter Dec 30: Discovered Glasgow trips resumed from Manchester Telegrams Dec 31 2.14pm Sunday 8 will suit - Marion
Letter Dec 31: Expect you'll be surprised at being deluged with wires from me today, but the Info Bureau tell me the only trip is Friday January 13 | |
1939January H.E.T. visit to Glasgow in first week of month to see M.F.E. H.T. now treasurer of the J.A.A. and earning enough from his commercial art for SF magazines to be able to design and purchase new notepaper for the J.A.A.
Letter 29 January: TOW decided on a change of plan at last minute which meant that I had to do several additional drawings. Then Sprigg came along (also at the last minute) asking for some illustrations for an article by Willy Ley... entitled Terminal in Space and dealing with the space station... [Published in FANTASY Thrilling Science Fiction Vol. 1, No. 2, CLICK HERE to see the illo. PHT] Eric Burgess discussing an Astronautical Conference with H.E.T. and others, hopes to involve the B.I.S. Novae Terrae Vol. 3 No. 5 - January 1939 LAST ISSUE ! Cover Harry Turner.
SATELLITE Vol. 2 No.1 January 1939 (Duplicated quarto, 12pp, 3½d post free)
URANIA Journal of the JAA, January 1939 Letter 1 February: Despite rumours that TOW is not selling so well, Wally says that Worlds Work are talking about making it a monthly publication... Sprigg is also hinting that Fantasy may become a regular publication. "Sorry if I have to bring Mr. Burgess to your notice once more ! Apparently having digested my letter, he's lost no time in taking advantage of the parent Society's sad decease; such unfilial conduct ! According to the attached cutting Mr. Burgess was the man who designed the B.I.S. space-ship - - - I wonder why the B.I.S. have kept it hushed up for so long. Probably Arthur can supply the answer ! M.I.S. notes with indignation that Weltraum has published "The Histgory of the Rocket Airplane" from the August 1938 issue of Astronaut without acknowledgement... SATELLITE Vol. 2 No. 2 February 1939 (Break with SFA?) Letter 2 March: H.T. reports to M.E. that the M.I.S. was wound up in the last week of February. He also offers the latest on E.B.'s plans for an Astronautical Convention. E.B. is not getting much support but he would like someone else to organize the first one in London and invite him to be the big noise at it. He is also keen for a Scottish Astronautical Convention to be held in Glasgow on the same terms. Letter 18 March: the latest issue of Benachrichtigung der Gesellschaft für Weltraumforschung includes the news that: "Unter den neuen Mitgliedern befinden sich einige namhafter Fachleute auf dem Gebiet der Raketentechnik, wie Prof. Hermann Oberth, Mediasch, DR.-Ing. W. Hohmann, Essen, Ing. H. Schaefer, Long Island, H.E. Turner, Manchester....". [Among the new members are several renowned experts in the area of the rocketry, such as Prof. Hermann Oberth, Mediasch, DR.-Ing. W. Hohmann, Essen, Ing. H. Schaefer, Long Island, H.E. Turner, Manchester....] SATELLITE Vol. 2 No. 3 (Whole No.6) March 1939
Letter 2 April: I've just heard from someone who joined first form at Ducie Avenue Central School the year I left, and who has succumbed to propaganda I used to pass on to the English master there, Mr Mundy, about rocketry and sf. He wants to come and see me soon... He's Ron Lane, 22 Beresford Road. Longsight. Seems to have received a copy of FIDO, with the Zenith sheet, though Mike's not got around to sending me a copy yet! SATELLITE Vol. 2 No.4 (7) April 1939 - JFB editor/ DMcI Art Ed. 2½d post free.
THE FANTAST Vol. 1 No. 1 April 1939 Ed C.S. Youd 3½d or 1/6d 6 months post free.
16 May: I'm paying the Metropolis a visit this weekend to attend the SFA convention. SATELLITE Vol. 2 No. 5 May 1939 - Last independent issue. JFB Ed.
Letter 18 May: I expect you've heard from John Gabrielson by now. He had a short story in the February Satellite... I recently sent him a copy of Urania via John Burke asking if he'd like to air his views in 'Debates & Discussions'. He'll shortly have an article in Satellite stating the case for astrology as a science. I hope to reply to this. THE FANTAST Vol.1 No. 2 May 1939 Ed C.S. Youd
Letter 6 June: ...was disappointed with Gabrielson's bit in D&D; expected something a littlemore definite on the lines of that first article in Sally. I'll send a copy on later of his article in the latest issue. I've done a reply... Arthur said that he was also tearing friend G apart. SATELLITE Vol. 2 No. 7 July 1939 Ed John Burke 14pp 3½d
THE FANTAST Vol. 1 No. 4 July 1939 Cover Harry Turner: Robot of Civilisation Letter printed in Manchester Evening New, 22nd July : SATELLITE Vol. 2 No. 8 August 1939
THE FANTAST Vol.1 No. 5 August 1939
URANIA Journal of the JAA, August 1939 THE FANTAST Vol. 1 No. 6 September 1939
URANIA Journal of the JAA, September 1939 THE FANTAST Vol. 1 No. 7 October-November 1939 SATELLITE Vol. 2 No. 9 (12) November 1939 John F. Burke Ed
URANIA Journal of the JAA, November 1939 | |
1940Letter 28 January: Doug Mayer's article in Dec Scientific American entitled 'Is light slowing down?'... Ted Carnell says he has just accepted editorship of a new monthly sf mag - publishers, title & date of issue all very secret - and stories of "the new, well-written modern variety" are being purchased at £2 per thousand words... SATELLITE Vol. 3 No. 2 (14) January 1940
SATELLITE Vol. 3 No. 3 (15) February 1940
THE FANTAST Vol. 2 No. 1 May 1940
There was a marvellous summer weatherwise in Britain during 1940. Every day brought blue skies... And more bad news of the war. The inexorable push of the German army through Holland and Belgium during May, and subsequent evacuation of British & French forces from the Dunkirk beaches. The fall of France in June left the country keyed up for invasion. The Battle of Britain started in earnest in July with air attacks on Channel shipping and coastal ports, then on RAF installations and mass daylight raids. The autumn brought a change of German tactics to large-scale night raids on London and other citiesa reminder of the Things to Come scenario, a grim predicition which we expected to materialise when war was first declared. September 1940 ... Between government travel restrictions and the start of the Blitz in London, London fandom ceased to operate (The Flat, Red Bull and Druids' Hall were all destroyed during 1941). Letter 15 September: Stanley Davies now discharged from the army; suffering from shellshock and a fractured back after Dunkirk evacuation, with complete loss of memory... died August 1941. URANIA Journal of the JAA, September/October 1940 October 1940 ... Mike Rosenblum started Futurian War Digest. FIDO Vol. 1 No. 1 October 1940
FIDO Vol. 1 No. 2 November 1940
14 November 1940 FIDO Vol. 1 No. 3 December 1940
URANIA December 1940 19 December 1940 ... (H.T.) Registered for service in the forces & had medical: expect to be called up in a month or so. 26 December 1940 ... (H.T.) Arrived home after Xmas visit to MFE in Glasgow... aftermath of Manchester blitz; delayed trains, Piccadilly buildings still ablaze, no trams or buses, walked home... Ardwick Barracks damaged, Ardwick cinema in ruins... land-mine crater outside Longford Place toll gates... Liverpool had the brunt of the raids in the North West, as a port. Produced by the SEPTUAGENARIAN FANS ASSOCIATION™ |
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