STOP PRESS
SIX OF ONE - HELP ME SET UP A NEW SOCIETY ARCHIVE
Hello there. My name is Sarah and I am part of the society’s organising team. My day job is as a librarian, dealing with all kinds of information, information, information… my volunteer role within Six of One is that of society archivist, and it is my dream to establish a new archive for the society. Can you help?
Six of One does not have a designated archive at present although we acknowledge that there may have been donations of items in the past. My intent is for us to create a communal and accessible archive of our resources, to balance our need for accessibility and fairness with sustainability and protecting our shared items, as so many of our collection’s items are unique
and fragile, and not likely to be able to be replaced should they become damaged or lost. Our task is to create a working archive with a known and regulated content and accountability for the items within it. It is a big job and it will take a while, but we can make a start on it now.
I anticipate we will have a large range of types of material and formats, including, but not restricted to: articles, letters, audio and visual recordings, as well as some physical items such as costumes, or props. Once I know what we have, I will create a plan for our archive, and this is where you come in. Can you help me to find our resources? Our first job is to create an inventory of materials, and for this I’ll need your help. Do you have any materials including physical items, audio visual recordings that were bought, created, recorded on behalf of or donated to Six of One? This includes any materials or interviews created or recorded on behalf of the society. This would exclude any items that you bought personally, or anything that was gifted to you personally, unless you’d like to donate these.
I am starting this archive from scratch. Historically, six of one have not had a base to store or display any materials and before we start to actively seek a location, we need to know what we have. If there were any items that were previously donated that you may know of or have access to, please let me know.
To start creating the inventory of what we have, please send over to me the details of the item/s you have and are willing to donate: what it is, the format (is it paper, digital, DVD, video, photo etc) the date the content was created, it’s condition, and the size. If you do have something rare, we’d need to be able to trace its provenance – where did it come from? We’ll also need to think about copyright too.
Once I have an idea about what items there are, we can draw up a plan together about how to ensure fair access whilst also ensuring that these items are kept safe, for now and the future!
Details of how to contact me will be published in Issue 11, the summer edition of Degree Absolute, published in June 2026.
Thank you very much – and Be Seeing You!
ABOUT SIX OF ONE
Established in 1977, Six of One is a non-commercial operation and is the only appreciation society for The Prisoner that has received official acknowledgement and recognition. Six of One is administered by a small number of enthusiasts, all unpaid volunteers working in their own free time. All decisions are made by democratic means through members of the Organisation Team. Team members undertake a body of work on behalf of the society as a whole and the team expands and contracts to meet changing circumstances or demands.
Society members are encouraged to participate at every level.There is a convention at Portmeirion, where the series was filmed, and other social events and location visits may be organised from time-to-time.
Membership is by annual subscription and brings mailings which include a quality professionally printed magazine each time plus other printed items.
MEMBERSHIP
You can join Six of One online by using the 'PayPal' secure payment page and selecting the appropriate payment panel for the subscription rate applicable to your country of residence. You can opt for Individual Membership or Joint Membership if you have other people at the same address who would like to come along to what would normally be members-only events. If you opt for the latter, please also tell us the full name(s) of joint member(s).
Following payment, you will receive notification by email from PayPal that your subscription has been received, and Six of One will receive your mailing address at the same time. No other receipt will be sent unless requested. Subscriptions are priced in GBP which Paypal will convert from your currency on payment. An online printable membership form is available if you would prefer to join by post. If you require a receipt for your postal aplication, please enclose a stamped addressed envelope.
CONVENTION
Join in the fun of the annual “The Prisoner” convention, held in the grounds of Portmeirion, the colourful setting that doubled for “The Village” in the TV series.
With a full programme of both inside and outside events, the convention is a must-attend for every enthusiast of The Prisoner or those interested in cult television generally.
Conventions are self-financing and the organisation, preparation, setting up and running of the event each year is done on a voluntary basis, provided by a dedicated group of people. Conventions are for members and are always promoted and run in a very friendly atmosphere. Six of One would like to thank Portmeirion and all their staff for all of their support and the continued success of Portmeiricon.
THE PRISONER
Patrick McGoohan plays a man who resigns from a top secret position and is abducted from his London home. He finds himself in a beautiful village where everything is bright and cheerful – the people, their clothes, the buildings, the flowers. But despite this rosy exterior, the village serves a sinister purpose.
People are forcibly brought there in order to have their valuable knowledge protected or extracted. Everyone in the village is assigned a number instead of a name – The Prisoner is Number Six. Chief interrogator and administrator is Number Two, but he isn’t the boss – an unseen Number One is the boss.
Failure is not tolerated in the village, and most episodes feature a new Number Two, though some are privileged to return for a second chance to break Number Six and discover why he resigned. The Prisoner struggles to keep this information from his captors and to find out which side runs the village and where it is. He strives to discover the identity of Number One, and above all, he attempts to escape.
PORTMEIRION
Portmeirion was the dream creation of Architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis. The Italianate inspired design and the concept of a tightly grouped coastal village, was built in two stages between 1925 and 1976.
Portmeirion featured in a number of "Danger Man" episodes before famosuly becoming "The Village" in The Prisoner television series.
Six of One holds its annual Prisoner Convention - known as Portmeiricon - in Portmeirion Village. Six of One is the only Prisoner appreciation society recognised by Portmeirion and we remain grateful to be able to hold our annual event in The Prisoner's original setting.