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BRITISH FANTASY SOCIETY
PROSPECTUS

OBJECT
To bring together for their common good persons interested in scientific or weird fantasy.
CONSTITUTION
  • Membership is open to everyone sufficiently interested in fantasy to want to join.
  • Members are admitted on receipt of an Entrance Fee of 1/-, and will be issued with membership cards on which will be stated the member's number.
  • The Society will be controlled in the first place by an Executive Committee elected annually by the members, and consisting of President, Director, Secretary, Treasurer, and Librarian. To assist in matters of policy it is intended to elect an Advisory Board of five members under the control of a Co-ordinator. Nominations for this may be made by any individual member, and providing these are received the election of the Advisory Board will take place at the same time as that of the Executive Committee.
  • When the size of the Society demands it, Regional Groups may be formed, of such a size that the members may meet in person at reasonably frequent intervals. Such Groups will form their own constitution and function as semi-independent entities within the parent body.
  • Subscriptions will be asked for by the Executive Committee whenever they consider that the financial state of the Society demand additional funds being raised, within a maximum of 5/- per annum. In order to keep down expenditure it is requested that all communications to the members of the Executive Committee and Advisory Board which require replies be accompanied by at least a postage stamp, preferably a stamped, addressed economy label or envelope.
  • The Executive Committee retain the right to bar any member from any or all of the priveleges of the Society if his behaviour is prejudicial to the common good of his fellow members.
ACTIVITIES
  1. The periodic issue of a Bulletin giving news of and discussing the affairs of the Society. It will be circulated free to all members with the Futurian War Digest, but non-subscribers to the latter will have to pay postage on the Bulletin. The Bulletin will be named.
  2. A library of fantasy books and magazines will be maintained for the use of members. Application should be made to the Librarian, Mr. Jack Gibson, 7 Belmont Road Parktone, Dorset. A catalogue of literature available will be issued to all members, and this will be brought up-to-date from time to time. Postage must be paid both ways by the borrower, and books borrowed must be returned within a month of their receipt.
  3. Members willing to loan books or magazines out of their own private collections directly to other members are asked to send the Librarian a list of such books that they wish to make available. As it is not feasible to issue a catalogue covering these, prospective borrowers should communicate with the Librarian giving a list of their requirements, when he will notify them of a possible source of supply. The borrower may then contact the prospective loaner direct under the same conditions as apply under Paragraph 2.
  4. In addition to the fantasy field most members have libraries of a greater or lesser extent of assorted literature, and many will be willing to loan from these also. Facilities will be granted for members to advertise their requirements in general or in detail in the Bulletin, when anyone capable and willing to loan the book or books in question may communicate with the advertiser direct.
  5. A Liaison Officer, Mr. Douglas Webster, "Idlewild", Fountainhall Road, Aberdeen, will give on request to any member a list of other members in his neighbourhood in reasonable visiting distance. This is designed primarily for the benefit of members of the Forces. It is essential that members should keep the Society up-to-date with their addresses as far as is possible.
  6. Correspondents will be arranged for if requested.

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  1. Official notepaper and econonmy labels with a printed heading will be available for purchase by members at cost price, plus a small additional charge to cover cost of handling.
  2. Endeavours will be made to answer general queries from members on such subjects as the Society may reasonably be expected to have information. Enquiries should be addressed in the first place to the Secretary, who will submit them if necessary to the Advisory Board, or to any member having specialised knowledge regarding the subject of the query.
  3. Mr. Carnell has volunteered to assist with as Advisor and Agent any member desiring to submit manuscripts to professional publishers, a task for which he is eminently fitted by reason of his experience and American contacts. (17 Burwash Road, Plumstead, London S.E.18).
  4. Contact with American fandom will be maintained as much as possible, and as a first stage in this the Society will arrange for correspondences to be initiated between (British) Society members and American fans. An American Liaison Officer will be appointed to assist in this.
  5. Suggestions for additions to the above are invited from members, and will be submitted to the Advisory Board. If the suggestion is rejected the member proposing may claim the right to have it submitted to the general vote of the Society if he can find two or more members to second it.
FUNCTIONS OF THE OFFICIALS
PRESIDENT and DIRECTOR will share between them as convenience demands the governing through
the Executive Committee of the Society.
SECRETARY will deal with all correspondence not addressed to any other official, will keep a record of
the members, of the tranactions of the Executive Committee, prepare matter for the Bulletin, etcetera.
TREASURER will take charge of the funds of the Society, will receive entrance fees and other monies, will
pay expenses as passed by the Executive Committee, will prepare an Annual Balance Sheet and act as
financial advisor.
LIBRARIAN will be in charge of Activities 2 and 3 and will also act as a member of
the Executive Committee.
COORDINATOR OF THE ADVISORY BOARD will initiate discussions amongst the members of the
A.B. on such subjects as may be requested by the President or Director, and will collate and submit the
information so gained.
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  • Address all general communications about the Society to the Secretary, Mr D. R. Smith, 13 Church Road, Hartshill, Nuneaton who will also be pleased to answer any enquiries.
  • For matters affecting the Library, the address of the Librarian. Mr Jack Gibson, is 7 Belmont Road, Parkstone, Dorset.
  • Although our President, Mr E. J. Carnell, is on active service, he will devote as much attention as circumstances permit to the Society. He is to be reached at 17 Burwash Rd. Plumstead, London, S.E.18.
  • Address of the Director, Mr J. M. Rosenblum is 4 Grange Terrace, Chapeltown, Leeds 7.
  • The Bulletin of the Society is published at sixweekly intervals and is incorporated with the mailing sent out with. "The Futurian War Digest", which publication is available from 4 Grange Terrace, Leeds 7 at 3d per copy.
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BFS
FRONT PAGE
Notes:

1) Scans of the Prospectus supplied by Al Durie, & forwarded by Greg Pickersgill.

2) The Prospectus was printed on two sheets, on the rear of which were pages from the American fanzines whose print overruns were used for this purpose. These have not been included here.