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BOB RICHARDSON: The Cheltenham Science Fiction Circle was formed in September 1956 by our President Eric Jones, ably assisted. by Peter Mabey M.A. and Eric's wife Margaret. these members of the West Country SF Society, taking advantage. of the Cheltenham Hobbies Exhibition in the Town Hall put up an SF stand there and enrolled a dozen new members. WCSFS then emerged with the new fen to form the CSFC. Our first meeting on October 7 was held at the Jones residence and from then on we met fortnightly in the private bar of the "Prince of Wales. Later was acquired a private room at the Pittville Hotel and by popular demand the meetings were held weekly. About 50% of our members attended CYTRICON III, Easter last year, and there to the surprised delight of the fen and Liverpool group in particular we staged a St. Fantony ceremony, of Knighthood. This is our own way of recognising and rewarding TRUFANMANSHIP. Again the same percentage of Cheltenham fen attended the 15th World Con, where we staged a full dress St. Fantony ceremony, initiating six British and six North American fen, as Knights (and one lady) of the Order. This was a star feature of the Sunday activities. Also at London both models of the Heironymous Psionics machine were exhibited by Eric who has built, we believe, the only machines outside of the US. In October last year we rented a five roomed basement flat and began rebuilding and redecorating it. The work was completed last February, and we now have clubroom second to none. To celebrate its completion and as a sort of unofficial opening, we invited Terry Jeeves, Archie Mercer, and eight of the Liverpool group down to attend a CHELTSUBMICROCON. This was a great success and our HYDYNE punch is now fomous throughout provincial fandom. Fuller details are given in our exclusive fanzine SPASMODIC [see link below] so-called because it is produced when we find the time. Apart from our redecorating efforts we have been kept busy with the making of our colour and sound film THE TEST. This is the first SF film produced in fandom and all scenery, costumes, models, etc., have been made and built by members of the CSFC. Its been long and hard work all the way but we believe we have produced a first rate amateur film. We are an ACTIVE group and we welcome new members, who will find we cater for all tastes and that our activities are numerous and interesting. Further news of CSFC will be found in future issues of this fanzine. In the meantime information can be obtained from our Secretary: Audrey Eversfield, 55 Langdale Field, Cheltenham, Gloucs. - from PERIHELION #3 (August 1958, ed. Bryan Welham and Barry Hall)
GEOFF WINTERMAN (in 2021): I have fond memories of the Cheltenham Science Fiction Circle around 1958 to 1963. Memories of stumbling across the Cheltenham Science Fiction Circle club rooms on London Road just out of the town centre. There used to be a Rolls Royce Dealer at the traffic lights nearby but in 1958 I settled for my trusty Lambretta. I'm not sure how I came to be walking up London Road that dark, wet autumn evening, but I suddenly glimpsed, up a weed strewn path leading to a decrepit Georgian terraced house, a flickering coloured illuminated sign: "Cheltenham Science Fiction Circle" I paused, before what was on the sign registered. I initially pictured some seedy strip-joint hiding away there. Science Fiction! I was and still am an avid reader of SF, but up until that point had never heard of Science Fiction Clubs or of 'Fandom', or Groups or conventions. I cautiously followed the path to the flickering sign, then down some steps and though a door and into a basement room stacked high with hundreds of books - SF Books! I was in an Aladdin's Cave of Science Fiction. Later to learn that this was the BSFA Library. I was greeting by Peter Mabey then the BSFA librarian assisted by someone who I remember as 'Humph'. They were packing books for postal loan. That was Peter Mabey. His warm welcome that miserable night certainly drew me in.
Through the library into the club room with that amazing wall smothered in graffiti and signatures of the then great and good of British Science Fiction and Fandom. The toilet tucked away behind a door in the corner that if you glanced up you were confronted with a booted foot seemingly coming down from the floor above! Audrey Eversfield was Secretary then, always busy making order out of chaos. I think at some point I fell in love with her but she went off to live in Paris! I did give her a ride on my Lambretta though. SF artist Eddie Jones was about then - bit of a character I recall. I remember Colin Kapp always sucking on his pipe. I was bursting with pride when he asked me to take his photo for the cover of 'New Worlds' that was publishing one of his short stories. The photo was taken in the Cheltenham Science Fiction Circle club room. (see here) Barbridge Road I visited many times. In 1959 I gave up my job in the Lloyds Bank in Winchcombe to training in Cheltenham to be a teacher. At around that time my folks moved from Cheltenham to Cornwall so, though I was immersed in student life, Eric and Margaret were always there to offer friendship, support. I remember the "Green Lady" print on their sitting room wall. Very popular at the time. Audios (1961):
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