Magic Circle Affiliation & Membership of The National Society of Magical Societies
Unsurprisingly, after 110 years, our archives hold many interesting items, many of which have a great historical value to magicians, that may have been long forgotten, if it wasn’t for the foresight of the committee to save them.
Several documents within the collection refer to the forming of an affiliation between various Magic Societies in the U.K. (and around the world) with one of the most famous magic clubs – The Magic Circle.
The affiliation was active between 1921 and 1944, before becoming The National Association of Magical Societies (N.A.M.S).
Five years after the formation of N.A.M.S. The Order of The Magi hosted a weekend-long event in Manchester, for representatives of other Magic Societies consisting of Dinner, Committee Meeting, Shows etc.
In 1949, the National Association of Magical Societies included the following clubs as members:
The Aberdeen Magical Society
The Associated Wizards of The South
The Barnsley Circle of Magicians
The Bristol Society of Magic
The British Magical Society
The Cotswold Magical Society
The Edinburgh Magic Circle
The Exonian Magic Society
The Guild of Magicians
The Hull Magicians Circle
The Home Counties Magical Society
The Ilford Magical Society
The Leeds Magic Circle
The Leeds Magical Society
The Leicester Magic Circle
The Lincolnshire Magic Circle
The London Society of Magicians
The Magic Circle
The Mystic Seven
The Newcastle -on-Tyne Magicians Circle
The Northamptonshire Magicians Club
The North Wales Magic Circle
The Order of The Magi
The Plymouth Magicians Club
The Sheffield Circle of Magicians
The Staffordshire Magical Society
The Society of Irish Magicians
The Southport Magic Circle
The Ulster Society of Magicians
The Wessex Magical Association
The Western Magic Circle
The Wirral Magical Society
The Yorkshire Magical Club
At this time, the President of N.A.M.S. was Evelyn Seymour, The Duke of Somerset, also President of The Magic Circle (1935 – 1954).
In “A Message from the Chairman of the Committee of Management” at the back of the N.A.M.S. Souvenir Programme, Robert Edmanson wrote:
“I gladly accede to the request to provide a short message for the Programme prepared for the visit of The Committee of Management to Manchester on March 12th, 1949.
Can any Magical Society have a more intriguing name than The Order of the Magi ? I have always admired their sturdy independence and the work they have done in the best interests of Magic, and we expect to get from them that touch Magic of straight- from – the – shoulder comment we have a right to straight from Industrial Lancashire.
Perhaps I bad better content myself by expressing the hope that our deliberations will be of value to all our member societies, for I know they are all looking forward keenly to this visit.“
ROBERT W. EDMANSON.
(Chairman NA.M.S. Committee of Management)
On 7th June, 1952, Magic Magazine “Abra” reported that The National Association of Magical Societies was to be liquidated, with the remaining funds to be distributed amongst the thirty six member societies.
Further Images from the Souvenir Programme of March 12 – 13th 1949:
