Rollo Ahmed Article in latest issue of FT

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Steve Whatley
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Rollo Ahmed Article in latest issue of FT

Post by Steve Whatley »

No, not that pink financial daily, but the journal of strange phenomena.

The latest (July) issue of Fortean Times includes an eight-page feature on Rollo Ahmed, which includes many references to (and quotes from) DW. The illustrations include that nice portrait of Joan and Dennis from 1933.

Another article on Rollo Ahmed is to appear in the next issue.
ericmocata
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Post by ericmocata »

I would pick this up, if only I could find it. Anybody know if this magazine is available in the U.S. anywhere? I've been aware of this magazine for a bit now, mostly because of Wheatley-related articles, of course. Still, I have not found it anywhere. Well, except maybe ebay, but I am interested in being able to buy the magazine when it comes out instead of waiting until somebody puts one on ebay for probably twice the price.
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Post by Darren »

Hi Eric,

Ironically the publisher of The Fortean Times is called Dennis Publishing UK.

I don't think it is published in the US but you can get an international subscription to the US with the following link:

http://imsnews.com/home.php?page=magPag ... ntimes.com

I got the above link from the subscriptions page of www.forteantimes.com.
Regards,

Darren.
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Post by ericmocata »

Thanks, Darren. Although, I don't really want a subscription. I would just like to get specific issues. I have found the new issue with Rollo on eBay. It comes from the UK, naturally. Unfortunately, that means I will end up paying a good bit more than the cover price. The seller's price is about 2 pounds higher, then the shipping is more than the magazine itself.

Anybody got a better idea for getting this issue?

I mean, it's not going to break the bank or anything, but it is still a bit expensive for a magazine.
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Post by Charles »

Thanks for alerting us, Steve,

I thought the article was well written (so it should be, if Phil Baker was consulted), and I will look forward to Part 2.

My only gripe - Christopher Josiffe has copied several pictures from the Dennis Wheatley virtual Museum, without request or acknowledgement.

I suppose that's commonplace, but it does seem a little discourteous.

The article itself though is definitely worth a read in my opinion.

Best to all !
Charles
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Post by ericmocata »

As it turns out, this magazine is available in the U.S. However, it looks like we're behind a month or two. I found one store that had what was labeled as the June issue and had British super heroes on the cover. Then I found the July issue at a different store, which had something else on the cover, but not Rollo Ahmed. In the back of that issue, it mentioned Rollo Ahmed in the next issue, which it claimed would be on shelves starting June 26 (or 26 June for you English folk), which has passed, naturally. Maybe that is a holdover from the British printing. This is annoying. The cover price for the American edition is about 12 bucks, which is more than the English price, I'd say. If I remember correctly it is about four and a half pounds, which is probably eight dollars.

Of course, I could just order the British version on eBay and pay 20 bucks for it.

I seem to recall the same sort of situation with another Brit mag called Bizarre. There was an issue many years ago featuring Asia Argento (daughter of the great Dario Argento) and I had to wait for 2 months before the American printing showed up on shelves, but it finally did and I got it.

Does this happen in England with American magazines?
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Post by Jim »

Charles wrote: My only gripe - Christopher Josiffe has copied several pictures from the Dennis Wheatley Virtual Museum, without request or acknowledgement. I suppose that's commonplace, but it does seem a little discourteous.
Is there an e-mail where you could send a note? If you state your gripe politely, perhaps they can give proper credit in a later issue...
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Post by Charles »

In fact I'm pleased to say Christopher and I have had a cordial exchange of emails.

The lack of credit was a publisher's error, and will be corrected in the next issue.

Thanks, Christopher - and congrats again on the article !
Charles
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Post by Charles »

For the record, I also had a very nice email from the editor.

Clearly nice people, and any omission from the credits was completely unintentional !
Charles
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Post by ericmocata »

I finally got a copy of this issue a few weeks back. I have not yet found the follow-up issue, though. It was an expensive magazine, but it was still cheaper than what it would have cost for me to order it online and have it shipped here. The price for the magazine online was usually much lower than the shipping, in fact.

Has anybody gotten the other issue yet?
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Post by Darren »

I picked this up via the Dennis Wheatley: Prince of Thriller Writers facebook page.

"On the trail of elusive local master of dark arts"

It is a short article by a Christopher Josiffe aimed at anyone living in Hastings who has memories or information on Rollo Ahmed when he lived (and died) in Harpsichord House in Hastings in the 50's. Josiffe is planning an article, possibly a biography, on Ahmed.


http://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/news/ ... -1-7993521
Regards,

Darren.
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Post by Jim »

Darren wrote: I picked this up via the Dennis Wheatley: Prince of Thriller Writers facebook page.
I didn't know about that, and have just applied to join!
Last edited by Jim on Sat 1 Jul, 2017 22:40:30, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Charles »

A bit late notice, but if anyone didn't spot it, Chris Josiffe is giving a talk on Rollo Ahmed at Treadwell's Bookshop in London WC1 tomorrow evening.

See https://www.treadwells-london.com/event ... -magician/ for details.

DW is sure to get at least a mention.

I'm going and will report back. Is anyone else attending ?

All best !
Charles
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Post by Charles »

Chris Josiffe gave a first class lecture, illustrated with Powerpoint slides. His talk lasted about an hour followed by questions, and was delivered to a packed audience - although surprisingly I didn't see any familiar faces in the room.

Chris started by talking about RA's acquaintance / friendship with Aleister Crowley and with Dennis Wheatley, and he and I agree it was a genuine friendship in DW's case. He talked about how DW came to be introduced to RA, how RA was commissioned to write 'The Black Art' (which Chris feels was written in such a way as to be supportive of DW's Black Magic themes), and about his semi-autobiographical novel 'I Rise'.

He talked about RA teaching DW yoga (which was not as popular then as it became in the 'sixties), and how DW and Maxwell Knight mulled over using RA for some unspecific war work. Chris very diligently and kindly gave credit to this site, the Museum, and to me for the various exhibits he took from here to illustrate his talk, which was nice of him.

One of the most interesting things to me was that Chris read out a newspaper report for one of the (several) occasions that RA was charged with fraud in Jersey. When a farmer asked him to counter a spell (and RA's counter was purportedly ineffective - hence the rather bizarre court case), the description given of RA included the fact that he was wearing a black gown and a red fez.

I had never been as sure as others that Canon Copely-Syle's (aka Montague Summers) Egyptian manservant in Chapter 14 of 'To The Devil A Daughter' really was Rollo Ahmed, but since that character is described as an Egyptian (RA always maintained he was born there, although Chris believes he was born in British Guiana) with very dark skin whose 'thick lips suggested negro blood', and who also and crucially wore a red fez, I think this probably puts it beyond all doubt.

Chris also linked the deadly Black Imp that appears in 'The Satanist' with the black imp that DW was told followed RA around per 'Drink & Ink' (page 134). Chris did not make the connection between RA and Doctor Saturday in 'Strange Conflict' that Ken Gallacher has made, and that I support ... nor the indirect connection that arguably follows on to Baron Samedi in the film of Ian Fleming's 'Live and Let Die'.

Chris has made many interesting discoveries about RA's past (which I will not detail here - they should properly be reserved for when Chris writes further articles on Rollo Ahmed, or perhaps even a book) and observations on his career.

Rollo Ahmed has been a forgotten figure in recent years, and Chris is to be congratulated on being the first person to research him and bring him to a wider audience in recent years.

His further researches will be fascinating, and I will look to see if he will be prepared to come and talk about Rollo at one of our Conventions in due course.

In sum the talk was excellent, and if Chris does any more on the subject, I would strongly encourage anyone with an interest in DW's occult sources to make every effort to attend.

Best wishes to all,
Charles
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