Rummaging in me drawers

Rummaging in me drawers

Episode 27 is out there and has already conquered the globe, according to my initial set of data, although that's mostly due to Andy Priestner (who did the lovely piece on 'Maelstrom') sending greetings from Brisbane. The only way we can beat this globe-trotting now will be when we clock up our first listener on the moon. And the frightening thing is this may indeed happen one day, as once something is on the internet, it can potentially hang around for a very long time!

Shy Yeti Paul Chandler has also admitted that in the mid-1980s he used to set up Treasure Hunts for his friends, making them answer clues and find prizes, so our 'Treasure Hunt' piece seems to have been well-received, even if it is a trifle naughty in places!

Keeping up the innuendo, I've been rummaging in me drawers and finding all manner of semi-interesting objects from 1980s fandom, including my first ever DWAS Membership card (my membership number was 5/SAM-288 if that format rings any bells with anyone) and a 'with compliments' slip from 'TARDIS' Volume 10 (1985) editor Ann O'Neill, who was wise enough to employ the services of a certain Martin Holmes.

There's a couple of badges from the first and fourth Leisure Hive conventions (1984 and 1987) together with a scabby disc of card that claims 'The Sun Says Save Dr Who' which didn't really seems to affect the decision-makers at the BBC in early 1985.

The 'TARDIS COMMANDER' badge is the odd-one-out here, dating back to 1972 and as I never attended the exhibition it came from (the Science Museum), I'm a little unsure how I came to acquire it, unless it's one of Warren's that I've neglected to return?

But rarest of all was the single page of A4 paper claiming to be a copy of the 'SFOW Newsletter'. The Salisbury Federation Of Whovians was the rather pretentious name for the Salisbury Local Group and this slim publication (dated some time after 20th June 1987 - I can tell that as it boasts a photocopy of a cutting from the 'Daily Mirror' featuring Richard Briers with that very date on it) carries some news about the upcoming Season 24.

The information about the stories make amusing reason, with everything slightly garbled. 'Paradise Tower' (just the one?) is set in 1990s London, which is news to both me and Andrew Cartmel, I suspect.

'Delta & Bannerman' are the name of two rock 'n' roll stars  who have a spaceship that can go anywhere and mimic any object. An alternative name for the story is 'Flight Of The Vhimeron', apparently, although this may be partly due to someone aiming for the letter 'C' on their typewriter and slightly missing, as I'm sure this mistake was also in an edition of 'Celestial Toyroom' around this time. But we would have to ask writer 'Malcom Cole' to be sure...

Information for 'Dragonfire' (by the singular 'Ian Brigg') is sparse, but watch out for the nasty powerful being with ice creatures as slaves.

But coming across this haul of finds again has stirred a few memories of those far-off days, demonstrating how events, objects and people all connect up in our minds.

I don't know if in years to come, the odd listener will revisit ancient episodes of 'Round The Archives' and remember what they were doing when they first discovered us, but it doesn't hurt to dream, does it?

Episode 27 of 'Round The Archives' can be heard on Player FM here.

(Written by Andrew Trowbridge)