Harry Payne

Harry Payne is a well-known member of British fandom.

• http://www.menageri.org.uk/

Remember, that's 'well-known' in the 'fandom' sense, ie you know who he is if you're a member of fandom yourself.

Is there anything else one should know about him? Fandom must be a closed shop if someone like himself rather disappears under the radar...

I'm starting to get the impression that there is fandom and there is fandom, and that 'being well known in fandom' basically corresponds to 'being well known to the three score individuals that define themselves as central to fandom'. Or am I being too cynical?

The 'remember' comment was written by someone from outside of 'fandom' in anything but the broadest sense; it is entirely possible that Mr Payne is actually a complete non-entity, or just a mate of Dave Langford or something, but the way he's mentioned in The Ansible makes me think that one is expected to know who he is.

We should contemplate the nature of Fan Dom?, i think. It is a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a beer-stained Seacon '84 T-shirt that the cat has slept in.

Category Fan? (?)