DECADENT WINNIPEG FANDOM
— The name by which five active Winnipeg faneds were known in the late 1970s. They were: Garth Danielson, faned of ‘BOOWATT’, Randy Reichardt, faned of ‘WINDING NUMBERS’, James A. Hall, faned of ‘JABBERWOCKY’, Michael S. Hall, faned of ‘LAID’, & Stuart Gilson, a fan artist whose work appeared in such diverse zines as WINDING NUMBERS, SIMULACRUM, & US fan Mike Glyer’s SCIENTIFRICTION.
Writing in 1984, Chris Rutkowski commented: “Fandom in Winnipeg is in a strange state these days. Star Trek is really big here, and the club is really active… The SF group headed by the Mansfields …. is heavy on the D&D & Fantasy, as well as pop SF. The days of Decadent Winnipeg Fandom are long gone, I’m afraid. The closest thing these days is the motley crew that frequent Dim Sum on Saturday mornings.”
WINNIPEG SF SOCIETY
— Founded in the fall of 1950 and immediately affiliated with the moribund Canadian Science Fiction Association. Indeed, the Winnipeg fans are credited with getting CSFA back on its feet again. They initiated a survey to find out the state of CSFA, & discovered that only the McGill/Montreal, Picton, & Winnipeg clubs were viable at the time. But their efforts brought about a new CSFA executive who in turn initiated a series of projects. “The circulating library project was picked up by the Winnipeg group and several thousand books were assembled throughout 1951 & 1952.” The WSFS lasted at least as long as the CSFA, which was still going strong at the beginning of 1953. (JBR)
In fall of 1952 the CSFA published the CANADIAN FAN DIRECTORY listing all known Canadian fans. It is likely most of those listed with a Winnipeg address belonged to the Winnipeg Science Fiction Society. They are:
Cecil Anderson, Edward Baranet, W.H. Belyea, Robert E. Campbell, C. Myrna Carrothers, John P. Dowling, Doris Evans, Donald Fedoruk, Barry J. Ginsburg, Ernest Grey, Miriam Halprin, Doug Harding, B.R. Holmes, R.J. Kuchta, Dennis Lethbridge, Bob Lougheed, Agnar R. Magnusson, Cyrus J. McBean, R.J. McBey, Douglas Mitchell, Harry James Mutcher, Peter Nicolas, William I. Parks, Don Paterson, Roman Pohorecky, Walton Quesnel, Richard C. Rudd, John M. Scott, Bill Searle, Albert E. Stechinsin, Richard Stillwater, Morris C. Taylor, Dr. J.R. Van Horne & Hugh Walker.
Chester D. Cuthbert, who is listed as living in St. Vital, Manitoba, in 1952, was undoubtedly a member of the Winnipeg club. He served as President of the CSFA from 1951 to 1953, & perhaps longer.
[ See CANADIAN SCIENCE FICTION ASSOCIATION ]
THE SPECULATIVE FICTION SOCIETY OF MANITOBA
Formed circa 1985, published at least 4 issues of a newsletter, and a yearbook in 1986.Executive Directors (in 1986) consisted of Neil Summers, Jim Gillespie, Charles Perreault. Associated with KEYCON,
As Neil Summers wrote in the yearbook: “…we can list among our achievements the fact that we did become an entity. The toughest thing to do, always, is to overcome inertia. That we did, along with establishing regular monthly meetings in the Osborne Library Boardroom for a growing membership. Our Corporate Members are now located from Selkirk through to Altona. We have produced bookmarks and posters both for promotion and use by our members. During this period we have discovered several Winnipeg artists and writers… we are providing [ for KEYCON ] a hospitality suite with premium door prizes for those who pay us a visit… We do our best to keep our meetings informal while exchanging information about, and views on, the current state-of-the-genre.”
[ See THE SPECULATIVE FICTION SOCIETY OF MANITOBA YEARBOOK ]
THE WORLD FEDERATION OF CANADIAN FANS
— An idiotic title (implying what? An organization of Canadian fans scattered all over the world?) for a probably non-existent organization promoted by Donald Comstock of St. James, Manitoba circa 1952-1954 (Comstock is listed in the 1952 CANADIAN FAN DIRECTORY). His ad for this appeared in COOL, an unpublished zine by G.M. (probably) of Winnipeg, Manitoba, two pages of which were printed in CANADIAN FANDOM #22 (Sep 1954). (CAN FAN thought COOL was American, but internal evidence suggests twas Canadian, alas.)
Comstock’s ad read in part: “WFCF – We want you!! Are you a fan — then join us in fandom and get our official organ. This club is being organized on sound business principles. Send your three dollars now for your: membership card, constitutions, letter & envelopes, stickers for ordinary envelopes, the club fanzine… So send that three dollars now!”
Three dollars is a lot of money in the early 1950s. Plus there is no information in the ad about what the WFCF actually does, or who its members are. I suspect Comstock got no takers.
[ See THE WORLD FEDERATION OF CANADIAN FANZINES, COOL & ALLEX ]