The London Group
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| Community | |
|---|---|
| Name: | The London Group then The London Plus Group |
| Date(s): | 1976 to at least the mid-1990s |
| Moderator: | Kim Knight |
| Type: | discussion/social |
| Fandom: | see below |
| URL: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
The London Group was a local Trek group that met bi-monthly and began around 1976. It later became London Plus Group. There were apparently a number of smaller sub-groups. In 1995, one such met on Saturdays from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm at the Britannia Inter-Continental Hotel.
In 1981, a fan remembers:
Here in London we used to have a nice, friendly monthly meeting group called 'The London Plus Group.' It started off as a Star Trek group but the "Plus" meant that we could talk about anything we liked as well as include people from outside London. I even discovered through the group that I wasn't the only one who liked S&H (we had a meeting after the BBC showed 'Shootout' for the first time.). There's been so much backbiting and bitching in the past five years that the group has now fragmented into a dozen or so little groups and meetings just aren't fun anymore.[1]
In 1986, a fan remembers:
I started up the London Group of the WSF. aided and abetted by Kay Stagg and Fiona Graves - And from that initial meeting, WSF was an Informal picnic in St James Park, we have found ourselves becoming more and more involved in fandom. We were all new to active fandom. but somehow we have managed to produce zines and newsletters, as well as running several one day conventions and raising a good deal of money for the handicapped. But the best things has been the good fun and fellowship we have found along the way; and the new friends we have made both here and in the States. UFP '84 was the first big Star Trek convention we went to as a group and it was there we discovered what a zany sense of humour we all had. What with 12 pizzas smuggled Into the hotel under coats; the remains of said pizzas stuffed into someone's room at 2am in the morning, early morning calls in the middle of the night! And we were supposed to be grown people! I went home from that con with a stomache ache, I had laughed so much. We meet regularly now and always seem to find something to laugh about I think it must drive my neighbours up the wall when cars arrive and out pour a load of people wearing WSF—London Group sweatshirts (you must have seen them!). On one such occasion, we had to take delivery of a duplicator; go and visit a local school as a possible venue for a convention, and we were helping at the Diamond Riding Centre for the Handicapped Fun Day. As you can imagine, this involved lot of to-ing and fro-ing of about fifteen people all wearing WSF sweatshirts. The neighbours were almost beside themselves with curiosity! What on earth did WSF stand for and what were they all laughing and talking about? One poor soul could stand it no longer and actually came out onto her front lawn for a better view! Needless to say they still don't know what it was all about. Now we are all looking forward to our next big convention — UFP Con '86 and some more zany happenings! And my thanks to the London Group. It is a lot of hard work, but the fun and laughter make it all worthwhile.[2]