Upper left is the IFA, Center the earliest Hugo rocket 1953, right the 1955 Hugo award.

For comparison this is an award given to the members of Operation Backfire, a predominantly British team investigating and test-firing at V-2 rocket bases in Germany at the end of WW2

MYTHOLOGY OF THE HUGO - extract

BEN JASON

SCIENTIFICTION -  WINTER 1994

The idea of achievement awards within fandom is definitely not a new one. As far back as the 1930s Ray Palmer proposed the Jules Verne Prize Club, but lack of interest and donations led to its demise. I believe that the Mystery Writers of America came up with the "Edgar” which is still being awarded.

Now, when we come to science fiction awards, we have a totally different picture. In 1951 our British cousins beat us to the punch. Four fans, Leslie Flood, John Beynon Harris (John Wyndham), G. Ken Chapman, and Frank Cooper, formed the International Fantasy Award which lasted until 1957. The trophy was a metal spaceship and cigarette lighter (?) mounted on a base. In retrospect I still wish that this award would have continued; it looked attractive and I never heard any complaints about its manufacture. It would have saved a lot of headaches for Jack McKnight and myself.

THE CORONCON - extract

TERRY JEEVES

PERI 3 APRIL 1954 edited by Ken Potter and Dave Wood

Convention Sunday's programme boasted of two halls, but they were not both used. Ted Tubb failed to appear for the first item, so nothing took place from 11am until 2-45, when the winners of the Fantasy Award were read out. Fans were accused of apathy in not supporting the thing, personally, I don't blame 'em. We have no say in the thing, but all we are supposed to do is send donations, and hear the winner read out. There was no presentation, as the trophies were not ready.. Ye Gods, a whole year to prepare, and then they say that the Northerners should start con proceedings early!

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SNOOK DOWN SOUTH - extract

DAVE WOOD

PERI 3 APRIL 1954 edited by Ken Potter and Dave Wood

Ted Carnell and Bert Campbell were up to their tricks with the usual gusto, a great success to start off the second day of a fairly mediocre con. Came the International Fantasy Award, the winners of which were announced and details given with out the awards themselves being present or on show.

Simak won the fiction award with his ’’City”, and Ley and De Camp the non-fiction with ”Lands beyond”. Runners-up for fiction were ’’Take Off” by Kornbluth and ’’Player Piano” by Vonnegut. ”Across the Space Frontier” came second in the non-fiction section