Warm Welcome to New Charter Members from France and La Société Sherlock Holmes de France 

The Society welcomes two distinguished Sherlockians of France to Membership:

Thierry Saint-Joanis, JHWS “Tristan”

The Society extends a warm welcome to M. Saint-Joanis, who is the president of La Société Sherlock Holmes de France.   He is a member of the French Society team that won the Open International Competition of the First Annual John H. Watson Canonical Treasure Hunt.

M. Saint-Joanis’s biography:

SSHF co-founder and president since 1993.  Manager of the Mycroft’s Brother editions company. Born 1960 in Thiers (near Clermont-Ferrand), France. Has been Sherlock Holmes addict since his university days studying History.

Journalist for several French newspapers and teacher at the French School of Journalism in Paris (Specialist of Investigation).

In 1988, he met  Jean-Pierre Cagnat who opened to him the gates of the Holmesian World. In 1992, Thierry and Jean-Pierre Cagnat met Alexis Barquin and Yves-Charles Fercoq and decided to create a new Holmesian society which will keep green the memory of the great detective. In 1993, The Société Sherlock Holmes de France (SSHF)  was born.

In February 1997, with Alexis Barquin and Pierre Bannier, author of Sherlock Holmes, a Practical Guide of the Holmesian World (in French).

In September 1997, founder of the Sherlock Holmes Worldwide Congress of the Holmesian societies In January 1998, invested irregular at the Baker Street Irregulars of New York as “Monsieur Bertillon.”

In January 2001, as editor, published It Is Always A Joy… by Jean-Pierre Cagnat.

Personal website: http://www.mycrofts.net

Member of the following societies:

» La Société Sherlock Holmes de France (Mycroft Holmes)
» The  Sherlock Holmes Society of London
» Uno Studio in Holmes
» The Jeremy Brett Society of France
» The Amateur Mendicant Society (Huret)
» The  Baker Street Irregulars (M. Bertillon)
» Société d’études holmésiennes de la Suisse romande
» Deutsche Sherlock Holmes Gesellschaft
» H.O.L.M.E.S.
» The Elusive Bicyclists (L. Armstrong)
» Le Club des Hydropathes holmésiens (Founder)
» The Beacon Society
» La Lega dei Presidenti (France)
» SSHF For Holmes (Admin)
» The Master’s Masons
» The Sign of Fort d’Agra (Deerstalker 1)
» La  seconde tache
» Les Amis du Musée SSHF
» Le peloton des cyclistes solitaires
» The Pissing Three Quarter

Thierry also has an astounding, full scale reproduction of the sitting rooms at 221B Baker Street created within his home. The website displaying photos of the rooms is: http://www.sherlock-holmes.fr/murder-party/2-a-visit.htm. A visit to this website is a must!

Please join in a warm welcome to Thierry Saint-Joanis and extend our Society’s traditional greeting:  “You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

Alexis Barquin, JHWS “Olivier”

The Society welcomes warmly M. Alexis Barquin, the co-member in the Treasure Hunt for Team France of La Société Sherlock Holmes de France. M. Barquin is also co-founder and Secretary of La Société Sherlock Holmes de France and is instrumental in the management of the priceless Sherlockian resource, Sherlockian Who’s Who.

Alexis Barquin’s biography is:

SSHF co-founder and secretary since 1993. SSHF Webmaster since 1996.

Born  1968 in Paris, France. Has been holmesian since his university days studying chemistry.

He joined the  Société des Amis d’Henri Fournaye  in 1991, and was an active member of  La Lettre de Baker Street  managed by Jean-Marc Faure. In 1992,  La Société des Amis d’Henri Fournaye  closed. One year later,  La Lettre de Baker Street  was closed too.

Alexis met Thierry Saint-Joanis and decided to create a new Holmesian society which will keep green the memory of the great detective. In 1993,  La Société Sherlock Holmes de  France  (SSHF) was born.

Since, Alexis Barquin has created the SSHF website which is the best Holmesian ressource in french on the web; and http://www.sh-whoswho.com.

Personal website: http://www.sshf.com

Member  of the following societies

» La Société Sherlock Holmes de France (John M. Watson)
» The Hounds of the Internet
» The Beacon Society
» H.O.L.M.E.S.
» SSHF For Holmes (Admin)
» La seconde tache
» Sherlock Holmes Club of Latin America
» Le peloton des cyclistes solitaires
» The Pissing Three Quarter

Please welcome M. Alexis Barquin and extend the warm greeting of the Society:

“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

Warm Welcome to Mr Roger Johnson, JHWS “Count” and Ms Jean Upton, JHWS “Countess,” Distinguished British Sherlockians and Authors

Picture
Jean Upton and Roger Johnson of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London pose on the set of BBC television’s “Sherlock” during the filming of “The Reichenbach Fall” in 2011. At the recent Sherlock Holmes Through Time and Place conference in Minneapolis, they reported on their experiences as a guest of the show’s producers, showed video, and made it clear that anything they may have seen that hints at an explanation of “The Empty Hearse” is not for the world to know. “Sherlock” co-creator Mark Gatiss took the photo. With thanks to www.sherlockiannet.com and Mr Chris Redmond for the photo and caption appearing on his wonderful Sherlockian.Net

New Charter Members

The Society is honoured to extend Charter Membership to Roger Johnson, JHWS “Count” and Jean Upton, JHWS “Countess” both distinguished Sherlockians, scholars and authors.

Mr Johnson writes:

“It’s good to know that appreciation of Dr Watson is growing. I’m a long-time member of the Friends of Dr Watson here in England, though I’m rarely able to attend meetings, and I’m in frequent contact with the Watsonians.”

Roger Johnson, BSI (“The Pall Mall Gazette”), ASH (“Shinwell Johnson”), PSI (“Geoffrey Thompson”) is a retired librarian. His introduction to the world of Sherlock Holmes was through an American, the late Luther L Norris. Like Holmes himself, he maintains that it is always a joy to meet an American. He joined the Sherlock Holmes Society of London in 1968. For thirteen years he presented the Society’s annual film evening, and since 1982 he has written and distributed its
newsletter, The District Messenger. In 2007 he succeeded Nicholas Utechin
as joint-editor of The Sherlock Holmes Journal.

Jean Upton, ASH (“Mrs Farintosh”), BSI (“Elsie Cubitt”) attended her first meeting of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London in 1987 – at Granada Studios, where Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke were filming Wisteria Lodge. Jean has contributed essays, reviews and illustrations to books and periodicals on both sides of the Atlantic, and her portrait of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle hangs in the restaurant of the Sherlock Holmes pub in London. Jean Upton and Roger Johnson met through the Society, and were married in 1992. Since 1993 they have acted as curators/housekeepers of the 221B study at the Sherlock Holmes pub. Their book The Sherlock Holmes Miscellany was published in 2012. Reviews of their book are universally favourable, as here:

THE SHERLOCK HOLMES MISCELLANY by Roger Johnson & Jean Upton
“This is the best introduction to Sherlock Holmes that I know and it also serves as a valuable work of reference. Written by two experts, presented with wit and published as an attractive hardback at a very modest price – there’s no better bargain for the beginner or the regular reader.” -Amazon reader review.

Please join in extending a warm welcome to both Roger Johnson and Jean Upton as they now begin what we hope will be a long and valuable membership in The John H Watson Society.

“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

Welcome to New Charter Members!

The Society is delighted to welcome four additional new Charter Members. Please join in our traditional greeting as we bring these new Watsonians among our fold:

“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

Kenneth Siarkiewicz, JHWS “Cooper”

Mr Siarkiewicz joins us from Tucson, Arizona. He has been a Sherlockian since the early 1900’s and reads deeply in the Canon and the Baker Street Journal. We look forward to his participation and contribution to the Society.

Eric Swope, JHWS “Punch”

Mr Swope joins us from Mishawaka, Indiana.  He is a member of the following:

» The  Society of the Solitary Cyclists
» The Illustrious Clients of Indianapolis
» The Sherlock Holmes Society of London
» The Norwegian Explorers of Minnesota
» The  Red Circle of Washington, D.C.
» The Bootmakers of Toronto
»  The Mycroft Holmes Society of Syracuse
» The Younger Stamfords
» The Nashville Scholars of the Three Pipe Problem
» The John H Watson Society

He writes:

“I am a third generation Californian with a life long affection for both John H. Watson and the Great Detective himself. I specialize in rare Sherlockiana and enjoy my involvement with numerous societies. I am the secretary for the Society of the Solitary Cyclists and just recently attended my first Sherlockian conference in Minneapolis. I enjoy reaching out to the younger generation about Sherlockian
interests.”

We welcome “Punch” and look forward to his participation in “things Watsonian.”

Margaret Nelson, JHWS “Annie”

Mrs Nelson lives in Seattle and is a member of The Sound of the Baskervilles (SOB’s). Margaret was a member of the Open Team Competition that won First Place in the First Annual John H Watson Canonical Treasure Hunt with a perfect score of 100 points. She enjoys growing old garden roses. Recently she wrote a mini-monograph, Moss Roses in Two Classic Victorian Mysteries. Of course it includes the rose in The Naval  Treaty. 

Allen Nelson, JHWS “Trix”

Mr Nelson resides in Seattle with his bride Margaret and was also a member of the winning Open Team Competition in the JHWS Treasure Hunt.

He is also a member of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London and the Sound of the Baskervilles. In 2009 he went to a meeting of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London to hear a lecture on the battle of Maiwand. The next year, we both traveled to Salisbury where he again met the lecturer, Colonel (Retired) M.J. Cornwell, who is the Curator of the Rifles, Berkshire (Watson’s regiment) and Wiltshire Museum.They have a large copper beech tree on the grounds. They also had displays about the first battle of Maiwand and the modern war in Afghanistan. Ironically, the Nelson’s new son-in-law is in the infantry and has been to Afghanistan twice. He was several times asked “I perceive you have been in Afghanistan…” when he came to a SOB meeting.

Welcome to Jim Rudolf, JHWS “Monty”

The Society welcomes Mr Jim Rudolf to Charter Membership. Jim resides in Durham, New Hampshire. Mr Rudolf is a life-long follower of the Canon. He writes:

“At about the age of 11 I discovered a volume of collected Holmes stories on one of the large bookshelves in my Grandmother’s living room in Westfield, New Jersey. I devoured the volume during my short visit at her house over my Thanksgiving vacation from school. I have since read the canon many times over and have encouraged many of my literarily-minded friends to do so as well. I later discovered pastiche collections and Sherlockian scholarly writings and have enjoyed them very much.

During my graduate studies, the focus of which was Victorian literature, I was
pleased to be able to study the Canon and the life of Arthur Conan Doyle with
new understanding and purpose, to present several papers on the subject (which I
may begin to revise for possible future submissions), and to continue to get other people hooked. My thesis did not end up being specifically focused on Holmes, but on Poe and Hawthorne, and some of the similarities between some of their characters and Holmes’ reasoning and deductive abilities. More recently I’ve been teaching writing at the local university and a community college, and have been
incorporating Holmes stories in a variety of classroom exercises. I began receiving the Baker Street Journal in 2007, and I am extremely excited to be regularly receiving another periodical devoted to the study the Canon.

Thank you for inviting me to become a charter member. I am pleased and honored.

Please welcome “Monty” to membership with our greeting: “You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

From Brenda Rossini, “Ginger”

Hello  all:

There is an illustrated article about deer stalking in countrylife.co.uk, Aug. 7 issue.

You might think you’d need a deerstalker, like Paget’s Sherlock Holmes, to stalk the wild deer, but this is not so–nowadays. The idea is a single hunter pitted against a solitary quarry…a (male) mythology astonishingly potent, as proven by Sir Gawain and…Rossini (see  signature below).

The article follows an amateur stalker out for the hunt.  You must endure the indignity of camouflage and face paint; tweed is not recommended as it chafes the inner thighs. Anything that retains a human scent is a no-no.

Deer eat healthily and take a lot of exercise. You will learn that the deer might be far fitter than you.

Proponents of guns for one and all will be happy to learn that they must expound authoritatively and at stultifying length with a Tikka…a gun,  and not Indian food. You will have to hit the target venison in one shot. There must be utter silence, but for the constant bitter wind and damp.

I read about the following denouement in the excellent The Crooked Stick: the History of the Longbow, by Hugh Soar—-once you’ve killed the beast, you experience the “gralloching”–the disembowelment that keeps the venison untainted (and which is where the Christians must have stumbled upon their torture paradigm).  In the Crooked Stick, the author says the hunting aristocrats enjoyed the little grubblies nestled within the stomach and bowels of said beast.

Once you’re back home, you may proceed to stuff and mount the decapitated head above your makeshift fireplace.

Concluding story:  “after a kill, one American (never an Englishman) would become hopelessly inflamed with blood lust. ‘He would get amorous with his wife over the carcass while everyone stood around and looked the other way.”  The eyes of the gentleman recalling this event misted over like a fog descending on a Cairngorm.”

Cheers,

Brenda Rossini, “Ginger”

Welcome to Randall Stock, JHWS “Brandy” to Membership

We are honoured to welcome the well-known Sherlockian, Randall Stock, BSI “South African Securities” to Charter Membership. His Sherlockian Who’s Who biography is:

Randall Stock is an inveterate list-maker, long-time Sherlockian, and techie.
His website combines those interests.  Early efforts included conducting a new
poll of BSJ readers to determine the best Holmes stories, analyzing previous
polls, and identifying the best quotations from the Canon.  More recently he’s
focused on researching Conan Doyle rarities, and has lists of the extant copies
of Beeton’s Christmas Annual, Conan Doyle manuscripts, Sidney Paget original
drawings, and other items.
Personal website: http://www.bestofsherlock.com

He is a member of the following:

The Baker Street Irregulars (South African Securities)
» The Pondicherry Lodgers of 44th Street
» The Scowrers and Molly Maguires of San Francisco
» The Hounds of the Internet
» The Knights of the Gnomon

Please extend a warm welcome to Mr Stock with our traditional welcome to new members:  “You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

John H Watson,  JHWS “Teddy” Welcomed into Charter Membership

As Mr Ripley was wont to say . . . “Believe it or not . . .” we extend a warm welcome to the Society to John H Watson of Columbus, Georgia. He writes:

“My name is actually John H. Watson. I am often referred to as Johnny
Watson, due to my uncle, who is still living, is also named John H. Watson. I am
a semi-retired photographer, doing almost exclusively art shows. My website is
www.jwatsonphoto.com.”

Can it be possible that we will–after all these years–have a direct source to the font of revealed truth for answers to such questions as  . . . “Wounded in the arm or leg?” . . . . “Why Jack?” . . . and “How many times have you been married?”

We will offer more on John H Watson’s Sherlockian history and biography when he sends it along to the Society. Until then (and this seems really strange) we welcome you with the immortal words you have heard once before:

“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

 

Welcome to Carla Coupe, JHWS “Lily”

The Society welcomes new Charter Member, Carla Coupe “Lily” and extends our traditional greeting: “You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

Carla writes:

I’ve been a Sherlockian from age ten. Currently, I am a member of Watson’s Tin Box and the Red Circle, and have three published pastiches. One of my stories, “The Book of Tobit,” was included as a notable story in Otto Penzler’s Best American Mystery Stories. I also appeared on NPR’s the Diane Rehm show with Peter Blau and Dan Stashower. And now I’m thrilled to be a charter member of The John H. Watson Society!

Carla lives in Silver Spring, Maryland. We are delighted to have her join us!

“Dash” and Spicy Szechaun

Picture
Spicy Szechaun Beef from Spicy and Tasty in Flushing NY

Harrison Hunt, “Dash,” sends along this photo of a recent evening’s Szechaun choice at Spicy and Tasty in Flushing NY, where he says it is the best spicy beef he has enjoyed.

This is in response to a quiz comment from several months ago wherein Buttons asked for recommendations for spicy beef in response to Founder Bruce Taylor’s love of the said dish. A “Consultation” of five Founders was held in San Rafael, CA and all enjoyed the dish served at the late Col. Ted Schulz’s favourite Szechaun restaurant where a celebration of his life was held.

Welcome to Thomas J. Walker, Author  of “Fort Apache–New York’s Most Violent Precinct,” and Sherlockian

The Society welcomes Thomas J. Walker to Charter Membership. Captain Walker, formerly of the New York Police Department, was the Executive officer of the 41st Precinct known as Fort Apache in the 1970s. He wrote the book of the same name, later made into a movie. He traces his roots in the NYC Police Department back to the Civil War.His background includes assignments as a physicist in the police laboratory, teaching criminal law at the Police Academy, command of Precinct Detective Squads, Executive Officer of three precincts, and Operations Officer of the Bronx where he coordinated police and detective functions at major disasters and riots.

He appeared on the TV show, “The $128,000 Question,” as an expert on Sherlock Holmes and won $32,000. He is a member of the Society of Professional Investigators, and he is a director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Mr Walker is married to Mary Faherty. They have five children and reside in the Bronx.

Please join in extending the Society’s welcome to this most Detective of all of our members:

“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

Welcome to Six New Accomplished Charter Members

Sheila Holtgrieve, JHWS “Daisy”

Sheila joins us from Seattle where she is a member of The Sound of the Baskervilles. She writes:

“I am the librarian of the Sound of the Baskervilles in Seattle, WA. I received the
“Footprints of the Gigantic Hound” award from the club in 2012 for service to
the club. I subscribe to the Baker Street Journal; I am a member of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London and a member of the Hounds of the Internet. My canonical name is Annie Harrison.”

We are most pleased to have Sheila as a new member and look forward to her participation.

Linnea Dodson, JHWS “Dixie”

Linnea joins us from Maryland where she is a technical writer with a  Master of Science in Writing. She is a member of Watson’s Tin Box, The Red Circle, and Sherlock DC. Linnea is also on the Convention Committee of the Scintillion of Scions.

We look forward to Linnea’s participation in the Society and her contributions to The Watsonian.

Denny Dobry, JHWS “Kirby”

Mr Dobry resides in Reading, Pennsylvania. He has a most interesting expertise in The Game: a full-size replica of the sitting room at 221B Baker Street. He writes:

“My Sherlockian background includes Current Gasogene of the White Rose  Irregulars of York, PA, which I consider my ‘Home’ Scion. I regularly attend meetings of Watson’s Tin Box in Baltimore; The Denizens of the Bar of Gold in Cambridge, Md; and the Regency Irregulars of Phoenixville, PA.  I have most
recently attended meetings of the Six Napoleons of Baltimore and The Epilogues
of Sherlock Holmes in Chatham, NJ.

I contributed a chapter to the BSI’s latest publication of its Manuscript Series-“The Wrong Passage,” and will have an article published next month in the Watson’s Tin Box annual publication, “Irene’s Cabinet”.

I am also a member of the Baker Street Builders, qualifying for membership by constructing a full size re-creation of the 221b Baker Street sitting room in my home in Reading, PA.  Some photos are available as a link to the White Rose Irregular webpage: ”  [Ed. note: You’ve GOT to see these!]

http://www.whiteroseirregulars.net/holmespagejuly22_012.htm

We look forward to hearing more about Denny’s sitting room recreation and period furnishings in issues of The Watsonian.

Robert Ryan, JHWS “Caesar”

Mr Ryan joins us from North London, England where he is a very successful and eclectic writer. His extensive biography is fascinating for its diversity:

Robert Ryan was born in Liverpool and moved south to attend university. He graduated from Brunel with a M.Sc. in Environmental Pollution Science, intending to go into teaching. Instead, he spent two years as a mechanic for a Hot Rod team, racing highly tuned Fords (“the fag-end of motorsport”, as Bernie
Ecclestone calls it) where he became addicted to the smell of Castrol R. Weaning
himself off that, he became a lecturer in Natural Sciences in Kent, while dabbling in journalism. His articles on comic (or graphic novels as they were just becoming known) gurus Alan Moore and Frank Miller found their way into Nick Logan’s The Face magazine, which led to work for the American edition of GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, Telegraph and Arena.

Eventually he took a position on staff at The Sunday Times as Deputy Travel
Editor. It was while on assignment in Seattle that he came across the setting
for his first novel, Underdogs – the ‘lost’ city beneath the sidewalks of downtown – that was called ‘Alice in Wonderland meets Assault on Precinct 13’ by Esquire.

While learning to play the trumpet for his third book, Trans Am, Ryan met Guy
Barker, who, as well as being a great jazz trumpeter, had worked with Anthony
Mingella, notably on “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” Guy read Underdogs and wrote a
‘theme’ for the book, which opened his Mercury-nominated album Soundtrack.
‘Underdogs’ eventually became a fifty-minute suite, featuring extracts from the
book read by RSC actor Anthony Higgins (most recently seen in Michael Dibdin’s
‘Zen’ on BBC), and was performed at The Barbican and the Brecon Jazz Festival
and filmed by the BBC.

Ryan’s next book, Early One Morning, broke into The Sunday Times’ top ten
bestsellers’ list, and began a sequence of historical dramas set in the 20th
century.

He collaborated again with Barker on “dZf,” a film noir-ish reworking of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” which had its World Premiere at Wakefield Rugby Club and its final outing, twenty performances later, in Hong Kong. It was narrated by actor Michael Brandon (“Jerry Springer The Opera,” “Dempsey and Makepeace,” and “Captain America”) and is available on Guy’s double CD, “The Amadeus Project.”

Ryan’s previous book, Signal Red, a novel based on “The Great Train Robbery,” has been optioned by World Pictures and the writing-production team behind the TV drama United, starring David Tennant.

His latest novel, Dead Man’s Land (Simon & Schuster) takes Dr John Watson
to the Western Front of WW1, where he has to solve a crime without the benefit
of his old colleague Sherlock Holmes.

He continues to contribute to The Sunday Times and is working on further jazz
projects with Guy Barker. He lives in North London with his wife, three children, a dog and a deaf cat.

The Society looks forward to Robert’s contributions to The Watsonian and to the furtherance of Dr Watson’s place in the literature.

J. Randolph Cox, JHWS “Champ”

We await Mr Cox’s biography and will expand upon it when received.

Bill Mason, JHWS “Billy”

Bill Mason of Green brier, TN, is the author of Pursuing Sherlock Holmes, a collection of essays and sketches collected from among his articles and conference presentations in the U.S. and Canada. He has been an enthusiastic Sherlockian since age 13 when his mother gave him a copy of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. He is the Founder of The Fresh Rashers of Nashville, and his writing has appeared in The Baker Street Journal, Canadian Holmes, The Serpentine Muse, Beaton’s Christmas Annual, and others.

Mr Mason is retired from government service as an employee of the U.S. Congress and the White House. He is presenting at the 2013 Minneapolis Sherlockian conference.

How delightful to welcome these six accomplished Watsonians and Holmesians/Sherlockians into Charter Membership.

Alexian Gregory’s TV Interview

Our Charter Member, Alexian Gregory, JHWS “Byron,” has appeared on television recently in an extensive and well-done interview regarding the Sherlockian tradition. This is an excellent example of Watosonian/Holmesian publicity. You can watch the segment here:  mms://media.edisonnj.org/ClassicMovies4.wmv

(Don’t be concerned about the Microsoft notice you may encounter; the link is safe)

Mr Dan Andriacco and his Kind Blog Post

One of our Charter Members, Dan Andriacco, “Dutch,” has been most kind to post a note about the Society on his very active and always informative website. You may read it here: http://www.bakerstreetbeat.blogspot.com/

Dan is a prolific author of books on our favourite subject, including:

The Sebastian McCabe – Jeff Cody Series

The Disappearance of Mr. James Phillimore (MX Publishing, 2013)
“The Adventure of the Vatican Cameos” (MX Publishing, E-Story, 2013)
The 1895 Murder (MX Publishing, 2012)
Holmes Sweet Holmes (MX Publishing, 2012)
No Police Like Holmes (MX Publishing, 2011)

The Enoch Hale Series (with Society fellow member, Kieran McMullen, “Raleigh”)

The Amateur Executioner (MX Publishing, 2013)

Sherlock Holmes

“The Adventure of the Magic Umbrella” (MX Publishing, E-Story, 2013)
“The Peculiar Persecution of John Vincent Harden” (MX Publishing, E-Story, 2112)
Baker Street Beat: An Eclectic Collection of Sherlockian Scribblings (MX Publishing, 2011)

We appreciate “Doctor Dan’s” support for helping us become better known to the Watsonian world.

 Welcome to James McArthur, JHWS “Max”

We are delighted to welcome into Charter Membership, Mr James McArthur of New Orleans.

James writes:

“I don’t presently belong to any other Sherlockian societies. I was formerly a member of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London. I recently became busy with another interest of Dr. Watson’s literary agent: that of Spiritualism.

I don’t believe there are any Sherlockian societies in the New Orleans area. I understand there was a group called Le Cercle de Sherlock Holmes, but they became inactive about the time (2007 or so) I started to become interested in the Canon.

I am also interested in the Nero Wolfe stories and am a member of The Wolfe Pack: the only member in Louisiana or Mississippi, I’ve been informed.”

We extend a warm welcome and look forward to James’s participation in our Quizzes and activities, and we invite his articles for the journal. Please join in the Society greeting to James:

“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

Welcome to Cade Deverell, JHWS “IVY”

The Society extends a warm welcome to long-time Napa Valley Napoleon of S.H. and The Scowerers and Mollie Maguires of San Francisco member Cade Deverell who resides in San Francisco.

Cade’s memberships include:

» The Napa Valley Napoleons of S.H.
» The Scowrers and Molly Maguires of San Francisco (Reilly)
» The Noble West Enders
» The Knights of the Gnomon

She is an accomplished Quiz Master and devoted Sherlockian with an equally high regard for Dr Watson. We look forward to her participation.

Please extend our traditional greeting to Cade as a new Charter Member:

You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

Welcome to Pamela R. Bodziock, JHWS “Charlie”

Please join in a warm welcome to Pamela R. Bodziock of Monroeville, Pennsylvania who joins us as our 54th Charter Member. Pamela writes:

My name is Pamela R. Bodziock, and I am writing because I am very much interested in joining the John H. Watson Society. I am a relatively new Sherlockian (my personal obsession dates back only to 2009) — but it is worth noting that, when I finished my first Canon excursions with A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four, it was Watson, not Holmes, who was my favorite character.

I am a Teen Services librarian who also — like the good Doctor — fancies myself as something of a writer. I am pleased to say that my Holmes pastiche, The Adventure of the Broken Book, was included in the MX Publishing anthology Sherlock’s Home: The Empty House. (You can also find some articles written by me if you poke around such websites as Women Write About Comics and DC Women Kicking Ass.) Favorite on-screen Watsons include Nigel Bruce, Jude Law, and Lucy Liu.

I am a member of the S.H.S.L., and of the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers.

Please extend welcome to Pamela with our member greeting:

“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

Welcome to Steven and Vickie Savino as Charter Members, JHWS “Buddy” and “Molly”

The Society welcomes Steven G. Savino and Vickie A. Savino to Charter Membership. Former members of the San Francisco Scowerers and Mollie Maguires, they now reside in Guerneville, California along the beautiful Russian River and its famous vineyards where they are oenophiles of distinction. We hope to see them soon at the Napa Valley Napoleons of S.H. and extend a warm welcome to the Society. Please join in welcoming both of our new members with our member greeting:

You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

Welcome to Susan Z. Swan, PhD, JHWS “Cygnus” from Okinawa

The Society is pleased to welcome our first Charter Member living and teaching at a university in Okinawa. Dr Susan Z. Swan writes:

“What a treat to run across the webpage for the John H. Watson Society! It always felt a trifle unfair that Holmes got most of the credit when Watson did so much of the work — and was so often smeared for the sins of that “literary agent/editor.” A few years ago, I rebuilt the Writing 101 course that I teach to be based on reading, research, and writing on the Canon (when I made the astonishing discovery that many of my university level students actually did NOT know who Watson and Holmes were). This has reintroduced me to works that were favorites of mine as a child — and has so enchanted many of my students that sometimes it is hard to get them to move back outside the Game long enough to write their research papers. I’m looking forward to connection with colleagues and perhaps even a chance to write for the Watsonian.”

Please welcome Dr Swan and extend to her the Society’s traditional greeting:

You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

And Yet More Distinguished New Members!

The past week has brought the Society six new Charter Members. We now have sixty members total in less than ninety days since our founding. Clearly, the devotion to Dr Watson is far deeper than we ever imagined. We are most fortunate to have had such an outpouring of support and interest from our ever-growing membership. Thank you one and all!

Please welcome the following fellow Watsonians and extend to them our traditional greeting: “You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”

BRUCE HARRIS “Scottie”

Mr Harris joins us from Scotch Plains, New Jersey. He writes:

“I’ve been a Sherlockian for many years. The time has come to add Watsonian. I am the author of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson: ABout Type, published by The Battered Silicon Dispatch Box.”

Bruce has already submitted a most interesting paper for The Watsonian and we welcome more of his scholarly writings on the Canon, Dr Watson and Mr Holmes.

GEORGE GRUMBLES “Arthur”

Mr. Grumbles joins us from Huntsville, Alabama. He writes:

I became a member of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London about 30 years ago and have enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes Journal, through the years. I visited the Reichenbach Falls many years ago and shall always recall the steep climb and the frightening fall that could occur. I like many others have scoured Baker Street and many of paths he traveled in his adventures. It has been my belief that John Hamish Watson, MD was the Masters guiding light, without whom he would never have been known.

Like so many aficionados I have tried my hand at a pastiche or two, such as The Giant Maiwandian Cat. I would consider it a privilege to be associated with the John H. Watson Society.

HERBERT LINDER “Casey”

Mr. Linder comes to the Society from his home in Dallas where he is a member of the scion group, The Barque Lone Star. We hope to learn more of Herbert’s Canonical interests through his active participation in the Society activities.

We welcome Herbert and look forward to his contributions to the Quiz Page, the Treasure Hunt and with submissions to The Watsonian. We are beginning to develop quite a following in Texas.

BILL BERG, MD, JHWS “Lucky”

Dr Berg joins us from Salinas, California where he is a diagnostic radiologist and a long time Sherlockian (interesting: both are detectives). His telephone call to Buttons was most enjoyable and later he sent along the following:

“My wife, Lynda, and I have a horse ranch of Tennessee Walker and Peruvian Horses. I belong to the Diogenes Club of Carmel-by-the-Sea. I am past-Persian Slipper, past-Tantalus, and past-Gasogene, as well as Quiz Master.

My day job is with the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, where I am a diagnostic radiologist.

I am very excited to become a member of the Watson Society!”

And we are most grateful to have your support and interest in the Society. We hope you will become a regular contributor to our Quiz Page, perhaps creating questions to stump our insightful members. And we also appreciate your interest in oenology.

GEORGE HARLEM, JHWS “Beau,” SHSL

Mr Harlem lives in Acton, Massachusetts and is a member of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London and The John H Watson Society. We are most proud he chose us as his first interest after which he joined SHSL. He writes:

“The John H. Watson Society is my first Sherlock Holmes society membership, although I have been an avid Sherlockian for over sixty years, albeit in quite a casual way. From my first volume, the Morley-prefaced Doubleday, I have assembled a modest collection of Holmes books, including a couple of original illustrated Strand facsimiles, plus works by Adrian Conan Doyle, William Baring-Gould, several Doyle biographies, many pastiches of widely-ranging quality, the complete Jeremy Brett Granada TV series on DVD, and a number of framed Strand cover reproductions that I found at a little shop in Charing Cross Road.

A two-time retirement flunkout, I made a segue from 35 years in high-tech to my present career in real estate. I am very much looking forward to this new adventure as part of the John H. Watson Society!”

A we look forward to your journey on the adventure with us! Welcome, “Beau”!

CHRISTOPHER MUSIC, JHWS “Russell,”

Mr Music joins us from Clarkston, Michigan where he is a long time, distinguished Sherlockian. He writes:

A Detroit native, I am currently the Commissionaire of the Amateur Mendicant Society of Detroit (established 1946), where I also serve as the archivist, head of the planning committee, contributor to our newsletter The Beggar’s Cup, and webmaster for our site www.amateurmendicant.blogspot.com.

I am also an active member of the Ribston-Pippins scion in Michigan, a member of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London, and a member of the Clients of Adrian Mulliner (Sherlock Holmes/PG Wodehouse scion).

I enjoy travelling the Sherlockian circuit and frequently attend gatherings of the Hounds of the Baskerville (sic) in Chicago, the ACD/SH Newberry Library Symposium, the Dayton Symposium, the BSI’s Silver Blaze, and the annual BSI weekend festivities in New York, among others.

In addition to my enjoyment studying the Canon and playing “The Game”, I take a particular interest in studying and researching the history of the BSI, the Amateur Mendicant Society, and our early founders.

Don Yates, our Founding Chair, has conferred upon Christopher the moniker “Russell” in honour of the great Russell McLauchlin (“Naval Treaty”, BSI 1949) who founded the Amateur Mendicant Society in 1946.

We look forward to Christopher’s scholarly and historic contributions to The Watsonian in future.

BRENDA ROSSINI, JD, JHWS “Ginger”

Ms Rossini joins us from Winnetka, Illinois where she pursues her legal career and her deep interests in all things Watsonian and Holmesian.

She is a member of the Devon Street Beggars, the Criterion Bar, the Scotland Yarders, and the Torists. And, now we welcome her to the Society of Watsonians.

Welcome to Brenda. We look forward to your active participation in our activities and scholarship.