In September 2001 the George Formby Society will celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the formation of the Society. For the first time in over ten years the Society will not hold its convention together with the AGM in the Winter Gardens, for this meeting only they will be accommodated by the Savoy Hotel. This is simply because there is a clash of dates with the Winter Gardens. As usual there will be the weekend-long concert together with the beginner’s classes, films and young member’s concert on the Sunday morning. The Lord Mayor of Blackpool will be in attendance and on Sunday afternoon she will host a reception for the Society members. To celebrate the 40th, the September issue of the Vellum will be accompanied by a 16-page pictorial (images below) containing 44 photographs of George and Beryl Formby. This will only be given to the members of the Society but anyone joining will also receive this special publication whilst ever stocks last. Obviously the sooner you join, the better the chance of you receiving the special issue. The Vellum magazine (for this issue only) will also increase its pages to mark the 40th. Joining the Society is simplicity itself, just visit this page. The 40th Anniversary Convention took place on the weekend of 15/16 September 2001 in the Savoy Hotel,