Len Medina (Aka Leonard Neal)3 October 1912 - 19 February 2004 It is with deep sadness that I have to announce that our President, Len Medina, passed away in St Luke's Hospital on the 19th February. Len had been taken into hospital several days before, and died peacefully from cancer. Until the last couple of months Len had been very active. I visited him in hospital on the day before he died and showed him the chain of office with his name engraved thereon. Len had a lifelong magical career which came to an abrupt end when he lost his left hand in a freak greenhouse accident. He slipped through a pane of glass whilst looking round a friend's greenhouse, severing all the nerves in his arm. Len was born in Louth, Lincolnshire, and was 12 when he bought his first magic trick, the cups and balls, which cost him 1s 9d in old money (9p). He used it when he started touring with a touring fit-up company (they went from town to town just setting-up and performing whilst they could attract an audience; then they would move on to another town) he joined when he was 17. His first job was with the magician, Rosco. Len had to give a £10 bond to get the job, which was a lot of money in those days. Len's time with Rosco paved the way for a glittering career which saw him working with some of the magical maestros including The Great Caruso. He got to the stage where he wanted to go out on his own, so he put an advert in The Stage. Agents thought that if he was good enough to work with The Great Caruso, he must be good. Soon he was joining the books of the top theatrical agents Hugh and Leslie Grade and sharing the bill with the likes of entertainers such as Ken Dodd and Morecambe and Wise before they became household names. Although he was never a star, just a supporting act, his success did afford him a silver Rolls Royce. He used to get heads turning as he travelled to shows, but it wasn't the car, it was the passenger in the car. Len had a Shetland pony sidekick called Dinah, who used to travel in style. Len opened the back door and the horse walked in. When they arrived at the venue, Len would open the door at the other side and the pony would walk out! Len had plenty of memories, but sadly no memorabilia. His case packed with theatre programmes and bills bearing his name from his magical heyday were stolen in a burglary at his home many years ago. But he certainly had all the wonderful memories which he would recall to anyone wanting to spend a few minutes to listen to one of the last survivors of a bygone age of entertainment in this country. Rest in peace, Len. We will all miss you. Keith Pickles | 
