Possible event
A tea with Jack
Biologist Jack Cohen CBiol FIBiol was an integral part of British fandom from the 1970s through
to the early 2000s.This summer, it may be possible to have an afternoon with him.
Jack is a respected, colourful biologist, first at Birmingham University and then at Warwick, who was also active in the W. Midlands branch of the Institute of Biology. If you were a colleague of Jack's then this page's message is for you.
Also, for over three decades, Jack gave highly entertaining biological, and often vaguely Science Fiction related, talks at SF conventions that captivated audiences. If you remember these, then this page's message is also very much for you.
As you may be aware, Jack has not been well in recent years. Though a little frail, he has been a bit chirpier lately. And so three of us – Jack's daughter, Rebecca; his university colleague, frequent author collaborator and fellow SF fan, Ian Stewart; and Institute of Biology colleague and fellow SF fan, Jonathan Cowie – wonder whether a few, of those who either worked with Jack and/or enjoyed Jack's past talks and shared his company at the Birmingham SF group, British Eastercons and Novacons of the 1970s to early 2000s, would like an afternoon with Jack? Jack was an integral part of the British SF convention scene, just as he was British biology's. Today, if Jack can no longer go to symposia or SF conventions then perhaps a bit of an SF convention or a biological symposium can come to Jack?
Jack is currently living in a retirement village in Poole, a 15 minute bus ride from near Poole rail station. The complex has a small cafeteria area next to, if the weather is fine, a garden area. If just half a dozen fans come for a tea with Jack with each spending just 10 minutes of one-to-one, then that in itself will be an hour of Jack conversing with fellow SF fans. A gathering of those who enjoyed Jack's talks back in the day, in itself would be interesting. In short, we are hoping that between half a dozen and a dozen or so of you might possibly like to be involved. It should be a little special.
Things are currently somewhat fluid, though we have a clear date in mind. At the moment we are going for Saturday 1st June 2019 and this is the day to pencil in your diary and keep clear of other engagements. For now let us know if you are interested. We will have more news in April and can hopefully firm up this event. And for now, you can also help by spending a few seconds spreading the word within Brit SF fandom and the Brit biological community.
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