Jill Adams
(July 31, 1933 – 1980)
Gillian T. 'Jill' Adams was a fan from Southampton, UK, active from 1957 into the 1970s, or perhaps even her untimely death. She was a founding member and long-time functionary of the BSFA.
Adams was a native Londoner, and her first convention was the 1957 Loncon. In 'Who's Who in British Fandom Number Five' (Skyrack #61, December 1963) Archie Mercer recalled how she made an impression as 'a girl … apparently being able to go without sleep altogether for several nights on the trot and still look just as fresh as at the beginning'. Mercer and Norm Shorrock described as being one of those people who stay in the background and work hard to keep things running. She also joined the London Circle.
Adams was one of 10 Eastercon first-timers at Cytricon IV in 1958 where Ron Bennett hailed her the 'heroine of the … brag party in room 12' and even in 1963 Mercer made hints about her partying ability and inclination. More seriously, the 1958 convention hosted the meeting that led to the formation of the BSFA. Adams was a founder member (#12).
Her first name was Gillian rather than Jillian, although shortened to Jill (some misspellings as 'Gill' also occur). Her husband, John, was occasionally mentioned in fanzines but wasn't a fan. He was transferred to Southampton in 1959[1] and the family (including a young daughter) moved there. Still, she managed to attend 'approximately every other' convention. She was also a part, if not the head, of the welcoming party for Bruce Burn when he arrived by ship from New Zealand in August 1960. Mercer described her as 'a housewife' which apparently left her enough time for fanac especially by correspondence.
Adams ran for BSFA Vice-Chairman in 1961 but was defeated by Terry Jeeves.[2] More importantly, she became the Treasurer in 1962[3] and held this role to general praise until the BSFA's collapse (in fact, it was her who suggested 'that the Company be wound up' in 1973)[4] and resurrection in 1975, when Keith Freeman took over. In Vector #69 she was listed among the Association's Council members, but she was absent from the #71 (December 1975).
In 1962 Archie Mercer, the previous BSFA treasurer, handed Adams the £15 15s 10d in the Doc Weir Memorial Fund after the AGM decided to use it for launching the Doc Weir Award. She bought a silver communion cup from a shop in Southampton, which was first presented in 1963. Adams herself won the Award in 1972. In Viewpoint #8 (October 1972) Pauline Dungate noted Adams drinking deeply from her trophy which contained rum and coke: 'She chokes and gazes into the half full vessel. "The barman's forgotten the coke."'
At Yarcon in 1966 the BSFA AGM voted to formally separate the Eastercon from the Association. Adams with Dave Barber became permanent trustees charged with preserving Convention continuity from year to year. It's unclear how long this role lasted. The May 1969 BSFA committee minutes mention, in the context of the upcoming SCI-CON 70 and subsidising a discount for BSFA members, that they were holding some kind of 'Trust Fund' and were asked to transfer this 'to the general funds of the B.S.F.A. Limited.'[5]
Awards, Honors and GoHships:
- 1967 – Knight of St. Fantony
- 1972 – Doc Weir Award
- Photo from 1973 at Fanac.org
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- ↑ Adams's address in the 1958 Directory of SF Fandom from early 1959 is in Romford, then in Essex just east of London, while a year later in Southampton.
- ↑ Skyrack #31 (April 6, 1961)
- ↑ In a letter in Mimosa #13 Jeeves said she was secretary around this time but this seems to be a misremembering.
- ↑ Spi #2 (March 1975) as quoted in Then 4.2, The Mid 1970s
- ↑ https://www.fanac.org/fanzines/BSFA_Bulletin/bsfa_minutes_mercer_b_1969-05-25_bsfa.pdf
| Person | 1933—1980 |
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