London Circle

from Fancyclopedia 2 ca. 1959

(aka London O or Elsie Horde). An informal club, originally, with no dues, no rules, and no actual membership aside from the regular attendees at the "White Horse" pub in Fetter Lane on Thursday nights. (More informal than this it is hard to be.) Renowned for its wit, intelligence, and lethargy. Most famous member is Arthur C Clarke (whose Tales of the White Hart are a reference to the Circle's old assembly-point), who never misses a Thursday unless he's off somewhere annoying the fish. Other members are such eminentissimi as Ted Tubb, Ted Carnell, Vin¢ Clarke, Bill Temple, Ken Bulmer, and every London-dwelling pro-author plus most area fans. Vin¢ is the leader of the trufan set among them, and has had at least a hand in almost all their fanzines. The Circle is famed also for its conventioneering; despite slanders from the North-English fen, they are fine organizers and seldom get the credit they deserve. When the licensee moved to another pub, "The Globe" in Hatton Gardens, the Circle moved with him, but the new place proved inadequate and Vin¢ Clarke began agitation for separate quarters for the club; repercussions have not clarified themselves as of this writing. Declining attendance in mid-1958 led to the establishment of a more formal organization, with "official" meetings once a month.