Birmingham Science Fiction Group
Encyclopedia
The Birmingham Science Fiction Group, (BSFG), also known as the Brum Group, was founded in 1971 (the first meeting was held on 25 June) http://www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/SF-Archives/Then/then_4-1.html. It is non-profit-making, and runs regular meetings in Birmingham
, England
, where SF fans
can meet one another and professionals in the field informally. It also runs the annual sf convention Novacon
http://www.smof.com/conrunner/C4ed.htm.
's hardback memoir With Stars in My Eyes).
Initially, it shared Britain's second city with the Aston Science Fiction Group, which hosted the first Novacon that same year; by 1972, the Brum Group had become the dominant sf gathering in the region and took over Novacon from that year onwards. In contrast to many of its contemporaries, the BSFG had a formal constitution (copied in part from a local branch of the Young Conservatives) and held formal meetings each month, usually with a guest speaker.
Peter Weston won the 1983 election for BSFG chair on a platform of re-engaging the Group with wider British fandom; parties were hosted at conventions and an amateur press association
set up (APA-B, later known as The Organisation). The project detached within 18 months, but the BSFG still runs Novacon (plus three one-off mini-conventions, 10th Anniversary Con in 1981, Fifteencon in 1986 and Twentycon in 1991; the last was viewed as a financial disaster and the thirtieth anniversary was marked with a small post-meeting party). In the early 1980s, the BSFG was also involved with a media event, Filmcon, but eventually withdrew its support due to concerns over the organisation and Filmcon was cancelled.
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where SF fans
Science fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or "fandom" of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy and in contact with one another based upon that interest...
can meet one another and professionals in the field informally. It also runs the annual sf convention Novacon
Novacon
Novacon is an annual science fiction convention, usually held each November in the West Midlands, UK. It is now the annual convention of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group.-History:...
http://www.smof.com/conrunner/C4ed.htm.
History
There were at least two previous versions of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group prior to the launch of the current incarnation in 1971 (many of those involved had been members of the 1960s fan scene, described in Peter WestonPeter Weston
Peter Weston is a British science fiction fan. Now retired, he lives in Birmingham, UK.Weston's made many contributions in fan writing, fanzine editing, convention-running and in local science fiction clubs. His 1960s pseudonym "Malcolm Edwards" caused some confusion several years later, when a...
's hardback memoir With Stars in My Eyes).
Initially, it shared Britain's second city with the Aston Science Fiction Group, which hosted the first Novacon that same year; by 1972, the Brum Group had become the dominant sf gathering in the region and took over Novacon from that year onwards. In contrast to many of its contemporaries, the BSFG had a formal constitution (copied in part from a local branch of the Young Conservatives) and held formal meetings each month, usually with a guest speaker.
Peter Weston won the 1983 election for BSFG chair on a platform of re-engaging the Group with wider British fandom; parties were hosted at conventions and an amateur press association
Amateur press association
An amateur press association is a group of people who produce individual pages or magazines that are sent to a Central Mailer for collation and distribution to all members of the group.-Organisation:...
set up (APA-B, later known as The Organisation). The project detached within 18 months, but the BSFG still runs Novacon (plus three one-off mini-conventions, 10th Anniversary Con in 1981, Fifteencon in 1986 and Twentycon in 1991; the last was viewed as a financial disaster and the thirtieth anniversary was marked with a small post-meeting party). In the early 1980s, the BSFG was also involved with a media event, Filmcon, but eventually withdrew its support due to concerns over the organisation and Filmcon was cancelled.
Notable members and officers
- Honorary Presidents Brian AldissBrian AldissBrian Wilson Aldiss, OBE is an English author of both general fiction and science fiction. His byline reads either Brian W. Aldiss or simply Brian Aldiss. Greatly influenced by science fiction pioneer H. G. Wells, Aldiss is a vice-president of the international H. G. Wells Society...
, Harry HarrisonHarry HarrisonHarry Harrison is an American science fiction author best known for his character the Stainless Steel Rat and the novel Make Room! Make Room! , the basis for the film Soylent Green...
& Bob ShawBob ShawBob Shaw, born Robert Shaw, was a science fiction author and fan from Northern Ireland. He was noted for his originality and wit. He won the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 1979 and 1980... - Steve GreenSteve Green (journalist)Steve Green is a former newspaper reporter turned freelance journalist, who has also written short fiction and poetry...
http://efanzines.com/Apparatchik/69-green.html - David A. HardyDavid A. HardyDavid A. Hardy , is the longest-established living space artist, having illustrated his first book in 1954....
http://www.hardyart.demon.co.uk/pages-links/linkorg.html - Co-founder Rog PeytonRog PeytonRoger "Rog" Peyton is an English science fiction fan, bookseller, editor and publisher from Birmingham.Peyton has been an active member of science fiction fandom since 1961, when he co-founded the Birmingham Science Fiction Group. From 1964 to 1966, he served as editor for the British Science...
- Martin TudorMartin Tudor (science fiction activist)Martin Tudor is an active British science fiction fan, editor or co-editor of several science fiction fanzines , and a member of various convention committees, most notably Novacon . He ran the fan programme at the 1987 worldcon in Brighton...
http://news.ansible.co.uk/a134.html - Co-founder Peter WestonPeter WestonPeter Weston is a British science fiction fan. Now retired, he lives in Birmingham, UK.Weston's made many contributions in fan writing, fanzine editing, convention-running and in local science fiction clubs. His 1960s pseudonym "Malcolm Edwards" caused some confusion several years later, when a...
http://checkpoint.ansible.co.uk/cp021.html
External links
- Birmingham SF Group website
- Complete list of formal meetings from 1971 on
- Novacon 37 website
- BSFG entry in Encyclopedia Of British SF Jargon
- THEN - History of British Science Fiction - many references to group, including launch on 25 June 1971
- With Stars in My Eyes:My Adventures in British Fandom by Peter WestonPeter WestonPeter Weston is a British science fiction fan. Now retired, he lives in Birmingham, UK.Weston's made many contributions in fan writing, fanzine editing, convention-running and in local science fiction clubs. His 1960s pseudonym "Malcolm Edwards" caused some confusion several years later, when a...
. Publ. Sep 2004 by NESFA Press. ISBN 1-886778-55-8 - Prolapse #3, published 2006, with separate articles on BSFG activities in the mid-1980s and Apa-B, the group's amateur press association
- UK SF Book News links to notable BSFG activities
- Ansible News - many references to Group
- Review of Alastair Reynolds Understanding Space and Time, published by the Birmingham Science Fiction Group