ROB HANSEN, BRIEFLY
A design draughtsman by trade, Rob Hansen currently works for the oldest
manufacturing company in the UK in what Patrick Nielsen Hayden has described
as "the coolest job in the world". As well as designing bellframes for them
(his actual job) he also designed and maintains their website. This is not yet
complete but the work to date can be viewed at
www.whitechapelbellfoundry.co.uk.
A long-time member of the SF fan community, he has long had an interest in
art and graphic design, his work on innumerable US and UK fanzines earning
him several awards. This website also connects to some of his longer pieces
of writing and to bibliographic, historical and other reference materials that
should be of use to anyone interested in the SF fan community.
Hansen's partner is anti-censorship activist Avedon Carol of Feminists Against Censorship.
....Staff Writer
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SF FANDOM IN THE UK: A HISTORY
Stored online at Glasgow University, Rob Hansen's wide- ranging history of the UK branch
of Science Fiction Fandom (which is believed by many to be the direct low-tech ancestor of the
modern Internet community) begins with its birth in 1930 and covers its fascinating and often
turbulent history over the following half-century. Doing extensive research in public
records and old fanzines, as well as writing to and conducting interviews with
many old time fans, Hansen uncovered surprising links to contemporary peace
groups, the counter-culture, and even to the Beatles. The first major work to cover this subject in
the UK, it's almost certain to become the standard reference.
Hansen was also responsible for entries on this subject and others in the most recent
edition of the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, which is now available from Grolier on CD-ROM.
....Reuters
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