History

Past Eastercons

See also the Fancyclopedia and Wikipedia entries

This list is based on the list generated by Pat McMurray for the Memory Hole Annex. The original research for this page was done by Pat and based heavily on the historical work of Rob Hansen. Additional research and updates have been offered by several people, with particular thanks to Peter Weston.

Eastercon is a fairly loose term, by which is meant the British National SF Convention. This loose terminology would imply that it cannot legitimately be held in the Channel Islands or Northern Ireland, but the politics of terminology are beyond the scope of this document. We have followed Rob Hansen's listing in general, only making changes where we have documentary proof to back them up, or the convention chair has contacted us. For example, Rob lists 1952 as Loncon, but the 1952 Programme Book makes no such reference. The 1949 Programme Book calls that convention Loncon. We've followed Rob in calling the 1953 convention Coroncon, though from the Programme Book and other documents, it appears this convention was not called that at the time. We've also added some Guests where there are supporting documents, and added all committee members, again where the documentary proof exists. The committee members are those listed in the Programme Book or similar at-con or post-con publication as being on the committee. Corrections and additions are welcome.

Guests, especially in early years, are a complicated issue. One in particular we'd like to mention. At the 1944 Eastercon, Professor A M Low was intended to be the Guest Speaker, as per the Progamme Book, but he was unable to attend due to other commitments. We feel that guests that were invited but could not attend should still be listed.

This page would not exist without Rob Hansen's assistance, and we have accepted his numbering system as it stands. We would also like to quote his introduction to his revision of the list, produced for the 1989 Eastercon, Contrivance:

"The current series of British National conventions is traditionally numbered from the 1948 Whitcon. It was, however, not until 1955 that the national con was held over Easter rather than Whitsun, and the name 'Eastercon' came to be applied to the series. The earlier 1944 convention is not considered to be an 'Eastercon' in that sense."

"Previous convention lists have not shown a national convention in 1957. Recent research has, however, revealed that one took place, which necessitates a certain amount of renumbering. Fortunately, a case can be made for not counting Festivention, in 1951, as a national convention. It was planned as an international convention, to tie in with the Festival of Britain, and was, indeed, more international than many Worldcons of the time. It had attendees from as far away as the USA, Canada and Australia, as well as several European countries. With these adjustments, the 1971 convention can still be called Eastercon 22, and Contrivance remains the 40th British National SF Convention."

Early Conventions

Name	Location	Year	Date	Guest	Committee
	Leeds	1937	Unknown	Unknown
	London	1938	Unknown	Unknown
	London	1939	Unknown	Unknown
Midvention		1943	Easter	None	R R Jackass, Don Houston, Art Williams, A W Gardner, Ralph E Orme, J Michael Rosenblum, Tom Hughes, Art Busby
Eastercon	London	1944	Easter	Professor A M Low	Walter Gillings

Eastercons

#	Name	Location	Year	Date	Guest	Committee
1	Whitcon	London	1948	Whitsun	A Bertram Chandler	Wally Gillings, John Newman
2	Loncon	London	1949	Easter	Bill Temple	Mr Gillings and others
*	Festivention	London	1951	Whitsun	Forrest & Wendayne Ackerman, Lyell Crane	E J Carnell, Charles Duncombe, A Vincent Clarke, Miss A Lovett, F E Arnold, James Rattigan, H Ken Bulmer, Fred Brown, Ted Tubb
3	London Science Fiction Convention	London	1952	Whitsun	None	E J Carnell, C Duncombe, F Arnold, J Ratigan
4	Coroncon	London	1953	Whitsun	None	Fred Brown and others
5	Supermancon	Manchester	1954	Whitsun	John Russell Fearn	Unknown
6	Cytricon	Kettering	1955	Easter	None	Bill Panter, Danny Cowen, Joe Ayres, Al Lee, Stuart Mackenzie
7	Cytricon II	Kettering	1956	Easter	None	Vince & Joy Clark
8	Cytricon III	Kettering	1957	Easter	None	Dave Newman, Norman Shorrock
9	Cytricon IV	Kettering	1958	Easter	None	Dave Newman, Norman Shorrock
10	Brumcon	Birmingham	1959	Easter	Kenneth F Slater	Terry Jeeves, Bob Richardson, Ron Bennett, Norman Shorrock
11	London	London	1960	Easter	E J 'Ted' Carnell, Don Ford	Ella Parker, Bobbie Gray, Sandra Hall and Archie Mercer
12	LXICON	Gloucester	1961	Easter	Kingsley Amis, Archie Mercer	Eric Jones, Keith Freeman, Tony Walsh, Bob Parkinson, Ethel Lindsay
13	Ronvention	Harrogate	1962	Easter	Tom Boardman	Ron Bennett, Phil Rogers
14	Bullcon	Peterborough	1963	Easter	Edmund Crispin	Ken Slater, Pauline Jackson, Dave Barber
15	Repetercon	Peterborough	1964	Easter	Ted Tubb	Tony Walsh, Ethel Lindsay, George Locke
16	Brumcon II	Birmingham	1965	Easter	Harry Harrison	Ken Cheslin, Roger G Peyton, Mike Higgs, Charlie Winstone
17	Yarcon	Great Yarmouth	1966	Easter	Ron Whiting	Dave S Barber, Ken F Slater, Steve Oakey, Phil Rogers, Archie Mercer, Beryl Mercer
18	Briscon	Bristol	1967	Easter	John Brunner	Tony and Simone Walsh, Archie and Tony Mercer, Graham Boak, Brian Hampton
19	Thirdmancon	Buxton	1968	Easter	Ken Bulmer,Steve Stiles	Harry Nadler, Bill Burns, Eric Bentcliffe, Peter Day, Brian Marshall, Charles Partington, Dave Britton, Tom Holt, Tony Edwards, Colin Britch
20	Galactic Fair 1969	Oxford	1969	Easter	Judith Merril	E C Tubb, Kenneth Bulmer, Anne Keylock, Gerry Webb, John Brunner, Daphne Sewell, Jean Muggoch, Derek Stokes
21	SCI-CON 70	London	1970	Easter	James Blish	George Hay, Derek Stokes, Bill Burns
22	Eastercon 22	Worcester	1971	Easter	Ethel Lindsay, Anne McCaffrey	Vernon Brown, Roger Peyton, Bob Rickard, Peter Weston
23	Chessmancon	Chester	1972	Easter	Larry Niven	Tony Edwards, Harry Nadler, Bill Burns, Chuck Partington, Norman Shorrock, Dave Britton, Eddie Jones
24	OMPAcon '73	Bristol	1973	Easter	Samuel R Delany	Gerald Bishop, Ken Cheslin, Mike & Pat Meara, Fred Hemmings, Terry Jeeves, Brian Robinson
25	Tynecon	Newcastle	1974	Easter	Bob Shaw, Peter Weston	Ian Maule, Ian Williams, Rob Jackson, Harry Bell, Irene Bell
26	Seacon 75	Coventry	1975	Easter	Harry Harrison	John Brosnan, Graham Charnock, Pat Charnock, Christine Edwards, Malcolm Edwards, Robert Holdstock, Leroy Kettle, John Piggott, Peter Roberts
27	Mancon 5	Manchester	1976	Easter	Peter Roberts, Robert Silverberg	Pete Presford, Brian Robinson, Kevin Hall, John Mottershead, Harry Nadler, Charles Partington, Anita Presford, Roy Sharpe, Paul Skelton
28	Eastercon '77	Coventry	1977	Easter	John Bush	Pauline E Dungate, Laurence Miller, Dave Upton, Mike Brown, Rog Peyton, Marsha Jones, Greg Pickersgill, Simone Walsh, Chris Walton
29	Skycon	Heathrow	1978	Easter	Roy Kettle, Robert Sheckley	Kevin Smith, Dave Langford, Martin Hoare, Liese Hoare, Dermot Dobson, Stan Eling, Keith Oborn, Ian Maule, Eve & John Harvey
30	Yorcon	Leeds	1979	Easter	Graham & Pat Charnock, Richard Cowper	Mike Dickinson, David Pringle, Alan Dorey, Ian Williams, Carol Gregory, Kate Jeary, D West, Paul & Jan Matthews
31	Albacon 80	Glasgow	1980	Easter	Jim Barker, Colin Kapp	Bob Shaw, Gerry Gillin, Hal Rollason, The Cat, Neil Craig, Mike Molloy, Dave Ellis, Jimmy Robertson, John Dean, Martin Hoare, John Mooney
32	Yorcon 2	Leeds	1981	Easter	Tom Disch, Dave Langford, Ian Watson	David Pringle, Graham James, Alan Dorey, Simon Ounsley, Kate Jeary, John Colick
33	Channelcon	Brighton	1982	Easter	Angela Carter, John Sladek	Chris Atkinson, Jim Barker, Pat Charnock, Eve Harvey, Coral Jackson, Rob Jackson, Paul Kincaid, Janice Maule
34	Albacon II	Glasgow	1983	Easter	Marion Zimmer Bradley, Avedon Carol, James White	John Allardice, Henry Balen, Jim Barker, Iain Dickson, Dave Ellis, Martin Hoare, Bob Jewett, Chris O'Kane, Doug McCallum, Mick Molloy, Frances Jane Nelson, Joan Paterson, Bruce Saville, Ian Sorensen, Jean Thompson
35	Seacon '84	Brighton	1984	Easter	Pierre Barbet, Waldemar Kumming, Josef Nesvadba, Christopher Priest, Roger Zelazny	Arnold Akien, John & Marjorie Brunner, Chris Donaldson, Alan Dorey, Rochelle Dorey, John Fairey, Colin Fine, Ye Gerbish, Martin Hoare, Chris Hughes, Jan Huxley, Pauline Morgan, Paul Oldroyd
36	Yorcon III	Leeds	1985	Easter	Greg Benford, Linda Pickersgill	Paul Annis, Jim Darroch, Alan Dorey, Rochelle Dorey, Christine Donaldson, Alan Ferguson, Mike Ford, Graham James, Kate Jeary, Paul Oldroyd, Simon Ounsley, Anne Page, Simon Polley, Jimmy Robertson, Sue Simpson, Linda Strickler James
37	Albacon III	Glasgow	1986	Easter	Joe Haldeman, John Jarrold, Clive Barker, Pete Lyon	Jim Campbell, Madeleine Campbell, Joyce Craig, Neil Craig, Oscar Dalgleish, Vince Docherty, Cuddles, Iain Dickson, Dave Ellis, Kevin Henwood, Bob Jewett, Duncan Lunan, Bruce McDonald, Mark Meenan, Mike Molloy, Chris O'Kane, Ian Sorensen
38	BECCON '87	Birmingham	1987	Easter	Chris Atkinson, Keith Roberts, Jane Gaskell	Brian Ameringen, Simon Beresford, KIM Campbell, Jonathon Cowie, 1/2r Cruttenden, Richard Edwards, Tim Illingworth, Caroline Mullan, Bernard Peek, Roger Perkins, John Stewart, Pete Tyers, Kathy Westhead, Mike Westhead
39	Follycon	Liverpool	1988	Easter	Gordon Dickson, Gwyneth Jones, Greg Pickersgill, Len Wein	Michael Abbott, David Brown, Pat Brown, Colin Fine, Steve Linton, Karen Naylor, Gytha North, Joan Paterson, Richard the Rampant, Alison Scott, Mike Scott, Tibs
40	Contrivance	Jersey	1989	Easter	Avedon Carol, Rob Hansen, M John Harrison, Don Lawrence, Anne McCaffrey	Gwen Funnell, Peter Wareham, Roger Perkins, Steve Bull, Tim Illingworth, Rob Meades, Christina Lake, Steve Davies, Paul Dormer, Chris Cooper, Martin Hoare
41	Eastcon	Liverpool	1990	Easter	Iain Banks, Anne Page, SMS, (Nigel Kneale withdrew before the convention)	Lisanne Norman, Martin Easterbrook, James Steel, Chris O'Shea, Stuart Andrews, Helen McCarthy, Ken Slater, KIM Campbell, Hugh Mascetti. Special Committee Assistant: Jonathan Cowie
42	Speculation	Glasgow	1991	Easter	Rob Holdstock	John Fairey, KIM Campbell, Paul Oldroyd, Mark Meenan, Ian Sorensen
43	Illumination	Blackpool	1992	Easter	Geoff Ryman, Paul McAuley, Pam Wells	Amanda Baker, John Bray, Dave Clements, Dave Cooper, Alice Lawson, Steve Lawson, Anne Page, Rhodri James
44	Helicon	Jersey	1993	Easter	John Brunner, George R R Martin, Karel Thole, Larry van der Putte	Tim Illingworth, Steve Davies, Rob Meades, Mike Westhead, Eddie Cochrane, Chris Cooper, Martin Easterbrook, Martin Hoare, John Richards, Kathy Westhead, Mark Young
45	Sou'Wester	Liverpool	1994	Easter	Diane Duane, Neil Gaiman, Barbara Hambly, Peter Morwood, Thog the Mighty	Marcus Streets, Rhodri James, Ben Brown, Chris Bell, Gary Stratmann, Sue Edwards, David V Barrett
46	Confabulation	London	1995	Easter	Lois McMaster Bujold, Roger Robinson, Bob Shaw	Alison Scott, Mike Scott, Sue Mason, Giulia de Cesare, Steve Davies
47	Evolution	Heathrow	1996	Easter	Jack Cohen, Colin Greenland, Paul Kincaid, Maureen Kincaid Speller, Bryan Talbot, Vernor Vinge	Bridget Hardcastle, Pat McMurray, Mark Charsley, Mary Branscombe, Simon Bisson, Mike Westhead, Tim Illingworth
48	Intervention	Liverpool	1997	Easter	Brian Aldiss, Jon Bing, Octavia Butler, Dave Langford	John Bark, Janet Barron, Keith Coslett, Andy Croft, Steve Green, Geoff Hill, Heidi Lyshol, Pat McMurray, Val Phillips, Phil Plumbly, John Richards, Anne-Marie Wright, Pete Wright
49	Intuition	Manchester	1998	Easter	Ian McDonald, Martin Tudor, Connie Willis	Fran Dowd, Maureen Kincaid Speller, David Cooper, Steve Lawson, Kathy Taylor, Amanda Baker, Claire Brialey, Alice Lawson, Fiona Anderson
50	ReConvene	Liverpool	1999	Easter	Peter S Beagle, John Clute, Jeff Noon, Tom Holt, Ron Tiner, Thog the Mighty	Steve Davies, Gary Stratmann, Paul Dormer, Tom Abba, Sue Edwards, Gwen Funnell, Peter Wareham, Mychelle Lovelace, Chris Bell, Roger Burton West
51	2Kon	Glasgow	2000	Easter	Guy Gavriel Kay, Katherine Kurtz, Deborah Turner-Harris, Dr John Salthouse, Bob Harris	Andrew Adams, Cuddles, KIM Campbell, Nik Whitehead, Mad Elf, Sparks, Pat McMurray
52	Paragon	Hinckley	2001	Easter	Claire Brialey, Mark Plummer, Mike Scott Rohan, Steven Baxter, Lisanne Norman	Alice & Steve Lawson, John Dowd, Rhodri James, Nick Mills, David Cooper, Nigel & Sabine Furlong
53	Helicon 2	Jersey	2002	Easter	Brian Stableford, Harry Turtledove, Peter Weston	Martin Hoare, Pat McMurray, Steve Davies, Giulia de Cesare, Tim Illingworth, Marcia Kelly Illingworth, Tony Hammond, Kim Whysall, Larry van der Putte, Chris Cooper, Tobes, John Richards
54	Seacon03	Hinckley	2003	Easter	Chris Baker (Fangorn), Christopher Evans (author), Mary Gentle	Paul Oldroyd, Chris Donaldson, Noel Collyer, Julian Headlong, Yvonne Rowse, Tony Berry, Eve Harvey, John Harvey, Margaret Austin
55	Concourse	Blackpool	2004	Easter	Mitchell Burnside Clapp, Danny Flynn, Sue Mason, Christopher Priest, Philip Pullman	Chris O'Shea, Marcus Streets, Jonathan Jones
56	Paragon 2	Hinckley	2005	Easter	John Harvey, Eve Harvey, Ken MacLeod, Robert Rankin, Ben Jeapes, Richard Morgan	Fran Dowd, James Bacon, Julia Daly, John Dowd, Nigel Furlong, Sabine Furlong, Alice Lawson, Steve Lawson, and John Richards
57	Concussion	Glasgow	2006	Easter	M. John Harrison, Brian Froud, Elizabeth Hand, Justina Robson, Ian Sorensen	Farah Mendlesohn, Simon Bradshaw, Bridget Bradshaw, Noel Collyer, Cheryl Morgan, Iain Emsley, Judi Hodgkin, Jamie Scott, Andrew J. Wilson
58	Contemplation	Chester	2007	Easter	No guests	Chris O'Shea, Fran Dowd, Hayley Marsden, Harry Payne, John Dowd. Committee Assistants: Steve Lawson + Richard Proctor (membership), Vince Docherty (finance)
59	Orbital 2008	Heathrow, London	2008	Easter	Neil Gaiman, Tanith Lee, China Miéville, Charles Stross, Rog Peyton	Judith Proctor, Mark Young, Eddie Cochrane, Chris O'Shea, Vince Docherty, Fiona Scarlett, John Wilson, Steve Rogerson
60	LX	Bradford	2009	Easter	Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Dirk Maggs, Tim Powers, David Lloyd, Mary and Bill Burns	James Bacon, Peter Harrow, John Dowd, Alice Lawson, Steve Lawson, John Richards, Hayley Marsden
61	Odyssey 2010	Heathrow, London	2010	Easter	Alastair Reynolds, Liz Williams, Mike Carey, Iain M Banks, Fran & John Dowd, Carlos Ezquerra (unable to attend)	Rita Medany, Fiona Scarlett, Judith Proctor, Nigel Furlong, Melanie Davis
62	Illustrious 2011	Hilton NEC, Birmingham	2011	Easter	David Weber, Peter F. Hamilton, David A. Hardy, Roz Kaveney, Vince Docherty	Nik Whitehead, Fran & John Dowd, John Harold, Richard Cranshaw, Liam Proven (ex-committee include Hayley Marsden, Chris O'Shea, CrazyDave)
63	Olympus 2012	Heathrow, London	2012	Easter	Paul Cornell, Cory Doctorow, George R.R. Martin, Tricia Sullivan, Margaret Austin, Martin Easterbrook	Rita Medany, Fiona Marshall, Melanie Davis, Kat Takenaka, Steve Rogerson, Eddie Cochrane, John Medany
64	EightSquaredCon	Bradford	2013	Easter	Walter Jon Williams, Freda Warrington, Anne Sudworth and Edward James	Simon Bradshaw, Steve Davies, Sue Edwards,Juliet E McKenna,Siân Martin,Phil Nanson,Kari Sperring
65	Satellite 4	Glasgow	2014	Easter	John Meaney, Juliet E McKenna, Jim Burns, Alice and Steve Lawson, Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell	Michael Davidson, Fran Dowd, Christine Davidson, Carolyn Sleith, Mad Elf, Mark Meenan
66	Dysprosium	Heathrow, London	2015	Easter	Jim Butcher, Seanan McGuire, Herr Döktor, Caroline Mullan	Judi Hodgkin, Tim Kirk, Paul Taylor, Sarah Shemilt, Sarah Brider, John Harold, Judith Lewis, Peter Harrow, Dave Row
67	Mancunicon	Hilton, Manchester	2016	Easter	Aliette de Bodard, David L Clements, Ian McDonald, Sarah Pinborough	Pat McMurray, Fiona Scarlett, Tommy Wareing, DC, Steve Lawson, David Cooper, Melica Smith, Dave Lally
68	Innominate	Hilton NEC, Birmingham	2017	Easter	Pat Cadigan, Judith Clute, Colin Harris
69	Follycon	Harrogate	2018	Easter	Kieron Gillen, Christina Lake, Nnedi Okorafor, Kim Stanley Robinson
70	Ytterbium	Heathrow, London	2019	Easter	Frances Hardinge, John Scalzi, DC (David Carlile), Sydney Padua

Note: in 2006 Convoy was chosen to be the 2007 Eastercon, but a combination of factors, primarily a very low membership takeup meant they had to fold at the end of October 2006. Contemplation was formed at Novacon 2006.