
09.04.22.
Past UK Conventions
With the UK convention returning this year after an enforced two-year absence, we thought it would be interesting to recall the venues of our past 39 UK conclaves.
1. Ulverston, 1978, Berth Marks Tent
2. Ashton-under-Lyne, 1979, Be Big Tent
3. Chatham, 1980, Helpmates Tent
4. Largs, 1981, Bonnie Scotland Tent
5. Bath, 1982, Way Out West Tent
6. Liverpool, 1983, Leave ’Em Laughing Tent
[International Convention, Grange-over-Sands, 1984, Berth Marks Tent]
7. Edinburgh, 1985, Blockheads Tent
8. Blackpool, 1986, Berth Marks Tent
9. Glasgow, 1987, Bonnie Scotland Tent
10. Sunderland, 1988, Beau Chumps Tent
11. Preston, 1989, Be Big Tent
12. Blackpool, 1990, Berth Marks Tent
13. Haydock, 1991, Come Clean Tent
14. Oldham, 1992, Blotto Tent
15. Wolverhampton, 1993, Busy Bodies Tent
16. Swindon, 1994, Second Hundred Years Tent
17. South Queensferry, 1995, Blockheads Tent
18. Wolverhampton, 1996, Busy Bodies Tent
19. Altrincham, 1997, Be Big Tent
[International Convention, Birmingham, 1998, Laughing Gravy Tent]
20. Rotherham, 1999, Brats Tent
21. Wigan, 2000, Come Clean Tent
22. Paisley, 2001, Call of the Cuckoos Tent
23. Southend-on-Sea, 2002, Saps at Sea Tent
24. Birmingham, 2003, Laughing Gravy Tent
25. Oldham, 2004, Blotto Tent
26. Bournemouth, 2005, Live Ghost Tent
27. North Queensferry, 2006, Blockheads Tent
28. Stoke-on-Trent, 2007, Midnight Patrol Tent
29. Wigan, 2008, Bacon Grabbers Tent
30.Grange-over-Sands, 2009, Berth Marks Tent and Chickens Come Home Tent
31. Witney, Oxford, 2010, Live Ghost Tent and Saps at Sea Tent
32. Paisley, 2011, Bonnie Scotland Tent
33. Birmingham, 2012, Laughing Gravy Tent
34. Southend-on-Sea, 2013, Saps at Sea Tent
35. Northenden, Manchester, 2014, Be Big Tent
36. Sheffield, 2015, Brats Tent
[International Convention, Grange-over-Sands, 2016, various tents]
37. Bradford, 2017, County Hospital Tent
38. Norwich, 2018, Saps at Sea Tent
39. Haydock, 2019, Dirty Work Tent


Laurel & HarDay
Be a part of the 30th Laurel & HarDay programme.
Organiser Gary Winstanley says, “Wish us a happy birthday or share your memories of Laurel & HarDays gone by…”
Meeting Keith Woods
I was delighted to meet with Stan's Great Nephew, Keith Woods, son of Huntley Jefferson-Woods last week. Keith shared some great memories and has a wonderful collection of photographs. Here he is with a copy of one Stan sent to his sister - Keith’s grandmother Beatrice Olga - in 1930.
Keith shared a number of photographs, several of which were new to me, and on asking several of my more learned contemporaries around the world, they were new to them too! It's always wonderful to see something 'new' from the world of Laurel and Hardy, and I am busy building a blog for future publication detailing Keith's fascinating memories and to share some of his collection of photos.
Mike Jones


Intra-Tent Journal
Here is the cover of #184, the forthcoming spring ITJ. A series on James Finlayson begins with corrections on misinformation about his life.
Rare interview
There is a rare Laurel and Hardy Interview, recorded in Copenhagen in 1947 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIA4zWne2eo


Helpmates drawing
Helpmates drawing by Neil Blackbird Sims
Makes you think!


...and finally