The Magic Circle History Gathering

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Matthew Field
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Joined: January 18th, 2008, 12:00 pm
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Location: Hastings, England, UK

The Magic Circle History Gathering

Postby Matthew Field » June 10th, 2018, 8:56 am

I spent yesterday, Saturday June 9, at The Magic Circle in London attending the History Gathering there. I had a great time.

Hosted by magic historian Dr. Eddie Dawes and Magic Circle Executive Librarian Peter Lane, there was a record crowd in attendance to hear talks from Peter Brunning on Jardine Ellis, Andi Gladwin on Edward G. Brown, Richard Evans on the Pinchbecks, Genii editor Richard Kaufman on Cliff Green, Barry Murray showing a film he had made for The Magic Circle centenary in 2005 titled “Cavalcade of Conjurors,” Kobe van Herwegen from Belgium on Suzy Wandas, Laura London on Mary Ann Ford (the birth name of Talma), Paul Kieve on Servais LeRoy, and a display of LeRoy artefacts from the Peter Lane collection.

I was very happy to see my good friend, Mr. Kaufman, and have the opportunity to spend all day with him. The late card magician Cliff Green was noted for his great skill with the pasteboards, and Richard has been studying his book, Professional Card Magic, since he was 14 years old – that’s 46 years! He performed two of Green’s effects as part of his talk.

There were many friends of mine in attendance and I must make particular mention of a man I have been corresponding with for about 20 years but whom I had the pleasure of shaking hands with for the first time – card man and writer David Britland.

I have had a special regard for Servais LeRoy for many years, and there was a revelation at this Gathering. Although it has been assumed by many that LeRoy and Talma (Mary Ann Ford) were married, no certificate has ever been found. This, it turns out, was because LeRoy had his legal wife, and a son elsewhere and surviving relatives from both branches of the LeRoy clan were in attendance and gathered on stage for photographs. A moving moment, presided over by investigators Paul Kieve and Laura London.

There followed a book sale for those who are magic bibliophiles – that is, people like yours truly.

Matt Field

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: The Magic Circle History Gathering

Postby Richard Kaufman » June 10th, 2018, 10:17 am

Matthew Field wrote:I spent yesterday, Saturday June 9, at The Magic Circle in London attending the History Gathering there. I had a great time.

Hosted by magic historian Dr. Eddie Dawes and Magic Circle Executive Librarian Peter Lane, there was a record crowd in attendance to hear talks from Peter Brunning on Jardine Ellis, Andi Gladwin on Edward G. Brown, Richard Evans on the Pinchbecks, Genii editor Richard Kaufman on Cliff Green, Barry Murray showing a film he had made for The Magic Circle centenary in 2005 titled “Cavalcade of Conjurors,” Kobe van Herwegen from Belgium on Suzy Wandas, Laura London on Mary Ann Ford (the birth name of Talma), Paul Kieve on Servais LeRoy, and a display of LeRoy artefacts from the Peter Lane collection.

I was very happy to see my good friend, Mr. Kaufman, and have the opportunity to spend all day with him. The late card magician Cliff Green was noted for his great skill with the pasteboards, and Richard has been studying his book, Professional Card Magic, since he was 14 years old – that’s 46 years! He performed two of Green’s effects as part of his talk.

There were many friends of mine in attendance and I must make particular mention of a man I have been corresponding with for about 20 years but whom I had the pleasure of shaking hands with for the first time – card man and writer David Britland.

I have had a special regard for Servais LeRoy for many years, and there was a revelation at this Gathering. Although it has been assumed by many that LeRoy and Talma (Mary Ann Ford) were married, no certificate has ever been found. This, it turns out, was because LeRoy had his legal wife, and a son elsewhere and surviving relatives from both branches of the LeRoy clan were in attendance and gathered on stage for photographs. A moving moment, presided over by investigators Paul Kieve and Laura London.

There followed a book sale for those who are magic bibliophiles – that is, people like yours truly.

Matt Field


It was a grand and most enjoyable day. For those in the US, I will be doing my talk again at the Yankee Collector convention in Boston this coming November. There I will be performing many more of Cliff Green’s tricks.


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