Category: News

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Ron Lies’ Weekly Limerick

Ron writes:

I do not think I have posted this one yet. I would be amiss in my posting duties if I did not. Here is the first of Mr. Asimov’ s superb efforts.  What more would or should be said?

Ron aka “Chips”

A Study in Scarlet

Meet the quick mind that restlessly combs
Through he smallest of clues as it roams
From initial confusion
To triumphant conclusion.
My friends, here we have Sherlock Holmes.

Author: Isaac Asimov BSI, from his book, Asimov’s Sherlockian Limericks published by Mysterious Press, New York; 1978

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April Journal Coming Soon

We had hoped to mail the April issue of The Watsonian by the 20th of April, but it will take a while longer than expected. This is a LARGE issue, bigger than the inaugural edition and has taken longer to produce.  Plus, to be more efficient and save on postage and handling charges by the printer, Buttons will do the mailings from Florida which requires shipping all copies in bulk from the printer.To be safe, we are targeting a mail date of May 6th, which should see domestic arrivals beginning on May 15 and international arrivals by the end of May.  So, overall we will be about two weeks longer than anticipated.

Thank you for your kind understanding and patience. The upside is that we can say YOU WILL ENJOY THIS ISSUE!  Dr Joanne Yates, our Editor and Publisher, has done a wonderful job of design, coaching, and creating a fine journal with many fascinating articles, papers, and observations by a large cast of our creative and talented members.

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Ron Lies “Chips” Sonnet of the Week

“Chips” sends along something a bit different from his weekly limerick: a sonnet by Helene Yuhasova (pen name of Edgar W. Smith, BSI) written in 1946.

John H Watson to Sherlock Holmes

You are a benefactor of the race;
Warrant and symbol of our land’s content:
A Sword that strikes in evil’s darkest place,
The law’s oblique, incisive instrument.
For this you have the nation’s accolade
In grateful token of the wrongs redressed–
But when your donative is fully weighted
Not England, but the world will call you blest.

For you have given us escape today
From threats that lie against our lives and pelf;
While thru the days to come you’ll show the way
To find elusion from the world.
This is the benefaction I’ve designed:
To give you to the ages of mankind

From the pamphlet: A Lauriston Garden of Verses by Helene Yuhasova;
published by The Pamphlet House, Summit, New Jersey, 1946 

 

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The Society’s Birthday and that of our Founding Chair

Today is the birthday of The John H Watson Society. We are one year old.  It is also the birthday of our Founding Chairman, Prof. Don Yates, BSI “The Greek Interpreter” and JHWS “Pal.”

We extend best wishes to all Society members and, particular good wishes to Prof Yates on his birthday. It was all meant to be.

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Society’s Website is Secure from “Heartbleed”

You have read of the massive security problem on most Internet sites called “Heartbleed.”

The Society tested its website this morning for this security problem and we are OKAY. Our host had taken steps to block this bug or the server was never vulnerable. The long and short: We are sensitive to Internet security and take steps to assure our website is secure.

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Weekly Limerick: “Chipping” Away at the Humorous Art

Ron Lies “Chips” gives us these two delightful limericks this week. Thank you, as always.

“I have wrought my simple plan if I give one hour of joy to the boy who’s half a man, or the man who’s half a boy.”
— Doyle, Arthur Conan; The Lost World

That dedication describes me to a “T.” That is why my favourite story from the Canon is The Sign of the Four. These limericks are my favourites of them all.

All my best, Chips

The Sign of the Four

Miss Morstan was quite a nice doll,
for her good old Watson did fall,
but with feelings hid,
he joined Holmes and did
down The Thames chase Tonga and Small.

Author: William S Dorn, BSI, from his book, The Limericks of Sherlock Holmes, produced by Pencil Productions, 2005.

I am adding a limerick from that noted Sherlockian, Isaac Asimov, that describes my romantic love affair with my wife Mary for forty-one years and forever.

The Sign of the Four

Muttered Holmes, “Never mind cocaine’s pleasure,
let us seek out the famed Agra Treasure.”
Answered Watson, “No pearls
for myself—only girls;
and it’s Mary that’s made to my measure. “

Author: Isaac Asimov, BSI, from his book, Asimov’s Sherlockian Limericks, published by The Mysterious Press New York, 1978.

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A Survey Question for the Membership: Train Journeys

A question recurs:  How many different train trips are mentioned in the Canon?  Not subway or ‘tube’ trips, but true train journeys.
Buttons, who has logged many train trips criss-crossing England in all directions, as well as Wales and Scotland, over nearly thirty years, likes to believe he has been on most of the rails that conveyed the good Doctor and Mr Holmes. He particularly remembers one wonderful, uninterrupted, non-stop trip of two days from Penzance in Cornwall to John O’Groats at the very northern end of Scotland (nearly as far apart as you can get in Great Britain), notable for its crossing of the great, lonely moors, the necessity for transfers to narrow-gauge, two-coach branch lines, and the excellent quality of the dining car food, drink and service.
Anyone care to offer a catalogue of the individual journeys by story taken by our favourite Victorian friends?

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Limerick of the Week

Here is Ron Lies’ Limerick of the Week:

A STUDY IN SCARLET

Now Watson did have a bull pup,
Although it did never show up.
Though where it did go, there is no way to know,
Perhaps they had pup for their sup.

Author: William S Dorn  BSI, DWNP 2005
From his Book The Limericks of Sherlock Holmes and his card set
Produced by Pencil Productions, 2005.

A note from Chips:  As a animal lover I was a little disturbed by this limerick’s last line. It seemed to be a put-down of Mrs. Hudson’s dinners as to just what the meat might be. I brought up these points to Bill. He thanked me and said if I would like to write a better one I was welcome to try. I tried and failed. Maybe someone in our group would like to try?

Chips

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April: A Busy Month

Our good and loyal Charter Member, Kumar Bhatia “Bobbie” sends along this compendium of April from the Canon:

Dear Friends:

April is here. A rather busy month it was as Watson tells us! 

“It was early April in the year ’83, that I woke one morning to find Sherlock Holmes standing, fully dressed, by the side of my bed . . . .” 
–Dr Watson, “The Speckled Band” 

“On referring to my notes, I see that it was on the 14th of April, that I received a telegram from Lyons, which informed me that Holmes was lying ill, in the Hotel Dulong . . . . .” 
–Dr Watson, “The Reigate Squires”

“It was with some surprise that I saw him walk into my consulting room, upon the evening of the 24th of April. It stuck me that he was looking even paler and thinner than usual . . . .” 
–Dr Watson, “The Final Problem” 

“. . . . and now at the close of April, I find myself in such a position through your continual persecution that I am in positive danger of losing my liberty. . . .” 
–Prof Moriarty, “The Final Problem”

“ . . . . such was the remarkable narrative to which I listened on that April evening, a narrative which would have been utterly incredible to me, had it not been confirmed by the actual sight of the tall spare figure and the keen eager face which I had never
thought to see again.”
–Dr Watson, “The Empty House” 

Watson makes mention of a few other occurrences in the month of April, which I leave to our fellow members to post; however, I cannot but resist sharing  with my fellow Sherlockians, the most ominous of them all. I quote from:  The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes – The Life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by John Dickson Carr.

“But he [Doyle] had another task before that. At Norwood on April 6th, 1893, sitting by the fire with a cold in his head, idly reading Pride and Prejudice, while legions of painters bumped the outside of the house, he put aside the book and wrote a letter to the Ma’am. “All is well down here; I am in the middle of the last Holmes story, after which the gentleman vanishes, never to return! I am weary of his name.” 

Kumar Bhatia, JHWS “Bobbi”

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Second Annual John H Watson Society and World Invitational Treasure Hunt To Be Held in August 2014

The Second Annual John H Watson Society and World Invitational Treasure Hunt will be held during the month of August 2014, beginning on 1 August and closing on 1 September, 2014.

The Treasure Hunt will consist of 100 exceptionally difficult quiz questions (perhaps more) involving Canonical text and the scholarship and miscellanea from the past 80 years.

This year, the Society is also extending invitations to scion clubs from around the world to field teams of 3 to 5 members to participate in the International Invitational Team Category.  We are hoping to have participation from England, France, Italy, Japan, India, Germany, U.S. scions, and other nations. All organisations are welcome.

A beautiful, engraved crystal vase will be awarded to the International Team who takes the honours.

More information is available on the Treasure Hunt page on this website. Please note the change in dates and please review the general guidelines for participating. As we believe many discovered last year, this is a difficult, grueling and time-consuming SuperQuiz, perhaps the most difficult ever devised in Sherlockian/Watsonian history.  Join in and have fun! Check back here for upcoming information over the next several months.

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And Limericks Also Beget Toasts . . .

Ron Lies “Chips” has begun a sub-culture of limerick and toast composers. Here is a musical toast created by Sheila Holtgrieve “Daisy” of the Seattle Sound of the Baskervilles (SOB’s).

Daisy writes:

I am attaching here a musical toast that I made up for the SOB Masters’ Dinner (the move in the apostrophe is deliberate: some of our older members are not able to come if the dinner is in January due to darkness and weather, so we decided on March to celebrate SH and JHW meeting at St. Barts; we celebrate SH’s birthday at our January club meeting.)  My JHWS bull-pup name of “Daisy” got me to remembering the old song, “Daisy, Daisy,” so I made up the words, and three of us sang it at the dinner.  What a kick!

Sherlock, Sherlock, Give Us Your Answer
to the tune of “Daisy, Daisy”

Sherlock, Sherlock, give us your answers, do
We’re half crazy over the likes of you.
We’ll ride in a big, black carriage.
And go to Irene’s marriage.
We’ll stay out late to keep your dates
In our hansom cabs built for two.

Watson, Watson, give us your answers, do
We’re half crazy over the likes of you.
We’ll go to the turf for betting;
We’ll dine with ladies fetching.
We’ll meet with Lestrade,
We’ll go to Lowther Arcade,
In our hansom cabs built for two.

Holmes and Watson, give us your answers, do
We’re all crazy over the likes of you.
We’ll meet with you in the stories,
With you life is never boring.
We’ll keep your name,
We’ll keep your fame,
In our hansom cabs built for two.

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If You Will Be In London . . .

A fun adventure awaits those of you who may be in London on May 23, 2014. This was received from our member Michele Lopez, President of Uno Studio in Holmes of Italy:

Dear Sherlockian Friends

Our society, Uno Studio in Holmes, has organized a Sherlockian trip to England in the weekend from the 23rd to the 25th of May, 2014.

We’ll come from various parts of Italy and we’ll meet in London for three days of Holmes-related fun and good time.

We plan to dine at the Criterion Restaurant in Piccadilly on Friday, May 23rd, around 8:30 pm. We shall be very happy to welcome anyone that happens to be in London in those days, who wants to join us for a dinner in commemoration of the first historical meeting between Watson and young Stamford in that same location.

We’ll have a trip to Portsmouth on Saturday, May 24th (reserved for society members) and a London walk in search of Holmesian locations (from Baker Street to St.Bartholomew’s Hospital and the SH Pub) on the morning of Sunday, May 25th. Around 2.00 pm we’ll have high tea at The Orangery, Kensington.

If you are interested in participating in one of these events, please let me know by e-mail, since we need to make reservations well in advance.

I hope to see you in London,

With my warmest regards,

Michele Lopez
President
Uno Studio in Holmes

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Limericks Beget Limericks . . .

Thanks to Ron Lies, we have our Weekly Limerick. It appears Ron has created renewed interest in this very old literary form,  as several members have commented and offered their own favorites. We will include these from time to time for the enjoyment of all. Our Chair, Prof. Don Yates “Pal” sends along this limerick and comment:

I’ll throw in a Sherlockian limerick of my own, in case you’d be interested in using it. It’s somewhat seasonal and requires familiarity with BLUE’s cast of characters, but most of our members will likely understand the play with words.

Sans hat and sans goose do we meet
This poor fellow roughed up in the street.
In the end such a winner,
He might have us for dinner.
Which could aptly be termed Baker’s treat.

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Limerick of the Week

Here is Ron Lies’s, “Chips” Limerick of the Week:

Here is the second of the limericks for the week of the 23rd.

Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes was the great master sleuth,
For he always discovered the truth.
He assisted the poor
Using logic quite sure,
And he never did one thing uncouth.

Author is William S Dorn, BSI, DWNP, From his book THE LIMERICKS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES and his card set, Pencil Productions 2005, both currently out of print with no plans to reprint.

A note of interest (at least to me).  Dr. Dorn’s is the only set I have found to include limericks about characters from the Canon as well as the two stories that surfaced after Doyle’s death and thought by some to be written by Doyle.

Yours in the willing service of Dr. Watson,

Chips/Ron

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New Feature: Limerick of the Week  by Ron Lies, “Chips”

Our always interesting and interested Charter Member, Ron Lies “Chips,” will be sending us a new limerick each week. These are the limericks of  author William S Dorn, BSI, who published The Limericks of Sherlock Holmes, now out of print and unavailable. Mr Dorn has graciously given Chips permission to reprint the work and we will all be able to enjoy these classics once again.  Thank you Ron, as always, for your ever-welcome support.

John H Watson

Watson wrote all those wonderful tales

Besides which every other tale pales.

What more can we say

But up to this day,

Each attempt to improve on them fails.

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We’re Back!

We have Internet service and the Society is open for business!  We have monograph and pin orders, but have not found those boxes yet, so please bear with us.  We will be totally unpacked and ready to mail things out in a day or two.We bought our home sight unseen and in the week since closing have had the interior totally repainted, all new carpeting, new window treatments, new air conditioning, multiple repairs, new lawn irrigation system, termite prevention treatment, pest control, total landscape trimming and overhaul, bought new appliances, got driver’s licenses, got a new car, met the neighbors, and have tried six new restaurants!  Buttons is ready for a big, comfy chair and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes!

Back to Society business . . .!  The journal is being edited and finalized. It will print in early April and we should have it mailed to members by the end of April.  It’s Big!

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Business Hiatus Taking a Bit Longer Than Expected

“Buttons” and “Asta” aree in Florida and moved in to their new home, but won’t have Internet access for another few days. Therefore, our normal Society business will be offline for about another week. Thanks for understanding!  Please use the “downtime” to read through the Canon once again!  Thank you for your patience!

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Brief Hiatus on Society Business

“Buttons” and “Asta” will be moving from California to Florida beginning March 3, 2014. We would ask your patience on Society business until we arrive and get moved into our new home in Ocala, Florida. We anticipate being able to fulfill Society business about March 15th, 2014. Until then, memberships, monograph orders, pin orders and other requests will be forwarded to us via email and we will respond as soon as possible after March 15th. Thank you for your understanding.

Of course, anyone having a burning question, idea, or comment can always leave a comment on this page and others can reply as if we weren’t here (which we won’t be)!

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Photography in the Canon

The Sherlock Holmes Society of London is sponsoring a seminar looking at Photography in the Canon. This worthy topic, of course, raises the question: What are the photographic references in the Canon; which stories, and what are the specific instances? Frankly, Buttons cannot think of a single one off the top of his head. He’s confident many of our members will do much better. He will, however, contemplate the question during today’s ‘pie and pint’ break.