The Billet Article - Librarians Page

This article is taken from The Billet Issue - 431 - Feb 2008, Authored by Peter Wright

Librarians Page

Well here we are again at the end of another Magic Circle year. Doesn’t time fly, you look around and it’s the sixtieth anniversary of the club already. The trouble is the Circle was formed in 1948, the same year I was born so that makes me 60 this year as well. Doesn’t time fly. I am writing this as well as preparing for the AGM by producing the librarians report. Although we have not bought many new books this year we have been presented with two large collections by members, which has increased the number of books significantly. Looking through the many books we hold I cannot think of any branch of magic that we have not got covered. Although there has been some resistance to the idea I wondered if we should start including some of the excellent DVD’s which are available now. I know the arguments about learning from a book is considered better than watching a DVD as you can put your own ‘slant’ on the tricks, but these days unfortunately I feel that books are falling from favour in the education field.

There is such a lot going on at the moment in the Circle, new officers to be elected and of course the exhibition to prepare for in March at the Bradford Industrial Museum. For those who don’t know we are putting on an exhibition to celebrate out sixtieth year. There will be a display of props; members are coming along to give short shows and there is a video being made of tricks by club members to show whenever the live performers are resting. ‘Amethyst’, (Danny Hunt and Annette Claire), are performing at the museum. Originally Danny Hunt was going to try and escape from the Houdini lock which they have at the museum. This is a lock that Houdini reputedly refused to attempt to escape from.

Originally it was a large complex 3 lever lock made by the Fenton family of locksmiths in 1750 and was used for many years on a warehouse door in Bradford. When Houdini made one of his many appearances at the Bradford Empire in 1910 he issued his usual challenge for members of the public to bring any lock for him to escape from. William Fenton pleaded with Houdini to take on this complex lock. But Houdini said that he did not just pick locks, he was an escapologist. William Fenton had some wooden handcuffs fitted to top of the lock and in 1914 on another of Houdini’s visits to Bradford he was again challenged to escape from it. Houdini’s technique was to take the lock away so he could work out how to pick it. But William Fenton didn't allow him to do it.

"He told him he should try to pick it there and then but the great Houdini refused. It is reputed that Harry Houdini said it was the best lock he'd ever come across." Thus it became the lock that defeated Houdini. Anyway, Danny was reasonably confident that he could escape from the lock but the current owner refused permission for him to try. I suppose whoever it is that owns it doesn’t want to mar the legend of the lock that defeated Houdini.

I hope that members of the Circle will support the exhibition which runs from March 1st as it will feature props and equipment used by some famous magicians as well as tricks and illusions supplied by members. If you feel you can help with any of this how about contacting Stevie B and volunteering your services. We need all the help we can get to put on an excellent show for the public!

On top of all of this is the Hey Presto show at Bingley on Saturday 8th March. Keith has the tickets and I recommend that you go along if at all possible as it’s a really good night out that doesn’t cost the earth.

Talking of Keith Pickles, you will know by the time you read this that he is resigning from the post of editor of this very magazine. Keith and his wife Pam have worked tirelessly to produce the Billet and have as far as I know produced an issue every month. I think that we all should give Keith and Pam a vote of thanks for their efforts in producing a cracking magazine which I and lots of other people look forward to reading every month. The new editor is to be Jon Harris who already has plans for the magazine. May I wish you luck in your new venture Jonty and I will try and produce my copy on time!

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