At the Edge of the World

Convention
Name:	At the Edge of the World (Edgecon)
Dates:	7th-8th August 1982
Frequency:	once
Location:	England (at The Bull and Vernon Hall, London)
Type:	fan-run
Focus:	Blake's 7
Organization:
Founder:
Founding Date:
URL:
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At the Edge of the World (Edgecon) was a 2-day Blake's 7 con held in England in 1982.

front cover of the program book

back cover of the program book

flyer printed in B7 Complex #2

There were approximately 475 fan names listed in the program book as attendees.

Peter Anghelides (right) pictured with Frontier Worlds

Guests included Peter Tuddenham, Chris Boucher, Mat Irvine, Tony Attwood, Sheelagh Wells, and (surprise arrival) Gareth Thomas, who presented the prizes at the end of the convention. Michael Keating was due to attend, but was delayed as the play he was performing in finished late.

Programming included talks by Irvine, Tuddenham, Boucher, Keating (cancelled); cosplay competitions in three categories (Blake's 7, sci-fi, and "plain way-out") and other competitions, viewing of B7 bloopers and other films, a B7 Mastermind competition. The BBC Effects department also displayed many of the models used in the programme.

Presumably the convention took its name from the series 3 episode 'City at the Edge of the World'. Its con zine was Edge-zine.

There are photos and con reports in Horizon Newsletter #8. The convention was also reported on in Marvel's Blake's 7 Monthly #14 (November), which reported that "those followers of the show who have launched into print their own BLAKE'S 7 stories were hard at work. Business was brisk as latest issues of Horizon, Frontier Worlds, Standard by Seven, Slave, etc, sold like hot cakes.". Peter Anghelides, future Big Finish/profic writer, was among the fans pictured and named.

Con Accounting, and a Big Check

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  con finances, printed in Horizon Newsletter #9

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  presentation of the charity check, printed in Horizon Newsletter #9

Marvel B7 Article

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Photos from "Horizon Newsletter" 8

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Convention Program

As well as the con zine, Edgecon produced a 22-page con program, which contained biographies of the lead characters and production staff, as well as a programme of events.

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Con Reports and Fan Comments

1982

There I was, with my feet up, totally confident that at long last I could relax. The convention was over. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed it and the accounts were nearly finalised. "Great”, I said, MI want nothing more to do with conventions." Then along came Diane. "Why donft you write a report on Edgecon so that people will know what happened behind the scenes?" "No, " I said, "I want to be alone to forget." All very dramatic and not strictly true. I couldn’t understand why anyone should want to know what goes on behind the scenes in any case but I was forced persuaded that this report was a GOOD IDEA. So here goes folks.

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away... whoops, wrong fantasy. Anyway, we can all blame Richard Van der Voort for getting us involved in Edgecon. He was Chairman and he picked the Committee. Looking bade now, it was indeed a long time ago and so very many things were uncertain that we couldn’t even advertise the programme properly. Obviously, we wanted to invite as many of the ’Blake’s Seven’ cast as possible. We also wanted to be able to show video cassettes of the programme. So we’d immediately set ourselves two major problems. Very few actors can commit themselves to a charity event over a year in advance. There is absolutely no way they can predict what their work commitments will be. We decided to invite as many of the stars as possible but to make it fairly informal until nearer the date. At that stage most of them expressed an interest in coming. Obviously, we couldn’t afford to pay fees so we couldn’t contract the actors to appear. They were, therefore, under no obligation to turn up. As for the video cassettes - way back in July 1981 the committee had no idea how many people would register, and therefore how much money would be available. At that time we thought we were being terribly extravagant in asking BBC Enterprises for 4 episodes - we then estimated on a bill of nearly £600. We also had to get copyright waivers from everyone involved - do you know how many letters I typed?.’ And envelopes! And a second time around for those who didn’t reply straight away’ Eventually even that came together and we got the cassettes. We also got a bill for only £400. Good old Auntie Beeb!

In the meantime, we were taking registrations, writing letters, producing progress reports, having regular meetings, sending out advertising material, finding out the venue was double-booked for the Saturday (total panic!), looking for alternate venues, trying to scrounge equipment, etc, etc, etc.

Eventually THE weekend arrived. Had we done everything? Would everyone turn up? was too late now to do anything about it so we plunged in headfirst. 3y the time the convention was over we knew what we’d got. right and what had gone wrong. Yes, there were faults in the organisation. There are always breakdowns in cojanuni- cation with any event of this size and we had the added problem of a split venue on the Saturday. There was a snag with the dealers* tables on both days initially because no-one had thought to label the tables and it became a bit of a free for all, but I think most dealers were experienced enough convention goers to be able tocope. The registration desk was chaotic at times because too many people arrived before If.00 am and got confused with the stewards. There should have been a large scale map in the Bull registration area showing exactly where everything was and we should have displayed the video timetable a bit more prominently. Talking of the videos, sorry about the delay in starting on Saturday but the equipment was late arriving because of a fault at the Vernon, ah, the best laid plans... A couple of programme items were cut or cut short for various reasons but we were able to add an extra Visual Effects talk. be also had to drop the two formal autograph sessions as both 1 At Irvine and Chris Boucher had to rush off. Again, because of the split venue, it was a little difficult to let everyone know, be also forgot to advertise our special guests properly. We hadn’t been able to put them into the convention booklet because it had to go to press some time before the weekend. Again, sorry.

Now onto the Sunday and into what should have been our mean venue all along. I think we managed to get everything sorted out - even the Art Show did a miraculous move upstairs. Thank you, stewards. And the auction! V.hat an auction! I just couldn’t believe the amount of money v/e raised. £383.00! lost of the items were donated ie all the money went straight to Diabetes Research. So items like the teleport bracelet (£75) and Chris Boucher’s handwritten version of ’Blake’ (£79) were very generous donations indeed. I don’t think Paul Holroyd, who made the bracelet, has recovered from the shock yet.

Of course, Sunday was the day we hoped to have our main guests and that was when disaster struck. But for us, not them. They were nearly all offered work which meant they had to be out of London. There was no way we could know this until the last minute and so there was no way we could arrange alternate guests. Now you see why we didn’t advertise in advance - I for one didn’t want to be lynched when Paul Darrow didn’t turn up! Fortunately, the lovely Peter Tuddenham came along and our special guest, Gareth Thomas, gave the prizes at the closing ceremony - and no, we didn’t bribe him to come! It would have been great to have the rest of the crew there but I wouldn’t want them to turn down work even for a B7 convention.

Again, there were moments of chaos. In the rush to blade, out the Vernon Hall on Saturday everyone forgot the skylight in the Bull. The food on Sunday wasn’t quite what we had requested and we were as surprised as everyone else when the bars stayed shut on Sunday afternoon. Again a breakdown in communications. We didn’t know till later that the Bull had been unable to extend their licence and they didn’t recilise that we would have paid to have a soft drinks bar open. Ah, such is life.

I’m sure other things went wrong that haven’t come to our attention but we haven’t had any letters of complaint yet. Criticism we can take, and reply to, but condemnation without a hearing is unfair to those people who gave so generously of their time, money and equipment. We were very fortunate indeed to get free or with a generous discount such items as a video projector, 8mm projector, films and screen, a 16mm double-headed projector (to show the ’blooper’ with sound at last) a disco plus everything else. Sven though we offered expenses, not one guest claimed any. The British Diabetes Association came along with their display for free. The Bull took only a fraction of their normal fee.

And, of course, there were lots of things that went right. 400 fans of B7 got together to watch it, talk about it, meet new friends, buy material, join fan clubs, and generally enjoy themselves. We also showed a lot of new fans what a convention can be like and hopefully they will come along to others for 37 or indeed to any of the many science fiction conventions held every year. We had a variety of films and a couple of added extras in the video programme. We had a marvellous art and model show. Several good talks. Even the Scavenger Hunt tvent well - and I make no apologies for the clues in that. The Fancy Dress was excellent. The dealers nearly sold out. The guests came along and enjoyed themselves. And I think most of the fans enjoyed themselves and that is what itTs all about. All in all I feel it was a good convention and that we succeeded in entertaining whilst raising a considerable amount for our chosen charity and I don't think many people would complain about that.

Everything looked as though it were running very smoothly, an impression which remained with me the whole weekend. Whatever may have gone on behind the scenes (and did, as the sight of Diane collapsing on the floor most nights following a Committee meeting demonstrated) none of it showed in the efficient and overridingly friendly way in which the Con was managed. 10 out of 10 for effort, chaps.

The Bull is a very nice place to hold a Con.- it’s large, but intimate enough to make you feel at home (you don’t have to apply to the missing persons bureau when you mislay a friend, as was the case at Star One - opps, hush my mouth! ) The staff were very friendly and ’ unshockable’, especially the bar staff who, even after the 5th visit from me for change were still smiling. It was a shame about the Vernon Hall, which did lack a certain something in the way of style, but let me assure you, the Edgecon Committee weren’t over the moon about it either!

Throughout the two days, one could see stewards rushing everywhere (and other places too). Committee members stalking the venue, eagle eyed (and in the case of Maggie, who got caught by the make-up talents of Donna and Alan, green faced), and Conventioneers generally having a good time.

I remember with pleasure Chris Boucher’s question and answer session - he was very funny and distinguished himself by hedging around EVERY question the audience asked him. He did make my day, however, when he agreed with me that Avon was a raving loony - and he should know, n’est ce pas? Most people seemed pleased with him, although there were a few irate questions on the subject of ’Blake’ (episode 13, not the Man Himself).

Then of course there was Peter Tuddenham, a lovely man who has been at every B7 convention so far and seems unflagging in his desire to please his fans. I do wish, however, that there were more sensible questions flying around the hall. It’s very embarrassing when someone says "Any questions?'" and is greeted with dead silence!

I still can’t believe that those amazing voices all come out of one man, especially when I’m watching him do it!

From what people have told me, Mat Irvine’s talk went down very well - but as I was chained to the Horizon table at the time, I missed it. Still, I’ve seen his antics with Boris the Spider before. Saturday evening means the Fancy Dress Parade and the Disco. My lips are sealed on this subject as I snucked off to ’somewhere else' that evening (take away a stripe). I hear, though, that the Fancy Dress produced some excellent costumes and the Disco was terrific if you like Discos. No surprises there.

Sunday brought us all together in the Bull, and very cosy it was tool I had a chance to stroll around the artwork and model entries which were all of a very high standard - I particularly liked the drawing of Myal Lemyal, and marvelled (as usual) over Paul Holroyd’s models! Not in the competition, but very much in evidence was the extraordinary work of ’Gamah’ who also designed the superb covers for the Edgecon zine. I drooled over these for a while and wished I’d got the odd £40 on me. Which brings me to the auction. Like many others, I sat open-mouthed with amazement that so many were so willing to spend so much on so little... though I shouldn't mock, the amount raised for charity was marvellous, and I think Jim made a dead good auctioneer!

I paid a visit to the video room in time to catch an all-time favourite of mine "Lost in Space” and a bigger load of rubbish I never spent a more marvellous 50 minutes with. Wow. Where does Irwin get his ideas) And hew the hell did Don manage to crawl back into the minibus???? Joining the throng again, 1 caught the Fan Panel, with a very entertaining chicken from outer space being interviewed by my sister. The script was in the best tradition of Monty Python (copies available from HQ??!I?) and the acting from both parties was faultless. I especially liked the bit about Blake and the child molesting.... I wonder who was under the chicken mask?

It was very shortly after this that the crowning moment of the Convention arrived in the very welcome person of Gareth Thomas who was greeted with a huge standing ovation from everyone. It was wonderful to see him, especially since he makes it his policy NOT to attend conventions!! He presented the prizes and watched the hilarious Blooper Reel (which had already been shown, but was received much better the second time with Mr T. actually around to watch the cock-ups. And who could ever forget Blake, Avon and the Teddy? Anyway, he looked very well and ’moustached’!

Since the Convention ended, a number of people have complained that they were not told if any of the guest stars were coming, or not. Firstly, let me mention in passing that if Peter T and Gareth T are not ’Stars* of B7, then I don’t know who is, and secondly, had the committee actually known who was going to turn up, they would have told everyone. The truth being that a number of the actors/actresses had said they ’might7 be able to turn up and didn’t, due to pressure of work, etc. in the end. But the committee just did not know, even on Sunday, whether they were going to be able to make a 'surprise appearance” or not? What more could you ask?

From a personal point of view, the Con was the best B7 Con I’ve been to, very well run, and enjoyable, (everyone else seemed to enjoy it too) and also from Horizon’s point of view, as we made a nice lot of money ... see you in the Seychelles...

At the Edge of the World was the first convention I have been to, so I can make no comparisons. I cannot say either if it lived up to my expectations, because I was not sure what I expected from it, except that I hoped to enjoy myself and I did.

I was a little apprehensive about the level of sanity (or not) I might find, but the only overt lunacy surfaced during the auction - I still cannot believe some of the prices paid there! On the whole it was a very friendly weekend, peopled by a lot of ordinary folks like myself. There was a few costumes around to remind me that it was a SF weekend, and to give the locals something to look at whenever we ventured out. Their reaction was wonderful when the fancy dress contestants traipsed across to the Vernon Hall in all their finery. (You should have seen the looks I got when Sharon and I went to the Pizza Express for lunch on Sunday!I - Diane) i thought everyone coped well with the double venue on Saturday, but what a shame it was necessary when the Bull had been booked so far in advance. I'm sure the exercise must have been good for us. It also had the effect of doubling the chances of catching the video you wanted to see, as two video rooms were in operation on the Saturday. I was very pleased to see ' Shadow1, a wonderful series 2 story. It stood up very well in comparison with the series 3 episodes that were shown, and was far better than any of the series 4. However, it was very difficult to fit in a video as there was so much else going on.

I had never heard of Tony Attwood, but his talk was very interesting, what a shame his 'Blake' sequel will never be published. I loved the idea of Vila's tipsy computer. Chris Boucher was a surprise. I was quite prepared to dislike him after 'Blake' but he turned out to be a really charming speaker; pity he could not have gone on speaking all afternoon.

One disappointment on the Sunday was the number of guests we had been told hoped to come and in the event could not make it. I feel it would have been helpful, and interesting, in view of the number of possible guests named in the progress reports, if a notice could have been puton the board listing their current commitments if known, or just "so-and-so cannot make it today" (Ah, if only we'd known - Sd) Not making excuses, no excuses are necessary, but just to inform us; I cannot be the only one who came to the Con hoping to meet some of the crew and spent much of Sunday wondering if any were coming. (Us too - the Horizon contingent of the Edgecon Committee...)

Peter Tuddenham did come, and entertained us well. What a shame we could not think of some more penetrating questions. Then he spent ages signing autographs, and was still smiling at the end - I know - I was near the end. And of course, Gareth Thomas came. However did the committee persuade him to join us? I thought he disliked fan gatherings. He too spent ages signing - 'Shadow' was reshown during this, and he was still writing when it finished. I suppose the day will come when all those interested have the autographs of everyone involved and the goodwill of the crew will be less sorely put-upon. (Yes, I admit I too queued for autographs). Then he joined us for the reshowing of 'Blake's Bloops' which got an even better reception than before with the man himself watching with us. (Note to the committee - you could have shown this all weekend and done little else). Then he presented the prizes with great charm (well, he said something nice to me, anyway) and good humour, a really high note to end a good weekend.

A couple more thoughts. As 400 were registered, I was surprised how few entries there were in the art and model show. Where were you all? I particularly liked the drawing of Michael Keating/Vila as Myal Lemyal; a really good likeness. And I wish I'd tracked down the raffle ticket sellers - I?d have loved to have won a moon disc. How about it, committee? Capture another one as a Horizon prize for something. This was not intended as a full review so things have inevitably been missed out, but I am running out of superlatives. Thanks to all involved - especially Maggie Lokier who dealt so promptly with all my queries and found me a floor for the night; and Judith Cross who generously provided said floor, and put me in touch with a nearby fellow fan who kindly gave me a lift and provided company for the weekend.

One final query - when is the next one?

This is just to extend my thanks and congratulations to you and the rest of the committee for a very agreeable convention last weekend. I enjoyed myself thoroughly, as I’m sure everyone else did too. It makes a nice change to be able to enthuse about my fave TV programme in company that shares my views instead of thinking I ’m off my head. It-s also nice to be able to put faces and personalities to the names regularly encountered in various newsletters and zines, as you can after meeting them at such a gathering. One minor criticism - it7s a pity the video programme couldn't have been run at some time when there wasn’t anything important going on - it's hard work trying to work out how to see all the shows without missing guest speakers, blooper reels, etc] Perhaps next time you could run it alongside the disco for those of us who aren’t quite so energetic as others! (After playing nonstop virtually all day, I think the machines would have blown up! - Ed) Apart from the obvious highlights of the speakers and videos, one of the most enjoyable items was the blooper reel - as I’m sure you’ll agree. I’m all in favour of lots more of those in the future.

I would like to say that I loved every minute of 'Edgecon'. I thought it was wonderfully well organised, especially as the double booking on Saturday could have made things difficult. I was very impressed with 'The Bull' - I thought it was an excellent venue. Everything was so thoughtfully done - the badges, the convention booklet, and the big sign outside the Bull was superb! Most of all, though, I'd like to say "thank you' to everyone involved for working so hard and making it such a lovely weekend! I enjoyed every item and the videos were just what I wanted to see. Everyone was so friendly and it was a wonderful atmosphere to be in which I think is what it’s all about. I'm pleased that so much money seems to have been made for the charity, and I very much hope the committee decide to do another convention next year. (*****!!! - the committee) Everyone I spoke to said they were enjoying themselves and I'm sure you would have lots of support for another convention.

I am writing a short note to thank all the Edgecon committee for such a wonderful weekend. I didn’t know cons were like that, it was the first I had been to.... however, comparing it with some professional (library) conferences I have been to and various local events ranging from the slightly disorganised to the wildly chaotic. I was very impressed by the air of smoothness and efficiency with which everything - happened. I was impressed with the effortless way the Committee appeared to control all that was happening and still appear relaxed and happy to talk to anyone. (Ed. Amazing what a litre or two of adrenaline and soma will do!) I loved the Convention Booklet and the Edgezine is of such high quality I was stunned (I am actually referring to the production here but the stories were good too - the ones ! I didn’t write, I mean!1I) Are there any more copies of the zine for sale, by the way - I wouldn’t mind another.

It was a pity none of the stars except Peter could make it but that’s show biz, and if they hadn’t been in slow biz they wouldn’t have been in B7 at all! (I’m afraid Gareth Thomas still doesn’t count as a star of B7 for me, but this is a personal quirk and he seemed to satisfy a lot of people) (Ed - I should point out at this point that poor Judith didn’t spot the series until half way through ’Volcano’ and so far despite determined efforts we have been unable to convince her of the necessity for ’this Blake person’ in the series. Any other volunteers?)

2014

This event was interesting, in that we had two venues and had to walk from one to the other...which made for some very interesting reactions when everyone taking part in the Fancy Dress Competition had to walk about in broad daylight! Highlight? Due to the amount of traffic, some of us from far flung places like New Milton and Waterlooville had to wait in the 'Bull' for the traffic to die down.....as did Mr Gareth Thomas and wife who returned to the pub for the same reason! Cue drinks all round!!