CLUB LEADERS
CLUB LEADERS
'Uncle Mac' is President of the Club and a member of the Magic Circle.
There will be a full write up of Mac placed here shortly.
Robbie is at the very heart of the South London Magic Club, he is the longest serving member of the club, having been a member for an amazing 25 years, and is currently famous for his monthly news reports ( 'Robbies Ramblings' ). Robbie is the former treasurer of the club, having fulfilled the role of club treasurer for 18 years! Robbie is now an Honorary member of the club.
Born in Burma, Robbie remembers seeing his first magic illusion at the age of about 4 or 5. It was the Indian Basket Trick. "The Magician was fascinating to me. He spoke many languages, including Chinease and Indian, so no-one knew where he was from". In the trick, asmall boy climbs inside a basket which is then pierced with a series of swords. The basket is opened and found to be empty. To the astonishment of the onlookers, the boy is found atop a nearby tree! "I thought it was real Magic", says Robbie. "I didn't have any idea there was a trick involved. At that age, I thought these people had some sort of supernatural powers, and I knew that when I grew up, I wanted to learn these skills too". It was about four years later when a cousin performed a card trick for Robbie "a beautiful trick, based on the 'Principal of Nine' ", when the cat was let out of the bag. His cousin explained the mathematical principal behind the trick. But rather than being disappointed that it wasn't 'real' magic, Robbie was still completely fascinated, and that's when he started to read books on magic. "I wanted to become a Stage Magician" says Robbie. "There were itinerant magicins who used to come to my school, and street magicians to be seen too, but I wanted to perform in a more refined environment - in a Theatre, for educated people, but to do that, you need to have a degree so that people understand that you are an educated person as well. Also my parents said 'this magic is all very well, but you need something to fall back on". So it was that Robbie went to University in India and took a degree in Civil & Structural Engineering.
By his mid-twenties, Robbie had achieved his dream and was a professional magician touring India. However, the physical hardships were considerable. "It wasn't like being in England of course, there were no ready hotels, and even finding clean drinking water was often very difficult. Also I had five assistants, essential due to all the large stage props that formed part of my show, and ensuring that they were paid was becoming increasingly difficult. I became very ill and developed blood dysentry". Robbie had come from a good home and wasn't able to cope with the privations and hardships that were part of the lifestyle. He decided to return to University and further develop his academic qualifications.
In the UK, where Robbie has lived for some 46 years, Robbie married, raised a family, continued with his Engineering studies and worked on the civil engineering side for the R.A.F. His passion for magic has never left him, and his wisdom and warmth are today amongst the South London Magic Society's greatest resources.
David is the Club Secretary and he has a long association with both magic and puppetry. "I used to go down to the Lewisham Hippodrome when I was about 11 years old. My Mum worked behind the bar and on Monday nights there would be a small house and so complementary tickets would be available. I remember seeing Archie Andrews on the bill on night" It wasn't long before David was putting his own show together for school mates. "I put on a Christmas show when I was about 12. I remember making a puppet show as I was interested in puppets and ventriloquism. I went down Petticoat Lane and bought a rubber headed Punch & Judy set. In school woodwork classes I made a wooden frame and screen to present the show, which I put on with the help of a couple of friends".
By the time David was 15, he and his pocket money were regular visitors to 'Gammages', a big department store in Holborn, where Pat Page worked as a store assistant in the Magic Dept. Linking rings, egg bags, a Ghost tube and Water Lotus Vase were all on David's shopping list. "I've only recently got rid of the Ghost Tube", he says. Clearly, Gammages gave value for money!
"My first paid job came along sometime after I was married. My wife worked at a play group and they wanted to organise a Christmas show. At around that time I was introduced to a caretaker at a local church whom, it turned out, was a member of a magic club in Davenport Road Catford, so I went along." The group was called "The Society of Magical Entertainers" and it was through that that David was in turn introduced to the "Kent Magicians Guild". "It was about 25 years ago, and the Guild had been invited to perform at the Magic Circle. When we got there, the Circle asked us if we'd like to treat the show as an audition. I said yes, so there were no nerves as I was just performing my usual show. I passed and have been a member of the Magic Circle for 25 years now.
During my time at the Kent Magicians Guild, I met Terry Hall who introduced me to 'The South London Magical Society', and today I enjoy membership of all three clubs.
