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John Albert Briggs
(Sheffield, England: 17th November 1884 - 4th August 1969)
Magician in Sheffield since age 18. Edited The Conjurer there 1910-11. Moved to Australia in 1913. Dealer in Alexandria, NSW, as Austral Magical Company 1920-33, thence under own name 1934-69. Pro performer as "Albert Russell" (1920), "Merbak" (1922 and 1938), "The Great Chandu" (1938), and "Rajah Singh" (1938). Founding member and 1st President of Australian Magic Circle 1923 and Australian Magicians' Club 1944. A notoriously contentious man.
Edited Magic Mirror 1921, The Conjurer (Australia) 1922-38, Magic in Australia 1924-25 (4 issues), and Box and Dice 1946-53? (22+ issues). Wrote Stage Magic, Dinkum Magic (1928), Magical Revelations (1941), and Practical Magic (1946). Tricks in Magic (1910) and Linking Ring (Mar 1971 "Parade").
