20.06.26.
24th International Convention ahead
186 people will be attending the 2026 International Convention in San Diego from 21st till 25th June. The Legacy Hotel is fully booked. Familiar lookalikes Jamie McKenna and Bill Leavy are among the guests.
You can share in the celebration at www.laurelandhardysd2026.com
Fin book
Bill Oates tells us that his book on James Finlayson is at the printers (in the USA). Stand by for details of how to purchase a copy.
We have had a glimpse at his incredible Filmography of Fin, with over 240 appearances in films. There are even links to YouTube for some of the rarities. One which caught our eye is Yanks Ahoy.
Eagerly awaited!
Yanks Ahoy
Fin as ship’s chef. With William Tracy and Joe Sawyer. Hal Roach comedy. Produced by Fred Guiol. Directed by Kurt Neumann. Running time 55 mins. Released June 29, 1943. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TzEvna9jyE
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Fin in Yanks Ahoy
Norwich auction
Those who were at this year’s 44th UK Convention in Norwich organised by The Saps at Sea Tent you will know that one of the events we organised was a charity auction to raise funds for BHF in memory of my late wife , Rita, and for a German cancer charity in memory of our good friend Harry Hoppe. Sons very kindly donated and most generously bid on items. Now to be honest if you had asked me before the convention how much I hope to raise I would have said I would have been chuffed if we hit 4 figures. I am very happy to announce that we got the final amount in this week and we raised £2110.00. So that’s £1055.00 to each charity. I have transferred with the help of Peter Küpers, Matheas Günther, and Michael and Emi Schmitz the German cancer charity’s half and this will be passed onto Sandra Hoppe. I will be contacting BHF to arrange a meeting to transfer their half.
Once again, many thanks to everyone for your kind generosity.
Ray Dempsey on Facebook
Well done, Ray, and all those who helped. Rita and Harry would be proud of us all.
Ray with Rita
Ray with Harry
Sons Day
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Bottesford
The annual gathering of Sons in Bottesford , organised by Dave Tomlinson and his Beau Hunks Tent, was the usual success, as testified by this photo from the Beau Chumps Tent
Brats Tent of Sheffield
The year's first Annual Brats Curry Night takes place at the 7 Spices Balti on Monday 29th June at 8pm meeting at 7pm at the Shakespeare pub for a little teensy weensy. All welcome.
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Bonnie Scotland Tent of Paisley
The annual Waverley Cruise will be on Saturday 15 August. She leaves Glasgow at 10.30, Greenock at 12.15 and arrives at Tighnabruaich at 14.25. There you can have time in Tighnabruaich or cruise the narrows. She gets back to Greenock at 18.05 and Glasgow at 19.40.
Janice Hawton
Them Thar Hills Tent of Carlisle
The tent’s meeting venue is closing.
Melvin McFadden says, “The staff there have been wonderful, looking after us for the last nine years and it is so sad they are to lose their jobs. We will keep you updated re the future on the tent’s WhatsApp group."
Judge Dredd
This came up on a Facebook page. Check out the villains from this Judge Dredd comic.
David Owens
Encore from Talking Pictures TV
The Laurel and Hardy Collection is now available to view on Encore. Click here.
...and finally
