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Milford - half a century in the UK and counting...

There's even a Wikipedia article on Milford

In the beginning

Damon Knight was the prime mover for the original US meetings in Milford, Pennsylvania, way back in 1956, along with Judith Merrell. James and Judy Blish, also founder members, moved to the UK and introduced Milford over here. A somewhat uninhibited report of the first UK Milford in 1972 can be found in Chris Priest's 2008 non-fiction collection "It" Came from Outer Space. (Revised and republished on the Milford Blog 19th July 2016) According to this the Blishes organized it, Anne McCaffrey chaired it, and the rank and file consisted of Mark Adlard, Brian Aldiss, John Brunner, Ken Bulmer, George Locke ('Gordon Walters'), John Murry ('Richard Cowper'), John Phillifent ('John Rackham'), Chris Priest, David Redd, Josephine Saxton, Andrew Stephenson and Peter Tate.

Venues

UK Milford was held from 1972 until 1988 at (or close to) Milford-on-Sea in Hampshire each autumn. After seventeen years it moved to The Square Hotel, Cheltenham from 1989 to 1990, and Margate from 1991 to 1993. In 1994 and 1995 Milford moved to Rothbury in Northumberland and then from 1996 through to 2001 it was held on a windswept cliff top at the Bowden Close Hotel in Maidencombe, Devon, being forced to find a new home in 2002 when, after six years, the hotel converted to self-catering apartments. From 2002 - 2003 it resided at the Hedley House Hotel near Bootham Bar in York's city centre where a couple of MiniMilfords (weekends) had been held previously. In 2004 Milford moved to its present home, Trigonos in Nantlle village, North Wales, not far from Caernarfon and within sight of Mount Snowdon.

Milford Alumni

Some of the names from Milford's early years are no longer with us; some are out of contact. Records from the early years are sporadic, so this is not a complete list. If you attended, or know of someone who should be listed here, please let us know by emailing: jacey (at) jaceybedford (dot) co.uk . If you have an email address or contact details for them, so much the better.

Al Robertson * Alan Dunn * Alan Farmer * Alastair Rennie * Alastair Reynolds * Alex Lamb * Alex Stewart * Alys Sterling * Amy Tibbetts * Andrew Stephenson * Andy Lane * Andy Oldfield * Angela Shackleton Hill * Anna Feruglio Dal Dan * Anne McCaffrey (RIP) * Anthony Francis * Ben Jeapes * Bob Neilson * Bob Parkinson * Bobbie Lamming * Brian Aldiss * Bruce Sterling * Carl Allery * Charles Stross * Charlotte Forfieh * Charlotte Franke-Winheller (RIP) * Cheryth Baldry * Chris Amies * Chris Butler * Chris Evans * Chris Paul * Chris Priest * Christina Lake * Claire Weaver * Colin Brush * Colin Davies * Colin Greenland * Colin Harvey (RIP) * Dan Morgan (RIP) * Dave Clements * Dave Langford * David Allen * David Barrett * David Garnett * David Gullen * David Kyle (RIP) * David Marusek * David Nickle * David Rain (Tom Arden) (RIP) * David Turnbull * David Redd * Dayle Dermatis * Deborah Judith Walker * Deirdre Counihan * Deirdre Moen * Diana Reed * Diana Wynne Jones (RIP) * Dolly Garland * Donald Mead * Duncan Lunan * Elizabeth Wein * Fiona Moore * Gaie Sebold * Garry Kilworth * Geoff Ryman * George Locke * George R R Martin * Georgina Kamsika * Glen Mehn (RIP) * Graham Andrews * Gus Smith * Guy T Martland * Gwyneth Jones * Heather Lindsley * Ian Creasey * Ian Nichols * J Ardian Lee * Jacey Bedford * Jackie Hatton * Jaine Fenn * James Blish (RIP) * James Gotaas * James Maxwell * Jane Fletcher * Jane Killick * Jason Tanner * Jeffery Wallman * Jeremy Pak Nelson * Jerry Schutz (RIP) * Jim Anderson * Jim Goddard * John Biglands * John Brunner (RIP) * John Clute * John Moran * John Phillifent (Rackham) (RIP) * Josephine Saxton * Judith Anne Lawrence * Judy Blish * Julia Hawkes-Moore * Julian Flood * Juliet E McKenna * Juliet Kemp * Karen Traviss * Karen Brenchley (nee Williams) * Kari Sperring * Kat Patrick * Kelly Eskridge * Ken Bulmer (RIP) * Kevin Smith * Lisa Tuttle * Liz Counihan * Liz Holliday * Liz Sourbut * Liz Williams * Lizzie Priest * Liz Tuckwell *Malcolm Edwards * Marianne LeConte * Marion Pitman * Mark Adlard * Mark Bilsborough * Mark Harding * Mark Isles * Mark Tompkins * Mary Gentle * Matt Colborn * Maxim Jakubowski * Mbosi (Tania) Haimbe * Merrie Haskell * Mihaela Perkovic * Mike Lewis * Mike Verant * Molly Brown * Nancy Jane Moore * Neil Gaiman * Neil Williamson * Neile Graham * Nick Moulton * Nicola Griffith * Nisi Shawl * Pamela Boal / Stephanie Joyce (RIP) * Pamela Bulmer (Kathryn Buckley) * Patrice Duvic (RIP) * Patricia Wrede * Paul Barnett/John Grant (RIP) * Paul Kincaid * Paul Laville * Paul Tabori (RIP) * Pauline Morgan (Pauline Dungate) * Pete Sutton * Peter Beere * Peter Garratt (RIP) * Peter Nicholls * Peter Szentmih lyi Szab¢ * Peter Tate * Phil Gladwyn * Phil Suggars * Pip Maddern (RIP) * Powder Thompson * Rachel Pollack * Ramya Jegatheesan * Randal Flynn * Richard Cowper (RIP) * Richard Evans (RIP) * Rob Holdstock (RIP) * Robert Vamosi * Rochita Loenen Ruiz * Rosanne Rabinowitz * Russell Smith * Ruth Nestvold * Sam Tovey * Samuel R Delany * Sandra Unerman * Sarah K Ellis * Sarah Singleton * Scott Baker * Siobhan McVeigh * Somto Ihezue * Stefan Högberg * Steph Bianchini * Steve Jones * Steve Kilbane * Stuart Falconer * Sue Oke * Sue Thomason * Susan Booth * Suyi Davies Okungbowa * Sylvie Denis * Terie Garrison (RIP) * Terry Edge * Terry Jackman * Tiffani Angus * Tina Anghelatos * Tony Richards * Una McCormack * Val Nolan * Vaughan Stanger * Victor Ocampo * Wenonah Lyon.

Milford Pre-history. USA, 1956

In the very beginning

Thanks to Judy Blish for pointing your webmistress to print articles that help to shed some light on those first Milford SF Writers' Conferences way back in the USA in 1956.

Damon Knight and Judith Merril were the prime movers for the original US meetings in Milford, Pennsylvania. a small town with a significantly high proportion of SF writers. Present were Knight and Merril along with James and Judy Blish, Theodore Cogswell, Anthony Boucher.

This is a screen cap from that first Milford as described in: Judith Merril: A Critical Study by Dianne Newell and Victoria Lamont, published by McFarland & Company, Inc. McFarland does not control the rights for the photo and therefore cannot grant permission to use, and neither have they been able to link me with anyone concerned with the Merril estate, so apologies for using this without permission. It was just too good a thing not to share.

In those early days, Milford was strictly invitation only.

Excerpts used with permission. From Judith Merril: A Critical Study © 2012 Dianne Newell and Victoria Lamont by permission of McFarland & Company, Inc., Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640. www.mcfarlandpub.com.