This is SKYRACK No. 3 dated June 1st 1959 and published by Ron Bennett, 7 Southway, Arthurs Ave., Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. 6d per copy, six, issues for half-a-crown. Interested parties in the USA and Canada should send 35 cents for six issues to Bob Pavlat,6001 43rd Avenue, Hyattsville, Maryland. News of interest to fandom, whether of a science-fiction or a more social nature gratefully accepted. Cartoon by Vince Clarke

 LONDON IN 1960

THE LONDON CIRCLE descended on Cheltenham for the Whit weekend (l6th/l8th May) and Archie Mercer who went along to confer with the other BSFA Committee members, reports that a good time was had by all. Reports show that those who made the trip were Pam and Ken Bulmer, Peter West, Mike Moorcock, Peter Taylor, Archie, Ted Tubb, Jim Rattigan, Ella Parker, Sandy Sandfield, Barry Bayley, Ivor Mayne, George Locke, Bobbie Wild and Sandra Hall. Travel was by train, bus (Archie) and Ted Tubb’s car which George Locke reports had trouble with traffic jams, punctures, a break-down and several cases of the hub caps coming off the wheels. Well, no-one tried to shoot them!  A fancy dress parade paid homage at the Shrine of St. Fantony and later Ted Tubb and Sandra Hall were admitted to the select company of Knights and Ladies of this ancient fannish order. I’m told that Eric and Margaret Jones, Frank Herbert, Doc Weir, Les Childs, Bill Gray, Keith Freeman and Audrey Eversfield of the Cheltenham Circle made merry with the visitors. The BSFA Committee discussed Convention sites for next Easter. In view of the enthusiasm shown by the London O, who made a bid for the site, it was decided to let the London O arrange the Easter National Convention, to be run once again under the auspices of the BSFA. I’m naturally disappointed that Harrogate was not chosen, but at the very least, we do know where London is.

ALAN RISPIN, 35 Lyndhurst Avenue, Higher Irlam, Manchester, is interested in contacting fans who would be willing to form a Manchester S.F.Circle to meet Saturday nights.

PEOPLE ARE FANS DEPT.   I recently attended an engagement party in Leeds - nonfannish friends of the family.   About 60 guests rolled up to the house. There was naturally much drinking. Attendees ranged. in age from 11 to 60 plus. Bennett and five others were soon playing brag....on the front lawn. Daughter of the host provided blankets to sit on as the evening drew in; host himself set about spraying insecticide around the players. The kitty mounted on one hand when I sat tight with a prile of queens. Someone else held aces. I tell you -  just like a con.

GEORGE LOCKE writes to say that his previously announced fanzine will be called SMOKE and that it’s hardly an official organ of the London O although I gather that material will mainly be slanted that way. George also ttells me that Ivor Mayne is hardly his assistant, but that the zine will be run off by Ivor.

EDDIE JONES has had to cut down on fanac because of a pro-contract to produce all the new SF and. Fantasy titles this summer for Badger Books. He’ll be busy. That’s the kind of FAFIA we like to hear.

STURE SEDOLIN, PO Box 403, Vallingby 4, Sweden, sends a copy of his newszine SF-FRONTEN which is published in Swedish. Sture also asks if he can have the Swedish reprint rights from SKYRACK. Granted, with awe and pleasure. Sture also sends his fanzine CACTUS (1/- from Alan Dodd) which is, I believe, the first all-English Swedish fanzine. It is very well produced and has some excellent illustrations and pleasant items, but so far this is hardly another ALPHA. Of special note, however, is a photopage (these things were popular about three years ago – what happened then?) which gives us a first glimpse of such wellknown fans as Sture himself, Cato Lindberg and Roar Ringdahl who looks amazingly like Larry Shaw.

Talking of Larry reminds me that while it’s not my policy to use American news items which will surely be covered in FANAC there are enough British fans interested enough to warrant my mentioning that Larry and Leeh wore recently divorced. This news comes from Bob Pavlat who writes a good account on the Disclavette held in Washington on 16th May. Bob says,”Dave Kyle...was taking pictures of the lot of us and got his shoe stuck in the mud. Really stuck. Tremendous  pulling managed to get his foot out of his shoe. He laid down his camera, tugged on the shoe with both hands and finally it came free - suddenly. Dave did as neat a flip as I’ve ever seen. Luckily the ground was dry except for the small puddle where his shoe stuck.” Bob also mentions that he should have had the camera.

LACK OF STORAGE SPACE means that I’m selling fanzincs grab-bag fashion. 10 for 3/6 (50cents, 25 for a dollar (7/-).  (Av.30pp. Postfree.)

VECTOR 4 arrived at the beginning of the month. This is the official organ of the year-old British Science Fiction Association which may be joined by sending Archie Mercer (434/4 Newark Road, North Hykeham, Lincoln) £1 for a year’s membership. This issue, produced by Terry Jeeves, maintains the constant improvement in the magazine’s standard. Apart from the thorough BSFA reports there is here a Birmingham convention report, some excellent prozine reviews by Terry and an assortment of contributions from fen like Bob Richardson, Doc Weir, Eric Bentcliffe and Ken Slater. The next issue will be produced by Bobbie Wild , 204 Wellmeadow Road, Catford, London SE6, who is no doubt looking for contributions.

Archie Mercer writes: “PLOY 14. This represents a welcome re turn to currency of one of my favourite fanzines. A pretty good issue, though unfortunately only in a second-hand sort of way, because about half of the main contents are actually reprints from other fanzines. The excuse for this is that this is supposed to be a Bob Tucker Appreciation Issue and the reprinted items are either by or about Tucker. Still, they’re good, as too are the original contents, particularly an ingenious theory by Bob Coulson. The lettercol, too, is of interest despite the year’s gap between issues. The duplicating - at least on my show copy - is good to excellent throughout, and the artwork is a joy, particularly the cover and the Owen-captioned Rotslers. And my name isn’t mentioned once throughout, either.”   This is no hoax. PLOY 14, the Bob Tucker Appreciation Issue, is indeed out. Available from either Bob Pavlat or myself, Ron Bennett, at l/9d or 25 cents. To modify Archie’s comments, I should say that of the eight feature items, two are reprints, a tribute to Tuck by Bob Bloch and an article by Tucker himself. The original items are by Bob Tucker, Gregg Calkins, Bob Coulson,   “Phoenix”,  Sandy Sanderson and myself (part seven of “Colonial Excursion”). Bill Harry drew the cover. Rotsler, Atom and Barry Hall contributed the artwork.

FEMIZINE 11 (Ethel Lindsay, Courage House, 6 Langley Avenue, Surbiton, Surrey. 1/- or  15 cents. 30pp). Paying a very welcome visit to the zinescene is the Woman’s Viewpoint, ably put together in fanzine form by Ethel Lindsay. Sandy Sanderson inaugurated the zine in the guise of Joan W. Carr and Pamela Bulmer who took over from him as editor has now passed the zine on to Ethel. Ethel has alrcady put out one issue under the title of DISTAFF but because of public feeling FEMIZINE has now reverted to its original and highly-esteemed title. The duplication is not of the highest standard being mostly blue print on coloured paper - I don’t mind coloured paper, but blue on blue or green! - nor is the layout; where are the Atoms and Ted Whites of Femmefandom?   “FEZ” is however an informal and entertaining piece of reading with contributions by Ethel, Pat Ellington, Bobbie Wild, Betty Kujawa, Joy Clarke, Christine Moskowitz, Elinor Busby (on G.M. Carr) and Frances Evans. Of special interest are articles by Miriam Carr and Pamela Bulmer, whose column is a neatly presented London report.

BOB MADLE AND DON FORD announce the formation of a new fan club, FIRST FANDOM, a non-profit organisation with dues of one dollar per annum. “Most of the money,” they say, “will be expended in a club bulletin which will maintain an up to date roster of members...allowing them to get in touch with old friends they’ve been wanting to contact for years.” If you had some contact with S.F. and/or fandom before 1st Jan.1938 you might contact Don at Box 19 -T,  RR2, Loveland, Ohio, USA.

ALAN DODD says that he is holidaying in Spain this summer. KEN CHESLIN sends a clipping from the SUNDAY DISPATCH which puts forward the theory that Phobos and Deimos, the moons of Mars, are in fact “man-made artificial sateliites.” Seventeen British fans voted in the Detention Hugo Award nomination polls. This strikes me as being an extremely enthusiastic way of showing Archie Mercer who ran off the voting forms for SKYRACK and VECTOR that he’s wasting his time. We’ll see whether we can’t do better next time, huh? The final voting forms will be circulated shortly, again courtesy Archie. Talk of Archie reminds me that one day a couple of weeks ago the Harrogate SFS paid him a surprise visit (courtesy hitch hiking, Ron). He was out.

WALT WILLIS has moved. His new address is 27 Clonlee Drive, Belfast. Walt gave a nice writeup on Oblique House in FANAC, a rival newszine of minor import. Presumably Walt wanted to be encouraging...... No news has been forthcoming from Liverpool as to how the LaSFaS spent its Whitsun holiday. You people trying to drive me out of business or sumpn?

PHIL ROGERS has also moved. New address is 5 First Avenue, Burringham X-Rds, Scunthorpe, Lines.

Because Sandy Sanderson has been crowded with office work, APORRHETA 11 has not yet appeared but Sandy tells me that it will be mailed this weekend, shortly to be followed by No 12 which contains material by Grennell, Bloch, Warner,etc.