Category: News

Posted on

A Warm Tribute from our Chair to Joanne Yates

Dear Fellow Watsonians:

I am very pleased to see that The Watsonian has had such an enthusiastic reception among its readers. Many people, of course, have contributed to its success. Our “Buttons” has been a tireless cheerleader for the journal and the dozens of authors of the pieces included in the first two issues have borne out the belief that the time has come to turn more critical attention to the role of Dr John H Watson in the creation of Sherlock Holmes saga.

From the outset, my wife Joanne M. Yates has served as The Watsonion’s editor. I think that perhaps no one could have brought more consistent good judgment and taste to the preparation of the first issues of this new magazine destined for its many subscribers.

Anticipating a first issue of at most 80 pages, I was amazed to see that the two numbers of Volume I consisted of 152 and 172 pages, respectively; and the third number, due out this fall, gives promise of extending quite a bit beyond these totals to nearly 250 pages.

From its inception, Joanne has given her level best in establishing and maintaining the quality and readability of our journal, but its gratifying success has understandably required more time and energy than she had expected and she has come to realize that her attention was being drawn away from other previous commitments that she has made, especially that of serving as president of the non-profit 4Paws Learning Wellness Center.

I am sure that her achievements as editor of our magazine’s early issues will stand as a lasting tribute to her talent and devotion to our Society. When I realized that she would not be able to continue in her editorial capacity, she said that she had unhesitatingly devoted all the time necessary to the journal because it was, in a way, a birthday gift bestowed on her husband by Don Libey and other Napa Valley Napoleons back in 2013. She added that the friendships she has formed with so many contributors has been more than ample reward.

I have long received the benefits of her loyalty and dedication, so I am expressing my deep gratitude to her in this way, on our JHWS blog, where all our fellow members can acknowledge her service over the past two years.

With warm regards,

Don Yates “Pal”
The John H Watson Society
Chair
The Society joins in Dr Yates’ tribute To Joanne:

All of our Members join in expressing their sincere appreciation to Dr Joanne Yates for her wonderful creation of The Watsonian.  It is entirely due to her talent that the journal has become so well-regarded and appreciated by all of the Members. Thank you!

Posted on

The Welsh Canon!

This Fascinating Bit of News Just Received

John Watson and Sherlock Holmes speak Welsh for the first time

Buttons, being part Welsh, thought this was super!

At the Emmys Award ceremony in Los Angeles recently, BBC Wales’ Sherlock drama series was accredited with international acclaim. This has given the Welsh capital much grounds for celebration, particularly as the whole series had been produced at Cardiff’s Roath Harbour studios. It is timely therefore that a Welsh adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most popular tale of all has been published this week.

Y Cylch Brith is Eurwyn Pierce Jones’ adaptation of The Speckled Band – a classically famous Conan Doyle short story; and this exiting enterprise has established the Welsh Language as the hundredth language in which one or more of Sir Conan Doyle’s grand literary works are now available.

The Speckled Band was indeed the famous author’s most favourite tale from amongst the whole of his collective writings concerning the mysterious crime-solving exploits of Sherlock Holmes. Welsh author Eurwyn Pierce Jones together with Y Lolfa Press at Talybont near Aberystwyth, have high hopes that Welsh readers in their myriads will delight themselves in hearing the illustrious detective speaking naturally in Welsh for the very first time since he ever appeared in print in 1887.

“Constructing a readable modern Welsh version of the Victorian-styled English narrative which characterises the source text was quite a challenge,” explains the Abermule-based author and translator, who hails originally from the Welsh-speaking heartland area of Y Bala, and has commissioned a Sherlock Holmes outfit to celebrate the book’s publication.

“I was keen to ensure that the end product would preserve the essential nuances and characteristics of the famous original English text, whilst simultaneously satisfying the demands of the adopted Welsh language, which claims the prestigious reputation of being the oldest living language in Europe.

“So, although the general diction of Y Cylch Brith tends towards a literary style, I have tried to ensure that it is suitable for young readers, and is particularly appropriate reading material for English speakers of all ages who may be currently learning Welsh.  A major benefit to those readers is the assurance that this Welsh version follows Conan Doyle’s own initial English text as near as could possibly be achieved, almost sentence by sentence.  Doyle’s original English version is even freely available on-line.”

Author Eurwyn Pierce Jones is keen to express his sincere gratitude to the executive committee of the Deerstalkers and all its members who comprise the Welshpool based first Sherlockian Society of Wales.  They were the ones who were primarily responsible for initialising this venture, for securing the copyrights and publishing rights, and for facilitating the sales and promotional aspects of this publication – by marketing this short volume to Sherlockian enthusiasts and book collectors all over the world.

Author’s biographical details:

During his childhood years Eurwyn lived in the Bala area, in the heartland of Welsh speaking North Wales; then pursued various occupations which led him in turn from one Welsh county to another.  At thirty years of age he left a career in aircraft flight and navigational instrumentation engineering, to graduate in Welsh language and literature at the University of Wales in Aberystwyth, before serving as a secondary school teacher; from where he moved on as a careers and commercial management adviser.  For the last twenty years he has worked as a freelance Welsh-English text translator and simultaneous interpreter, in which capacity he has frequently engaged in assignments which have strong literary aspects.

Author’s contact details:
Mr Eurwyn Pierce Jones
‘ 01686  630 628
8 epj@dialstart.net

Posted on

Weekly Forum: 9 September 2014

Now for Something Entirely Different

This week we will let you decide what the Weekly Forum topic will be. Please comment on the topic of your choice and let’s see if others respond. Any Canonical topic is acceptable.  Be creative and have fun.
Posted on

Weekly Forum: 2 September 2014

The Diurnal/Nocturnal Holmes and Watson

Have we ever thought empirically about the division of the Canonical adventures as per the time of day? Does the case activity take place primarily in the day or in the night? Is there a pattern to the Canon? Is Holmes more or less diurnal or nocturnal than Watson; does Watson run on a similar or different internal clock to Holmes?

If we add to the equation body type (somatotype), we can think in terms of Holmes as the ectomorph and Watson as the mesomorph or possibly endomorph. What does that portend for their diurnal/nocturnal characteristics, if anything?

Posted on

 The John H Watson Society Second World Invitational  Canonical Treasure Hunt is Over!   Results on the Quiz Page on Wednesday, September 3rd.

We are delighted to announce the successful completion of the second annual World Invitational Treasure Hunt. Teams from the US and Europe and individuals from around the world contended for the honours in what has been called the most difficult quiz ever!

The results will be listed on the Quiz Page on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 pending review and confirmation of all answers.

The answers to the 2014 Edition have been posted on the Treasure Hunt page of the website and the announcement of the 2015 Treasure Hunt with revisions has been posted for all to review.  The 2015 Game is Afoot!

Posted on

Just a Quick Observation

Buttons wanted to observe:

The recent earthquake was “Situation Room Breaking News” for six hours; a disaster for reporting for one day; an afterthought on clean up and damage estimates for one day; and GONE by the third day.

This is the biggest earthquake to hit the US since 1989, and it did about $4 billion in damage, injured a score of people, and destroyed about 10% of the California wine inventory.

How quickly we forget what takes place this week. But, how long we remember and tell over and over all of the adventures of Holmes and Watson.  Buttons LIKES 1895! Please Mr. Verne, get me out of 2014!

Posted on

Weekly Forum: 26 August 2014 & Napa CA Earthquake

The Earthquake

We have heard from The Chair and our Editor, the good Drs Yates and they are okay. No damage at their home north of Napa at St Helena. Apparently other members in Napa and American Canyon (the epicenter) are–we hope– also okay; there has been no grapevine bad news as yet.  The Society has about 15 Members in the immediate earthquake area and we have had a number of emails from other Members asking if everyone is okay.We also heard from Vamberry at 221B Cellars in Kenwood, Sonoma Valley. He said one bottle of wine broke and two glasses, but the barrels came through completely undamaged.  Whew! That’s a relief!

The Weekly Forum

Our “Chips,” Ron Lies, writes in Chips’ Tid Bits this week expressing his heartfelt affection for the two friends and colleagues, Doctor Watson and Sherlock Holmes. For “Chips” their friendship has been a life-long joy and inspiration for him.  And, as he always does, “Chips” has expressed his appreciation of the many hours of pleasure he has found from the friends in a way that makes us think and reflect.Where does the “Magic Moment” in the friendship of these two occur for you? For Buttons it has to be the only time the mask is stripped away and Holmes is revealed as having affection and emotion:  when Watson is accidently shot.But the Canon is full of subtleties between the two. Perhaps you have observed those subtleties and have thoughts about their relationship, both the surface one and the one that exists much deeper.

Posted on

Weekly Forum: 19 August 2014

Undeveloped Characters in the Canon

The Undeveloped Characters

Like Mrs Turner, there exist other undeveloped and often completely unexplained characters in the Canon. 

One of these is Mercer, a member of Holmes’s agency, described as his    “. . . general utility man who looks up routine business . . . .”  And, there is the other Mercer, the second mate of Gloria Scott, who is also named as Mereer in some editions. 

Mercer would seem to have had a significant function in the agency activities (and apparently in the creative mind of Doctor Watson), but we have little or nothing of him to give further clarification.  Perhaps you have thoughts on this character (or other characters) that exist only in the Canonical shadows.

Posted on

Weekly Forum: 12 August 2014

The Income of the Firm

The Firm, with its headquarters at 221B Baker Street, was–in today’s terminology–a closely-held, limited liability corporation, or LLC; otherwise it would likely not have been called “The Firm” by Holmes.

What was the attitude toward income, profit and wealth-building (the primary, if not only, objectives of a corporation)? We perhaps think of Holmes as above such things, but in fact was he?  Do we find either direct comments or written, narrative by Doctor Watson regarding Holmes’ income motives? Does Holmes provide clues as to his opinions of money and wealth?

Then, contrast the income, profit and wealth-building attitudes of the other professional in the household: Doctor Watson. What evidence do we have that he either was concerned or not concerned with his practice’s income?  How do they reconcile their individual views about money and wealth? 
Posted on

Weekly Forum: 6 August 2014

Buttons is a bit late; sorry, busy you know.

This week’s Forum concerns the Canonical novels:  How do the American settings of VALL and STUD influence your opinion of the novels?  Contrast your feelings about those two novels to your feelings about HOUN and SIGN.

We encourage all to join in the discussion. The recent Weekly Forums have been exceptionally well-received and have created the greatest level of Member participation of any activity.  Thank you!

Posted on

Deadline for October Journal Submissions Nearing

We are fast approaching 15 August, the deadline for submissions for the October issue of The Watsonian. We encourage all Members and non-members who wish to have an article or paper considered for publication to send their manuscript to the editor, Dr Joanne Yates  publisher@johnhwatsonsociety.com .

As always, we are interested in student papers and articles and ask that Members try to encourage and guide a student in the valuable skills of research and writing. Perhaps nothing is more significant to the future of our hobby and the development of their skills.

The Society is also delighted that at least two papers are in the works as a result of the new Weekly Forum topics. Both are joint-efforts as a result of the blog threads from the lively discussions. This is unique and may be an historic event in Sherlockian/Watsonian experience as these may be the first papers ever published from blog posts.

There is always room for your research, thoughts, ideas and creativity. The Society is an inclusive group; we desire interested Watsonians to take part and to approach the Society with innovative projects. Whether you are a first time author is not important; that you try is what counts.

It is sometimes helpful to reflect that, if Doctor Watson had not sat down and written A Study in Scarlet, we would not have his priceless legacy nor would we have discovered Mr Holmes. And, John Watson was not a writer, he was a half-pay former medical officer with few prospects. There are, in all of us, hidden talents and abilities waiting to be  explored and fulfilled. Go for it!

Posted on

Treasure Hunt Began 1 August 2014 at Noon (US/EST)

The Second Annual John H Watson Society World Invitational Treasure Hunt began at noon 1 August 2014.  The questions are available to download on the Treasure Hunt page.  A questions post is available on the Quiz Page and will be the central point for communications, questions and clarifications. Good Luck!
Posted on

Weekly Forum: 29 July 2014

Doctor Who:

This week’s Forum delves into the various screen and television portrayals of Doctor Watson. If we begin with the earliest Watson’s, including Roland Young and others, move through the Nigel Bruce period, then to the David Burke and Edward Hardwicke portrayals with Jeremy Brett, on to Jude Law, Martin Freeman, and Lucy Liu, can we contrast the Watsons and what each of them add to or take away from our own ideal version of John Watson?

Our own Society Members, Kieran McMullen “Raleigh” and Molly Carr “Brenda,” have written excellent books on the Dr Watson subject (The Many Watsons by Kieran McMullen and In Search of Doctor Watson by Molly Carr).  Both are highly recommended to all who are interested in the Watson history. They are available on Amazon.

The key to this discussion is what you think and how you wish your Doctor Watson to be and remain. Please join in the discussion. We are most interested in your thoughts.
Posted on

The Hangman

One wonders if Doctor Watson and Mr Holmes ever encountered this beauty of the Victorian era:

William Calcraft, (1800–1879) was the most famous English hangman of the 19th century. One of the most prolific British executioners of all time, it is estimated that he carried out 450 executions during his 45-year career. A cobbler by trade, Calcraft was initially recruited to flog juvenile offenders after meeting the City of London’s hangman, John Foxton, while selling meat pies near Newgate Prison. He succeeded Foxton, but his controversial use of the short-drop method of hanging, in which the victims were strangled rather than had their vertebrae broken by the fall when the trapdoor on the gallows was released, caused some to consider him incompetent. Many took several minutes to die, and to hasten their deaths Calcraft sometimes pulled on their legs, or even climbed on their shoulders in an attempt to break their necks. Calcraft’s antics may have been intended to entertain the crowds of more than 30,000 that sometimes attended his executions before a change in the law in 1868 meant that executions could only take place in prisons. Among his victims were Marie and Frederick Manning, the first husband and wife to be hanged together since 1700.

Source: Wikipedia

Posted on

Treasure Hunt Begins 1 August

A reminder to all Members, non-members and teams worldwide that the Second Annual John H Watson World Invitational Treasure Hunt begins at 12 noon Eastern US Time, Friday, 1 August 2014. It will end 1 September 2014 at 12 Noon US Eastern Time.

Full details are found on Treasure Hunt page. The 150 question Treasure Hunt will be uploaded to the Treasure Hunt page where it can be downloaded on 1 August 2014.

Please return to this page for regular updates. To ask questions regarding the quiz, please use the Treasure Hunt Quiz post on the Society’s Quiz Page, which will remain active for the entire month-long Treasure Hunt. Select “Comments” and ask your question; answers will be posted as soon  as possible.

We are hoping that all of our Members and as many interested non-members as possible will participate in the fun. We believe you will quite possibly forever be a part of Watsonian/Sherlockian history as this is likely the longest and most difficult quiz ever to be created for worldwide participation.

Posted on

Announcement of Appointment of New Director

Dear Fellow Watsonians:

he John H Watson Society is pleased to announce the recognition and appointment of Robert Katz, MD, BSI, JHWS “Willow” as Director and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Society. The Society Chair, Professor Don Yates, BSI, JHWS “Pal” has moved and approved this well-deserved appointment and recommends Dr Katz for his exceptional encouragement of Societal activities and his active and productive representation and member recruitment to the Society from organizations and scion groups within the Sherlockian and Watsonian communities. Dr Katz’s brief will be to continue to represent the Society as our official Ambassador and to encourage membership and inter-organizational relations among the numerous clubs and organizations in his sphere.

As you may know, Bob Katz has been unstinting of his time, energy, guidance, wisdom and encouragement in all of our activities and our relations with other clubs, societies and scions during his time as a Founding Member. He has furthered our scholarship, not only through his papers for The Watsonian, but through his innovations and support of the Weekly Quizzes and the Weekly Forums. He, additionally, assists with proofreading and editorial suggestions for the journal. And, he is a tireless recruiter and mentor of new members.

Dr Katz is not only among the foremost Baker Street Irregulars, but he is also an accomplished Sherlockian scholar and leader of a number of respected Sherlockian organizations.

We look forward to his continued contributions to The John H Watson Society and to his influence in forwarding our Society’s goals and aims in the years to come.

Please join in welcoming Robert Katz, MD, BSI, JHWS “Willow” as a Director and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the John H Watson Society.

With best regards on behalf of the Directors and Members,

The John H Watson Society

Don Libey
Buttons

Posted on

The Weekly Forum

Doctor Watson speaks of Mary Morstan with a great deal of love in SIGN. In fact, one could posit that Doctor Watson was struck by ‘love at first sight.’ Was his love (or her’s) enduring? Was he successful as a husband? Like so many other matters, we have no definitive answers for these questions. But we have evidence, a great deal of implied and sketchy evidence.

There are many threads concerning Dr Watson’s marriage(s). Some propose multiple marriages, but little in the way of their histories.  Is it possible for us to cooperatively take up the threads and find a supportable chronology of the good Doctors marital status and indicated lodgings and offer an overarching theory for his marital history? 

And, as a second bit of theorizing, perhaps we could catalog the evidence and from it formulate the positive and negative aspects of his personality in order to answer the question: “What would it have been like to be married to Doctor John Watson?”

Posted on

The Grillparzer Club of the Hoboken Free State

Through the gracious generosity of Member Harrison ‘Terry’ Hunt “Dash” and his lovely wife Linda, copies of Hoboken Nights, the journal of the Grillparzer Club of the Hoboken Free State were recently received.The Grillparzer Club celebrates the life and works of the redoubtable author, wit and founder of the Three Hours for Lunch Club and the Baker Street Irregulars, Christopher Morley, a legendary Sherlockian and man of letters.

The journal takes its name and masthead design from a single-issue publication Christopher Morley prepared in April 1929 for distribution at one of the theatrical shows he produced between 1928 and 1930 in Hoboken, New Jersey.

The club was the inspiration of Linda and Harrison (Terry) Hunt. They became familiar with Morley when they worked in his beloved Rosalyn, Long Island–Linda as a staff member of the Bryant Library there and Terry as the Supervisor of Historic Sites for Nassau County Parks, which included overseeing Morley’s writing studio, The Knothole.

A number of Watsonians are members of the Grillparzer Club and include Robert Katz, Jon Lellenburg, Francine and Richard Kitts, Burt Wolder, Peter Crupe, Al Gregory, Richard Sveum, and our emeritus Member, the late Vinnie Brosnan.

Membership is open to those interested for a nominal $15 per year which includes invitations to all club dinners and activities and two issues of the very well-done and highly informative newsletter, Hoboken Nights, edited and produced by Linda and Harrison Hunt.  Dues may be sent payable to Harrison and Linda Hunt and mailed to 113 North Street, Catskill, NY 12414.

We believe the joy and good humour associated with The Grillparzer Club, as well as the added knowledge to come of “The Old Mandarin” are well worth the very modest price of admission. Christopher Morley is an unending fountain of discovery.

Buttons first was introduced to Christopher Morley via his 1919 classic book, The Haunted Bookshop. This rich story created a life-long fascination with books, book collecting and–somewhere–was responsible for Buttons going into the antiquarian book dealing business. Mr Morley also wrote the preface to The Complete Sherlock Holmes, published by Doubleday, 1930, and his immortal introduction was the very first thing Buttons ever read, as an eight year-old, about Holmes and Watson. My Mother and Father may have given me the book for Christmas in 1953, but Christopher Morley told me what was in store . . . and it turned out to be an alternative life. Here is that first book from my collection: The Haunted Bookshop

Posted on

A Serious and Sad Note

Our good friend and Member from UAE and India, Kumar Bhatia “Bobbie,” remembers the global reach and potential of Doctor Watson and Mr Holmes and sends this poignant thought:

Dear Friends and Fellow Watsonians:

Extremely sad and, indeed, terrible news about the shooting down of the Malaysian Airlines flight.

Why?

See what Sherlock Holmes had to say, more than 125 years ago:

“What object is served by this circle of misery and violence and fear? It must tend to some end, or else our universe is ruled by chance, which is unthinkable.”

Thank you, Bobbie, for your thoughts and for reminding us of the enduring hope of a better humanity in the Canon.