Len Edwards had a real kind of magic (Obituary)

Scotsman.com (UK)
Friday, October 26, 2007

Len Edwards had a real kind of magic (Obituary)

LEN EDWARDS from Newington died on October 20 at the Marie Curie Hospice in 
Fairmilehead. 

Born, one of nine children, in Fountainbridge in 1932, Len grew up in 
Craigmillar before moving with his family to the Inch when he was in his late 
teens. 

He did his national service with the Royal Air Force in Preston, England, from 
1950-1952, before going on to work as a stockbroker, most notably at Bell 
Lawrie in St Andrew Square. 

Len married Margaret, a neighbour from the Inch, in March 1958 and the pair had 
two children, Rob, 41, and Laura Beth, 38. 

Len was a self-taught magician and a longstanding member of Edinburgh Magic 
Circle where, at various times, he held the post of secretary, treasurer and 
president. 

He joined the Boys Magic Club as a teenager with his friend Craig Stoddart and 
gave one of his finest performances to a packed audience at the Ross Bandstand 
at the age of 17. 

As well as magic, Len enjoyed a pint of Deuchar's IPA at Sandy Bell's pub on 
Forrest Road and he even renamed a card trick the Sandy Bell's Shuffle. 

He was well known for his close up magic, including a vanishing cigarette trick 
and the "Marco Polo compass trick". 

Len was medically retired from his job as a stockbroker at the age of 49 when 
he developed glaucoma and was registered blind. However, he continued to 
perform magic to friends and enjoyed "table-hopping" or doing tricks at tables 
in bars and restaurants, with the little sight he had left. 

In August, he attended his daughter's wedding, which made the news after the 
reception was held in Anstruther Fish Bar in Fife, where the Edwards' had 
enjoyed eating during family holidays. He was proud to walk Laura Beth down the 
aisle and, for the first time in his life, he donned a kilt for the occasion. 

A big fan of cryptic crosswords, the grandfather of Tiggie, five, and Nia, two, 
was also a committee member of Lothian Sound, the newspaper for the blind, and 
of the 75th Liberton Scout Group. 

He played golf in his youth at Craigmillar Park Golf Club and loved spending 
weekends on Blackford Hill and studying the history of Edinburgh and the 
Southside through evening classes. His son and fellow Magic Circle member Rob 
said: "He loved his city and was a true Edinburgher." 

Len was diagnosed with stomach cancer on September 27 and spent his last few 
weeks at the Marie Curie Hospice, where his family said he received wonderful 
care. 

Magician Gary James, of Edinburgh Magic Circle, said Len would be fondly 
remembered. "He was a great mentor to me when I first started out," he said. 
"He'd give me advice and put me on the right track. He'd done all the roles in 
the Magic Circle and had a fantastic wealth of knowledge. He'll be sadly 
missed." 

A funeral service will be held at Mortonhall Crematorium Main Chapel tomorrow 
at 9.10am.


http://news.scotsman.com/columnists.cfm?id=1709492007
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