Adelaide's magicians' two groups share space to honour trickery in former WWII air raid shelter at Torrensville
The disused World War II air raid shelter off South Road in the Adelaide suburb of Torrensville was home to the local chapters of the Australian Society of Magicians and International Brotherhood of Magicians. Inset: Images of magicians past and present are featured in the shelter's performance space.
A World War II air raid in the Adelaide suburb of Torrensville was magically transformed into a home for honing the art of a trickery.
South Australia’ two associations for professional magicians – the Australian Society of Magicians and International Brotherhood of Magicians – both met in the same disused World War II air raid shelter off South Road. The shelter held about 25 people and featured magic artefacts and photos back to the 1900s of notable Adelaide performers or world renowned magicians during visits to South Australia.
The Adelaide chapter of the Australian Society of Magicians, Assembly No.2, founded in 1920, claimed to be the oldest continuously operating magic club in Australia. The Australian Society of Magicians was open to any practising magician who could perform a 10-minute magic show.
The local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (or Garden City Ring 148) began in Adelaide in 1955 with members, including professionals, hobbyists and collectors of magic memorabilia. The International Brotherhood of Magicians, founded in 1922, was the world’s largest magic club with more than 300 rings in 73 countries and more than 14,000 members. International Brotherhood of Magicians ring was open to membership for those showing demonstrating a “significant interest” in magic through an audition for magicians or in a lecture or talk for historians and collectors.
Adelaide’s Australian Society of Magicians and International Brotherhood of Magicians ring had a common purpose: to build a community for South Australian magicians to meet, hone their skills, nurture new talent and ensure the art of magic didn’t disappear.
Magicians past and present honoured at the magic bombsheler include Jim Bennier, Emil Ruch, Ted Barclay, Harold Jack Watson, Charles Breton, Fred Baker, Gene Raymond, Wally Speed, Bill March, Reg Hook, Ray Crowe and Gerry McCreanor.
