May 2006 - I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

"The Priory is, Without Exception, the Best..." [PRIO]

I share the following below from Ben & Sue Vizoskie, as forwarded to me.  I share their sentiments.  Bob was a kind and gentle man who will be sorely missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.<br /><br /><blockquote><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/1600/Bob_Douty.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5683/1768/200/Bob_Douty.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>It is with great sadness and regret that we write to tell you that Bob Douty, BSI passed away peacefully yesterday morning, May 30th, after a very lengthy hospitalization.  Marsha was with him.<br /><br />Bob was an early member of the Three Garridebs.  In 1980 he and Bruce Kennedy, one of the founders of the Three Garridebs, wrote <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">In the Footsteps of Birdy Edwards: Three Days with the Molly Maguires</span><b>,</b> a pamphlet which documented their explorations in the coal country of Pennsylvania.  Marsha accompanied them, and, as Bob said, "She kept the Sherlockians objective, as well as breaking up any fights that occurred because of our strong opinions."   You may have deduced that this experience was a precursor to the BSI Valley of Fear Expedition in 2004.<br /><br />Bob was invested in 1980 in the BSI as "The Priory School."   After a hiatus, he and Marsha rejoined the Garridebs in January 2000. At that meeting Bob spoke fondly of Ralph Williams, his friend and fellow Garrideb, who had passed away.  In 2002 Bob was invested in the Three Garridebs as "'Killer' Evans," the investiture which had previously been held by Ralph.<br /><br />We will greatly miss Bob -- his sense of humor, his quiet, gentle ways, his kindness, and his friendship.  On behalf of all the Garridebs, we extend our sincerest condolences to Marsha.<br /><br />The following information was taken from <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Journal News</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span><b></b><br />Friends may call on Thursday, June 1 from 2 to 4 pm and 7 to 9 pm at the Joseph F. Nardone Funeral Home, 414 Washington Street, Peekskill, New York.  (914) 737-1363.  Burial Services will be private.  A Celebration of Life Service will be held at the Cold Spring Baptist Church in the fall.<br /><br />Contributions in Bob's memory may be made to Cold Spring Baptist Church, P.O. Box 299, Cold Spring, New York 10516 or the Maine Greyhound Placement Service, 249 Old Belgrade Road, Augusta, Maine  04330.  (Bob's full name was Robert Watson Douty.)<br /></blockquote>

"The Priory is, Without Exception, the Best..." [PRIO]

"The Priory is, Without Exception, the Best..." [PRIO]

I share the following below from Ben & Sue Vizoskie, as forwarded to me. I share their sentiments. Bob was a kind and gentle man who w...

"Light-houses, my boy! Beacons of the future!" [NAVA]

There was a nice mention of the classic exchange about board-schools in 'The Naval Treaty' in the May 30 <span style="font-style: italic;">Guardian</span>.  Ken Lanza was kind enough to forward the article, an excerpt of which is below.<br /><br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">Arthur Conan Doyle, speaking through his alter ego, Sherlock Holmes, likened redbrick Victorian board schools to lighthouses.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/1600/Beacon05.0.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/200/Beacon05.0.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" /></a> "Beacons of the future! Capsules with hundreds of bright little seeds in each, out of which will spring the wiser, better England of the future," Holmes says.<p>But the demands of the modern curriculum, coupled with one the biggest school building programmes since the Victorian age, are putting many of these schools at risk of demolition.  <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://education.guardian.co.uk/egweekly/story/0,,1785310,00.html">Read the entire article here.</a><br /></p></blockquote><p></p><p></p><br />And speaking of beacons, you might want to check out the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.beaconsociety.com/">Beacon Society</a>, a not-for-profit scion society of the Baker Street Irregulars that encourages and rewards those who are bringing Sherlock Holmes to the younger generation.

"Light-houses, my boy! Beacons of the future!" [NAVA]

"Light-houses, my boy! Beacons of the future!" [NAVA]

There was a nice mention of the classic exchange about board-schools in 'The Naval Treaty' in the May 30 Guardian . Ken Lanza was k...

"In some manner he had learned of my own sad bereavement..." [EMPT]

<b><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"></span></span><br /></b><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/1600/Trish_Pearlman.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/200/Trish_Pearlman.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Last Friday, May 26, 2006, the Sherlockian world lost one of its own.  <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" href="http://www.sh-whoswho.com/search_gallery.php3?kw=pearlman&criteria=member">Trish Pearlman, ASH ("A Curious Collection")</a> passed beyond the Reichenbach.<br /><br />Trish was a founding member of the Mini-Tonga Society, a group of collectors of Sherlockian miniatures.  She was also a member of a number of New York-area scion societies with her husband and fellow co-conspirator, Jay.<br /><br />I didn't have the honor of knowing Trish personally, so I would invite any interested reader to add his or her memories of Trish in the Comments section below.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>

"In some manner he had learned of my own sad bereavement..." [EMPT]

"In some manner he had learned of my own sad bereavement..." [EMPT]

Last Friday, May 26, 2006, the Sherlockian world lost one of its own. Trish Pearlman, ASH ("A Curious Collection") passed beyond...

Sherlock Holmes Tours in London

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"it is a hobby of mine to have an exact knowledge of London" [REDH] </h4>
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Recently, a reader contacted us for recommendations for incorporating Sherlock Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle into a trip to London.  It's been a few years since our last trip there, but we are aware of a number of great resources:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.sherlockslondon.com/" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Sherlock's London</a> by Thomas Bruce Wheeler - an interactive walking guide that lists over 200 sites by story and by Underground Station</li>
<li><a href="https://freetoursbyfoot.com/sherlock-holmes-tour-london/" style="color: #000066; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">The Sherlock Holmes Walk</a>, a well thought out guide to the London of Doyle</li>
<li><b>The Irregular Special Railway Company</b> put out a series of Sherlock Holmes Walks - we have them in print, but can't locate them on the web.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.walks.com/our-walks/friday-walks#in-the-footsteps-of-sherlock-holmes" target="_blank"><b>The Original London Walks</b></a>, with a Sherlock Holmes Walk every Friday afternoon (updated)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.london-ghost-tour.com/" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">The London Ghost Tours</a> offer tours of Sherlock Holmes' and Jack the Ripper's London</li>
<li>Any visit to London would be incomplete without a stop at <a href="http://www.sherlock-holmes.co.uk/" style="color: #33ff33; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #000066;">221B Baker Street</span></a> (the Sherlock Holmes Museum), the <a href="http://www.sherlockholmes.co.uk/" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Sherlock Holmes Memorabilia Co.</a> (just across the street from 221B), <a href="https://www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/pubs/greater-london/sherlock-holmes/" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">The Sherlock Holmes</a> (pub), and again <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d1127071-Reviews-The_Sherlock_Holmes_Public_House_Restaurant-London_England.html" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">here</a>.</li>
</ul>
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These are but a smattering of books, tours, and locations.  Perhaps some more well-informed traveling Sherlockian could use the Comments section below to add your own suggestions.<br />
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<i>Image credit: Wikipedia</i><div>
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Sherlock Holmes Tours in London

Sherlock Holmes Tours in London

"it is a hobby of mine to have an exact knowledge of London" [REDH] Recently, a reader contacted us for recommendations f...

"The affair seems absurdly trifling..." [SIXN]

<span style="font-size:130%;"><b style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 0);"></b></span><br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.221b-baker-street.com/"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">A Trifling Reference</span> </a>is a "cross reference of the cases of the Consulting Detective, Mr. Sherlock  Holmes, as chronicled by his friend and colleague, John H. Watson, M.D."<br /><br />Some features include <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.221b-baker-street.com/SearchCanon.php">an entirely searchable Canon</a> - customizable by collection or novel, with results grouped by story and with excerpts around the word or phrase for which the user searched.<br /><br />In addition, the names of <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.221b-baker-street.com/IndexOfDatesAndCodes.php?ThisIndex=CODE">the 60 stories are listed</a> in alphabetical order, with links to read the full stories.  There is also a clickable link that sorts them in the order of the date of their first publication.<br /><br />And finally, <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.221b-baker-street.com/IndexOfChronologies.php?ThisIndex=BG2">the major chronologies</a> are shown side by side, and  - <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">this is a very cool and useful feature </span>- are sortable by a clickable link at the top of each column, thus allowing the stories to be sorted in chronological order by chronologer: Bell, Christ, Zeisler, Brend, and Baring-Gould 1 and 2.

"The affair seems absurdly trifling..." [SIXN]

"The affair seems absurdly trifling..." [SIXN]

A Trifling Reference is a "cross reference of the cases of the Consulting Detective, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, as chronicled by his friend...

Google Doodle Honors Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Google Doodle Honors Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Google Doodle Honors Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

"a fine figure of a man, tall, lithe, and agile" [3STU] In honor of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's birthday today, Google has co...

Eye of Vengeance is Jonathan King's Latest

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"nursing in his heart the fierce desire for vengeance" [STUD] </h4>
We have been informed by his publisher that Jonathon King has written a new novel: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525949534/sr=8-1/qid=1147832873/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-7132755-0695226?%5Fencoding=UTF8" style="color: #000066;"><i>Eye of Vengeance</i></a>.  While his narrator Nick Mullins - like Dr. Watson, is a writer - he is a crime journalist.  His setting is not foggy London, but sunny South Florida.  In this book, a serial sniper (a descendant of Col. Sebastian Moran, perhaps?) is picking off criminals like so many rusty cans on a fence.<br />
<br />
More information is available on <a href="http://beta.blogger.com/www.jonathonking.com" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Jonathon King's websi</a><a href="http://beta.blogger.com/www.jonathonking.com" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">te</a>.  Fans of mystery and suspense won't be disappointed with King's lastest.<br />
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Eye of Vengeance is Jonathan King's Latest

Eye of Vengeance is Jonathan King's Latest

"nursing in his heart the fierce desire for vengeance" [STUD] We have been informed by his publisher that Jonathon King has wri...

Roger Ebert Knows the Baker Street Irregulars

Roger Ebert Knows the Baker Street Irregulars

Roger Ebert Knows the Baker Street Irregulars

"The irregulars are useful sometimes" [RETI] The Baker Street Irregulars received a mention in Roger Ebert's review of &quo...

It's a Mystery to Feature Sherlock Holmes

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"he made a rapid cast around" [DEVI]</h4>
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In honor of the birthday of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle on May 22, host Elizabeth Foxwell will be playing two episodes of  "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" series with John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson on her radio show, "<a href="http://www.elizabethfoxwell.com/ItsaMystery.html" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">It's a Mystery</a>" on WEBR.<br />
<br />
Foxwell hosts the weekly radio show which is broadcast only on the Web on <a href="http://www.fcac.org/webr/" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">WEBR, a freeform radio station</a>.<br />
<br />
"The Final Problem" and "The Empty House" will be aired as as webcast on Monday, May 22 at 11:00 a.m. EDT.<br />
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Ms. Foxwell, managing editor of <a href="http://www.heldref.org/clues.php" style="color: rgb(0 , 0 , 102); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">CLUES, a Journal of Detection</a>,  typically interviews mystery authors on her program.  Of interest to Sherlockians is <a href="http://www.elizabethfoxwell.com/LellenbergStashower-excerpt.mp3" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">a clip of Jon Lellenberg and Daniel Stashower</a> talking about recommended Sherlock Holmes reading for young people.<br />
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It's a Mystery to Feature Sherlock Holmes

It's a Mystery to Feature Sherlock Holmes

"he made a rapid cast around" [DEVI] In honor of the birthday of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle on May 22, host Elizabeth Foxwell will ...

Sherlock Holmes and the Masons

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"a large Masonic pin" [RETI]</h4>
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With the imminent release of "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382625/" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">The Da Vinci Code</a>" in theaters, there has been a good deal of talk about the Masons.  In fact, one of the Sherlock Holmes discussion lists asked about the connection between Conan Doyle and Freemasonry.<br />
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There are a number of articles that have covered the topic.  In particular on the web are:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/beresiner10.html" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Arthur Conan Doyle: Spiritualist and Freemason</a> by Yasha Beresiner</li>
<li><a href="http://themastersmasons.homestead.com/masons.html" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Sherlock Holmes - Freemason?</a> by Ron Fish.</li>
</ul>
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Ron has gone so far as to establish a scion society of the Baker Street Irregulars, <a href="http://themastersmasons.homestead.com/" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">The Master's Masons</a> for Sherlockians who are Masons.<br />
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Sherlock Holmes and the Masons

Sherlock Holmes and the Masons

"a large Masonic pin" [RETI] With the imminent release of " The Da Vinci Code " in theaters, there has been a good de...

Freud and the Queen of Crime

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"(<i>Journal of Psychology</i>, March 1883)" [HOUN]</h4>
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Dr. Richard Kellogg, professor of psychology, Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Alfred State College, has published an article, "<a href="http://www.alfredstate.edu/alfred/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=1239&SnID=774234391" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Freud and the Queen of Crime</a>" in the latest issue of<br />
the <i>Newsletter of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology</i>, a publication of the American Psychological Association.<br />
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Of course, Sigmund Freud also played a central role in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seven-Per-Cent_Solution" style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Seven Per-Cent Solution</span></a> by <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose85" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nicholas Meyer, BSI</a>. This work, which featured Sherlock Holmes receiving treatment from the legendary father of modern psychology, was a watershed publication (and film) in the 1970s that led to a resurgence of interest in the Great Detective.  We have Mr. Meyer to thank for that, and as Dr. Kellogg reminds us, we have Dr. Freud to thank as well.<br />
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Freud and the Queen of Crime

Freud and the Queen of Crime

"( Journal of Psychology , March 1883)" [HOUN] Dr. Richard Kellogg, professor of psychology, Social and Behavioral Sciences Dep...

Finding that 2006 BSJ Survey

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"Late last night Mrs. Hudson...brought up a message" [VALL]</h4>
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A bit of housekeeping from Mrs. Hudson.  We have received some inquiries from readers who have been unable to locate <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2006/05/continued-our-systematic-survey-prio_10.html#.VTBdiyFViko" rel="nofollow" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">the poll mentioned in an earlier post</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">"I don't think that you have any cause to be uneasy, Mrs. Hudson,"</span> [SIGN]</blockquote>
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</blockquote>
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This has likely occurred because of clicking on the link to a particular entry rather than clicking on the <a href="http://ihearofsherlock.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">homepage</a>.  Simply click on the title banner at the top of the page to take you there, and voila!  You'll find the poll in the upper right corner.<br />
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As Sherlock Holmes said, "<a href="http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/omne+ignotum+pro+magnifico" style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Omne ignotum, pro magnifico</span></a>."<br />
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Finding that 2006 BSJ Survey

Finding that 2006 BSJ Survey

"Late last night Mrs. Hudson...brought up a message" [VALL] A bit of housekeeping from Mrs. Hudson. We have received some inqu...

Mothers in the Sherlock Holmes Stories

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"by the memory of your dear mother" [GLOR]</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZjFDKIffOIxlh6RbYrm_Gcu4xwyzJbwx6SGnBkLhz1ZCk8PL0zxonxyxFlbEBllQ65DU2bUPT8D9bxFq35fcQieArYYt_FR7dcvCg7YLrjLnA2rsZupOzuxfGZuH_Yv1oyB66cO6b1ID/s1600/Mrs.+McFarlane+%5BNORW%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The unhappy mother of the unhappy John Hector McFarlane [NORW]" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZjFDKIffOIxlh6RbYrm_Gcu4xwyzJbwx6SGnBkLhz1ZCk8PL0zxonxyxFlbEBllQ65DU2bUPT8D9bxFq35fcQieArYYt_FR7dcvCg7YLrjLnA2rsZupOzuxfGZuH_Yv1oyB66cO6b1ID/s1600/Mrs.+McFarlane+%5BNORW%5D.jpg" title="Mrs. McFarlane - The Norwood Builder" /></a></div>
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<br />
A happy Mother's Day to all of the Sherlockian mothers out there. Parental figures in the Sherlock Holmes stories are a mixed bag (listen to <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose43" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 43: Fathers in the Canon</a> for paternal examples), and in looking for maternal examples, we discovered that there were a good number of people who lost their mothers within the 60 tales.<br />
<br />
Many of these these motherless children had tragic and heart-wrenching descriptions of their situation.  Of note:<br />
<ul>
<li>Lucy Ferrier, who was near death in the Great Alkalai Plain<span style="font-style: italic;"></span>, stating "as long as we die we'll be with mother again." [<a href="http://camdenhouse.ignisart.com/canon/stud-201.htm" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">STUD</a>]</li>
<li>Mary Morstan, who returned to England when her father was stationed in the Indian army:  "my mother was dead, and I had no relative in England." [<a href="http://camdenhouse.ignisart.com/canon/sign-02.htm" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">SIGN</a>]</li>
<li>Julia Stoner, step-daughter of Dr. Grimesby Roylott, stated "Shortly after our return to England my mother died - she was killed eight years ago in a railway accident near Crewe." [<a href="http://camdenhouse.ignisart.com/canon/spec.htm" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">SPEC</a>]</li>
<li>Violet Hunter sought Sherlock Holmes' perspective on her strange experience with Jephro Rucastle, saying "I have no parents or relations of any sort from whom I could ask advice..." [<a href="http://camdenhouse.ignisart.com/canon/copp.htm" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">COPP</a>]</li>
</ul>
Not to mention mothers who had to bear the unthinkable: the death of a child.  Coincidentally, the examples here - just off the top of our head - are all shooting victims.<br />
<ul>
<li>The mother of the Hon. Ronald Adair, felled by Col. Moran's bullet. [<a href="http://camdenhouse.ignisart.com/canon/empt.htm" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">EMPT</a>]</li>
<li>William Kirwan's mother, who was put into shock that "has made her half-witted." [<a href="http://camdenhouse.ignisart.com/canon/reig.htm" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">REIG</a>]</li>
<li>Arthur Cadogan West's mother, described as "the bereaved mother. The old lady was too dazed with grief to be of any use to us..." [<a href="http://camdenhouse.ignisart.com/canon/bruc.htm" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">BRUC</a>]</li></ul><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">“Just a trifle more” [SCAN]</h3></div><div>For more discussion along these lines, <a href="https://ihose.co/trifles19" target="_blank">Episode 19 of Trifles</a> was all about Mothers in the Canon:</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="703" data-dashlane-rid="34f09d984bd8f477" data-form-type="other" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5344516/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/d3fbf3/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe><br /></div><div><br /></div>
And we all know how influential Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's mother was in his life - from inspiring him to write "The Copper Beeches," to being a lasting influence on his love life.  We learned a good deal more about the influence of "the Mam" in <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1JzDTpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters</a></i>, edited Daniel Stashower and Jon Lellenberg, which <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose13" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">you can hear on Episode 13</a>.<div><br /></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="796" data-dashlane-rid="256cfe6c41fde7f0" data-form-type="other" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/1114957/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/6c442c/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe>
<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
So be good to your mother for Mother's Day.  Or honor her memory by doing something of which she would have approved. </div><div><br /></div><div> And for God's sake, lock up the firearms.<br />
<br />
--<br />
<br /></div>

Mothers in the Sherlock Holmes Stories

Mothers in the Sherlock Holmes Stories

"by the memory of your dear mother" [GLOR] A happy Mother's Day to all of the Sherlockian mothers out there. Parental fi...

Take the 2006 BSJ Survey

Take the 2006 BSJ Survey

Take the 2006 BSJ Survey

"We continued our systematic survey" [PRIO] As part of an effort to understand what is important to our readers, we'd like ...

What's in the Spring 2006 Issue of the Baker Street Journal

<h4 style="text-align: center;">
"It was too bad to spring it on you like this," [NAVA]</h4>
<br />
"but Watson will tell you that I can never resist a touch of the dramatic."<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">[dramatic pause]</span><br />
<br />
The Spring 2006 <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Baker Street Journal</span></a> is  on its way!<br />
<br />
Some choice items you'll find in the latest issue include:<br />
<ul>
<li>A recap of the 2006 BSI Weekend festivities</li>
<li>Paul Singleton's "From Sodality to Sardines" examines the first location of a BSI function: the Hotel Duane.</li>
<li>Al Silverstein and Marie Ventura  embark on "The Search for Forbidden Knowledge" by exploring Holmes, Moriarty and the Faust legend with some mental calesthetics.</li>
<li>Jon Lellenberg promotes a scion society's aversion to self-promotion in "An Old Campaigner" as his mission is accomplished.</li>
<li>Sonia Fetherston draws parallels between Lewis Carroll's and Conan Doyle's efforts in "Shoscombe Through the Looking Glass"</li>
<li>The usual assortment from the Editor's Commonplace Book, some terrace-standing, and the Baker Street Inventory.</li>
</ul>
On <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/" style="color: #33ff33; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: rgb(0 , 0 , 102);">The Baker Street Journal</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0 , 0 , 102);"> website</span></a> you'll find the featured article of this quarter (which one will it be?...), as well as the latest Editor's Gaslamp.<br />
<br />
You might be interested in a couple of improvements we've added to the BSJ website.  First is a set of <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/pages/907704/index.htm" style="color: rgb(0 , 0 , 102); font-weight: bold;">Frequently Asked Questions</a> (FAQs).  If you have additional questions that you think should be listed, please use the comments section below to add yours.<br />
<br />
Also, following on the reintroduction of "Letters to Baker Street," in the printed pages of the Journal, we have added a section on the <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/pages/506772/index.htm" style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Current Issue</a> page for submitting your letters to the editor.<br />
<br />
We always want to know what you think - of the Journal, of the blog - the sky's the limit.  <a href="mailto:%20bakerstreetblog@gmail.com" style="color: rgb(0 , 0 , 102); font-weight: bold;">Drop us a line</a> or make a comment below.  And as always, enjoy your Journal!<br />
<br />
--<br />
<br />

What's in the Spring 2006 Issue of the Baker Street Journal

What's in the Spring 2006 Issue of the Baker Street Journal

"It was too bad to spring it on you like this," [NAVA] "but Watson will tell you that I can never resist a touch of the dr...

Giving a Toast at a Sherlockian Gathering of Note

<h4 style="text-align: center;">
"What is the meaning of it Watson?" [CARD]</h4>
As I reflected on Mike Whelan's comments at the Copper Beeches meeting regarding Sherlockian fellowship, it made me think back to a toast I was asked to give at the 2003 Dinner of the Baker Street Irregulars.<br />
<br />
In October 2002, I received a phone call by a fellow BSI asking me to give a toast at the BSI dinner - a tall order for a recently investitured Irregular.  I immediately and effusively answered, "Sure, I'd be honored to give a toast.  Who will I be toasting?"  The answer followed:<br />
<blockquote>
"Sherlock Holmes."</blockquote>
Gulp.  The Big One.  The persona who represents why we're all gathering year after year.  What could I, a young thirty-something Irregular say that had not been said by much greater Sherlockians than myself?  By Christopher Morley, Edgar W. Smith, Isaac Asimov, Julian Wolff, Rex Stout, William Baring-Gould, etc.?<br />
<br />
I remembered that Christopher Morley's called the Canon  <a href="http://www.diogenes-club.com/shlibrary6.htm" style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-style: italic;">A Textbook of Friendship</span></a><span style="color: #000066;">,</span> which further reminded me that I have forged many friends while in the pursuit of this unique pasttime.  Then, reaching into my musical bag of tricks, I applied the music from the 1946 song <a href="http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2306" style="color: #000066;">"The House I Live In"</a> (made popular <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xejnzc_the-house-i-live-in-1945_shortfilms" target="_blank">by Frank Sinatra</a>) and applied it to the following lyrics.<br />
<br />
<center>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gfm2l3GcVXw" width="560"></iframe></center>
<br />
<h4>
The Canon I Read</h4>
<blockquote>
What is Sherlock Holmes to me?<br />
A pipe, a cap, or the man I see<br />
A certain word:  elementary<br />
What is Sherlock Holmes to me?<br />
<br />
The Canon I read,<br />
A flat on Baker Street,<br />
Lestrade and Mrs. Hudson,<br />
Or the people that I meet.<br />
<br />
The scion in my hometown,<br />
The faces that I see,<br />
All races and religions,<br />
That's Sherlock Holmes to me.<br />
<br />
The papers I write,<br />
The quizzes that I take,<br />
The journal I subscribe to,<br />
Or the toasts I have to make.<br />
<br />
Wonter, Cushing, Rathbone,<br />
Brett, Gillette and Lee,<br />
And Paget’s many portraits,<br />
That's Sherlock Holmes to me.<br />
<br />
The things I see about me,<br />
The big things and the small,<br />
Each one provides a ref’rence<br />
To a tale that I recall.<br />
<br />
Napoleons and vampires,<br />
The thumbs of engineers,<br />
And the dream that's been a growing<br />
For a hundred twenty years<br />
<br />
Our dear old Wiggins,<br />
The weekend filled with food,<br />
The final cocktail party<br />
Is a fine way to conclude.<br />
<br />
The Band, the Pips, the Beeches,<br />
Irregulars I see;<br />
It’s especially the people<br />
That's Sherlock Holmes to me.</blockquote>
<br />
And so it is with many of us involved in the Game.  The scholarship, the mental sparring and such are all invigorating, but it's the relationships with each other that make this hobby one of the most enjoyable of any I can imagine.<br />
<br />
--<br />
<br />

Giving a Toast at a Sherlockian Gathering of Note

Giving a Toast at a Sherlockian Gathering of Note

"What is the meaning of it Watson?" [CARD] As I reflected on Mike Whelan's comments at the Copper Beeches meeting regarding ...

Philadelphia Sherlockians

<h4 style="text-align: center;">
"we would fly together to Philadelphia" [VALL] </h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDT9yRuMmFecjcctVfI8SqG1cS14D7oPcOyisTzaNwO3JLXGT_OsniFnp_yFhQd-gUCpC-CMSNGfgon3wXdtQBgbqlNAJewyNxAeEHZdEOOUCyjvou0bW2ZRj_0AROLOM8I2DX8TqmlzE/s1600/Copper_beech_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDT9yRuMmFecjcctVfI8SqG1cS14D7oPcOyisTzaNwO3JLXGT_OsniFnp_yFhQd-gUCpC-CMSNGfgon3wXdtQBgbqlNAJewyNxAeEHZdEOOUCyjvou0bW2ZRj_0AROLOM8I2DX8TqmlzE/s1600/Copper_beech_logo.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
On a personal note, we had occasion to visit Philadelphia and attend a dinner of the <a href="http://sonsofthecopperbeeches.homestead.com/" style="color: rgb(0 , 0 , 102); font-weight: bold;">Sons of the Copper Beeches</a>, a 60 year-old scion society that is thriving under the able leadership of Headmastiff Gideon Hill, BSI.<br />
<br />
Among those in attendance was Michael Whelan, the "Wiggins" (the titular head) of the Baker Street Irregulars.  Mike made some great remarks about Sherlockians and the Great Game that are worth paraphrasing here.  Among them:<br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">A general truth:</span> at times, we take the Game seriously, but as a rule, Sherlockians generally enjoy themselves.  One thing all scion societies have in common, whether they are six decades or six months old, is the desire for fellowship - that quiet confidence and satisfaction that we engage in a common interest.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">An observation:</span> that with over 400 Sherlockian/Holmesian societies worldwide, over 300 of them are in the United States.  Why is it that more than 70% of the world's Sherlockian groups are in our backyard?<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">A reminder:</span> the Baker Street Irregulars is not simply a group of people who gather once a year for a dinner in New York.  The BSI are not "Jupiter descending," as Holmes once referred to Mycroft coming to Baker Street - they are people in your midst at every meeting; Sherlockians, like you, who have a sincere interest in the stories and in each other.</blockquote>
We can highly recommend Philadelphia and its Sherlockians.  The next time you're in town, consider getting in touch with Gideon Hill.  You won't regret it.<br />
<br />
Related is <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose18">Episode 18: The Sons of the Copper Beeches</a><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" height="90" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/1115014/height/90/theme/custom/autoplay/no/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/backward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/87A93A/" style="border: none;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
--<br />
<br />

Philadelphia Sherlockians

Philadelphia Sherlockians

"we would fly together to Philadelphia" [VALL] On a personal note, we had occasion to visit Philadelphia and attend a dinne...

"Let us take it link by link." [WIST]

Peter Blau has graciously allowed us permission to post the HTML links from his monthly newsletter, <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" href="http://members.cox.net/sherlock1/scuttle.htm">Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press</a>. Below are the links from his latest issue.<br /><br /><ul><li>Mozilla's <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" href="http://www.mycroft.mozdev.org/">Mycroft collection</a> of browser plug-ins</li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.bsitrust.org/">The Baker Street Irregulars Trust</a></li><li>Request a copy of the Sherlockian Times e-newsletter at <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" href="http://www.sherlock-holmes.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">Classic Specialties</span></a></li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" href="http://www.mcphee.com/categories/action.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Action figures from Archie McPhee</span></a> - Holmes, Wilde, Poe, Houdini, Shakespeare, Wagner and more!</li><li style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal;">Laurie R. King's</span><a href="http://www.laurierking.com/events.php"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">tour schedule</span></a></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">An account of the George Edalji case: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.theplebeian.net/books_cdtps.php">Conan Doyle and the Parson's Son</a></span></span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" href="http://www.geocities.com/poppub/#BNT12-#13"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"The Amazing Adventure of Old Marvel"</span></a> in <span style="font-style: italic;">Blood & Thunder - </span>possibly an early influence on Conan Doyle</span></span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" href="http://www.malicedomestic.org/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Malice Domestic</span></a> - the current conference is over, but check for </span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">future dates</span></span></li><li><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" href="http://www.funimation.com/">"Case Closed"</a> - the English-language version of "Meitantei Conan"</li><li style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><a href="http://www.murder-rooms.com/"><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">Murder Rooms</span></a></li><li><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" href="http://www.neillhartley.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Sherlock Holmes and the Speckled Band"</span></a> - a one-man play by Neill Hartley<br /></li><li><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.zippythepinhead.com/">Zippy the Pinhead</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">  </span>- featuring Gillette Castle on June 25, 2000, July 31, 2002, and October 18, 2002 (one featured below)</li></ul><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/1600/Zippy%20073102.1.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/724/187/320/Zippy%20073102.0.png" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>

"Let us take it link by link." [WIST]

"Let us take it link by link." [WIST]

Peter Blau has graciously allowed us permission to post the HTML links from his monthly newsletter, Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press . ...

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