Can you identify where this house that Arthur Conan Doyle occupied is located? The brass plaque commemorates his period in residence.And, if you can identify the location, can you shed any light on when and for what purpose Sir Arthur was in residence in this house?
International Sherlock Holmes Exhibition
Pictured is Doctor Watson’s desk from the International Sherlock Holmes Exhibition at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry provided courtesy of JHWS member Jon Lellenberg, “Towser.”The exhibit which opened 10 October 2013 is a significant event in the Sherlockian/Watsonian world. It will be touring the country appearing at museums for extended periods. For full information, please take a few minutes and look through the Exhibition website: http://sherlockholmesexhibition.com/If you have an opportunity now or in the future to see the exhibition in your area, we would recommend that you do so as it is a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, especially for youth and enthusiasts new to The Game.
The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes brings this world to life as never before as you step into Conan Doyle’s Victorian London and work side-by-side with his legendary detective. You will become Holmes’ eyes and ears as he tackles a baffling new case in a world steeped in innovation and experimentation. Along the way you’ll see a dazzling array of original manuscripts, publications, period artifacts, film and television props and costumes. You’ll learn to use investigative tools and techniques from Holmes himself, and test yourself with exciting, interactive crime-solving opportunities.
Watson’s Biography by Molly Carr “Brenda”
Available from Amazon and MX Publishing $13Fully revised and updated 2nd edition of this detailed biography of Doctor Watson. In her third book author Molly Carr has, for the moment, abandoned the Watson-Fanshaw Detective Agency in favour of discovering as much as possible about Doctor Watson. Radically different in style from her first two books, the investigation will nevertheless be of interest to students of military history, railways both Indian and British and of course all fans of Sherlock Holmes.
Weekly Quiz #5: The All Hallows Costume Quiz
Weekly Quiz #5 18 October – 23 October 2013
Theme: In observance of All Hallows Eve (early), a Quiz about Disguises
Identify who is in disguise, the nature of the disguise, and the story where it is found. Each clue is contained in the description of the disguise. There will be 5 Bonus Points added if all 20 questions are correct and the page number of the Doubleday single volume edition of 1930 is cited in each question. Total possible points: 20 + 5 = 25. Submissions will be received until 4 pm (Pacific) Wednesday, 23 October 2013. Submit via email to: buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com<.
Bon Chance!
Questions:
- Sam
- Baskets
- Blouse
- St Joseph’s Wort
- Tennis
- Detective
- Sunshade in a former Royal Peculiar
- Snarl
- They protrude and mumble
- Spud
- Rude meal in a seedy coat
- Crusts
- Doddering
- Peculiar tweed
- A price clerk
- Gossip with landlady
- Sneer
- Bearded hansom cab driver
- Workhouse cough
- 369
Molly Carr’s New Book
A Sherlock Holmes Who’s Who
Molly Carr, JHWS
Available from Amazon and MX publishing $18
Ever since A. C. Black & Co. brought out their first Whos Who? of the great and good in 1849 (followed in 1897 by Who Was Who after death intervened and removed their entries to a separate volume) people have been fascinated by the rich and famous. So there is, for example, a Whos Who in cricket, a Whos Who in Agatha Christie. And even a Whos Who in a famous cemetery. So if you have ever wanted to know where Watson bought his boots, or where (and when) Inspectors Lestrade, Bradstreet, Athelney Jones, Hopkins and MacDonald appear in the stories then this is the book for you. How many times is Moriarty mentioned, and what was his henchman, Colonel Moran, up to in an empty house? Who on earth was Acton and, more to the point, who could possibly have been called (by the Great Detective himself) a rival to Sherlock Holmes?
Reviews
This book gives pretty much any listing you might want from the stories. It is divided into 3 sections: 1) People (characters in the stories & even some only mentioned in passing), 2) Places (countries, regions, landmarks, addresses, etc.), & 3) Props (companies, businesses, societies, objects, animals, etc.) I have read the entire Canon & didn’t recall quite a number of these listings. For the Holmes fanatic who wants to know everything.
-Karen Haynes
Welcome to Molly Carr, JHWS “Brenda,” MA, PhD, Author and Watsonian
“Unlike many Sherlockians (or, in this case, Watsonians) I came to the canon relatively late in life after visiting East Yorkshire and seeing a memorial to men who marched up from the Indian town of Quetta to Kandahar in 1880. Now, a much earlier Doctorate (which owed more to cantos than crime) and five Holmes/Watson books later I am finding it difficult to write about anything else.”
Dr Carr is a retired Biologist who also has a Doctorate in Victorian Poetry which, surprisingly, has helped her in writing books about Doctor Watson and his wife, Mary Morstan. A voracious reader, a music lover, and a keen photographer, she lives with her like-minded husband in a beautiful spot in Hereford near the Welsh border.
Molly is very keen on all aspects of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, likes travelling abroad, meeting friends and researching any number of subjects. A film buff, especially keen on Max Ophuls, Fritz Lang and her favourite comics, Laurel and Hardy. An avid reader of all genres, member of three societies connected with Holmes, as well as The Friends of Doctor Watson, and The John H Watson Society. She is not to be confused with someone of the same name who writes books on cholesterol!
Molly has written three books about Holmes, The Sign of Fear, A Study in Crimson and In Search of Doctor Watson. Work in Progress: The Noble Spinster. Her most recent book is A Sherlock Holmes Who’s Who from MX Publishing and available on Amazon.
Please extend a warm welcome to Molly Carr into the Society with our greeting to new members:
“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”
New From JHWS Members Dan Andriacco and Kieran McMullen
Our members, Dan Andriacco “Dutch” and Kieran McMullen “Raleigh,” have written another great book.
Available from Amazon and from MX Publishing $12
It’s a fast-paced and immersive read, barely allowing the reader to take a breath from page to page. But it’s also a remarkable and masterful undertaking – suggestive of something new and fresh, while remaining true to the source that shaped it.
–Better Holmes and Gardens
Above all, the novel is enjoyable. It’s a quick read that can be digested in a few sittings, and the ending leaves the reader hoping for more. Andriacco and McMullen have done a masterful job of blending history, fiction, and Sherlock Holmes in a way that entices and delights.
–Girl Meets Sherlock
In contrast to most tales involving Holmes, The Amateur Executioner takes us into an ambiguous and murky world where right and wrong aren’t always distinguishable. I look forward to reading more about Enoch Hale.
-The Sherlock Holmes Society of London
In telling the story, the authors have done a masterful job in melding actual historic figures with famous fictional characters.
–Kings River Life Magazine
The blending of real characters, real history with fictional characters and fictional history is very well accomplished and at no time does the insertion of these ‘guest stars’ overshadow the very well thought out and exciting plot. There may not be a major part for Holmes to play, but his ‘fingerprints’ are all over the plot and you do gain the impression that this novel could only have been written by a Holmesian, or in this case, two Holmesians. It is a very enjoyable read, fast paced and undoubtedly fun. You see, collaborations can work. And work well.
–David Ruffle
Results: Weekly Quiz #4 and Monthly Quiz #1 with New Schedule (see below; also Answers below)
After grueling competition, the results are in!
Weekly Quiz #4:
Member Individual Category
Denny Dobry “Kirby” took the honors and James O’Leary “Pippin,” Elinor Hickey “Misty”, Ron Lies “Chips” were all close.
Team Member Category
Margie Deck “Gwen” and Sheila Holtgrieve “Daisy” of Seattle continued their near-perfect streak for team honors.
Non-Member Category
Dean Turnbloom, in his final appearance as a non-member (he has joined the Society) took the honors.
Congratulations to these Weekly Quizzers and Weekly Quiz Masters. This was a difficult Weekly Quiz and required determining the best case of logic, textual evidence, and association or relationship to arrive at a string of connected answers that satisfied the clue design in both inductive and deductive directions (working form the beginning or working from the end). There are several possible sets of answers to the clues, but only one has the highest quotient of logic, evidence and association; however, alternatives that were supportable were considered and accepted when the proofs could be presented. The best score in all categories was 8/10.
Monthly Quiz #1
This week’s quiz also was Monthly Quiz #1 among those who were successful in the prior Weekly Quizzes, which partly explains the somewhat diabolical nature of the quiz structure. The Monthly Quiz honors go to:
Member Individual Category
Denny Dobry “Kirby” is our first Monthly Quiz Master with a combined score on all quizzes this month of 47/60.
Team Member Category
Margie Deck “Gwen” and Sheila Holtgrieve “Daisy” are our first Monthly Quiz Masters with a combined score on all quizzes of 47/60.
Non-Member Individual Category
Dean Turnbloom is our first Monthly Quiz Master with a combined score on all quizzes of 47/60.
Congratulations to all of our Quiz Masters. You all now go forward to the Quarterly Quiz and on to the Annual Quiz. As we all now see, participating in every quiz is how you boost your cumulative score towards the Annual Quiz Master honor, a reality shown by the equal scores of 47/60 by all three Quiz Masters. If one misses a week, it can mean a 10 to 20 point difference; of course, if one doesn’t miss a week, it can be a 10 to 20 point advantage . . . diabolique, n’est pas?
Responding to a participant’s excellent suggestion (Dean Turnbloom), Buttons will make it a bit easier for participants to have the time to work on the quizzes by changing the schedule a bit so that a weekend is available to you on every quiz. Therefore, the Weekly Quiz will now be posted on Friday by 4 pm (Pacific) and end on Wednesday at 4 pm (Pacific) when answers have to be received. The next Weekly Quiz will be Friday, 17 October through Wednesday 23 October 2013. Good luck to everyone, and for all of our members who have not participated, please join in the fun. A comment from one of our participants sums up what we gain when we work on the quizzes: ” . . . these [quizzes] are certainly broadening my Canonical knowledge.” Enjoy!
Here are the Weekly #4/Monthly #1 Quiz answers:
New Quiz Schedule and 1st Monthly Quiz Masters Announced
Dean Turnbloom, JHWS “Stoker”: The Whitechapel Vampire
Victorian England’s most famous consulting detective is hot on the trail of London’s most notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper. But in Sherlock Holmes and the Whitechapel Vampire, Jack is a vampire and Holmes refusal to believe it could be his undoing as the two match wits in this delightfully original first novel.
Available from Amazon and MX Publishing. $17
Reviews:
Sherlock Holmes. Vampires. Watson. Jack the Ripper. Vincent van Gogh? All come together in this excellent pastiche- Sherlock Holmes and the Whitechapel Vampire. Throw in some Italian immigrants, murders in Paris and London and lovely music- enchanting music that will soothe and mesmerize the soul. I really enjoyed Whitechapel the TV series with Rupert Penry-Jones and Phil Smith- so I was set to dig into another Ripper tale, this time with Holmes for added body.
I found this to be a suspense story with just the right amount of clues and bloody gore. Will the vampire be able to be cured? Will he marry his love before she finds out about his dubious past? Will Holmes and Watson find the Ripper before he strikes again? Or leaves for the Big Apple? If you like vampires or are a fan of the ripper, don’t miss this one.
-Maurice
Having a title like “Sherlock Holmes and the Whitechapel Vampire,” it sounds hard to pass up the opportunity to read this book. The idea of having the world’s greatest detective face the forces of the un-dead is hardly a new one, as is Sherlock Holmes vs, Jack the Ripper. Author Dean P. Turnbloom does an expert job of weaving a story with a number of diverse plot points. The novel reads more like a thriller than an actual mystery and features Baron Barlucci, a centuries-old vampire who comes to London in order to cure his vampirism. However, the Baron’s thirst for blood drives him to committing the notorious murders attributed to Jack the Ripper, and soon the world’s greatest sleuth is on his trail.
-Sand
Welcome to Dean Turnbloom, JHWS “Stoker” to Charter Membership
Mr. Turnbloom has been participating in the Non-Member Individual Category of the Treasure Hunt and the Weekly Quiz, and has been doing very well. We are honored by his decision to join the Society and would offer our members that you have a formidable quizzer amongst the membership.
Dean’s biography reads:
Dean Turnbloom lives and writes in southern California after growing up in southern Indiana. His political side can be seen in his former avocation as an editorial cartoonist and in his series of books that display the national prize winning cartoons of your favorite editorial cartoonist, Prizewinning Political Cartoons. This series informs the readers about the national contests for editorial cartoonists as well as displaying the work and bios of the cartoonists themselves.
In fiction, Dean’s tastes run to the macabre. His first short story was published in L&L Dreamspell’s Horror edition. He has a self-published short story available for those who would like to sample his work, The Banshee of the Rannoch Moor. His first novel, published by MX Publishing in the UK and available everywhere in both paperback and digital editions is SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE WHITECHAPEL VAMPIRE (a review is found on the Dr Watson’s Library page).
Please welcome Dean with the Society’s traditional greeting to new members:
“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”
Welcome to Francine and Richard Kitts, JHWS “Holly” and “Tally-Ho” as Charter Members
Francine is a member of the Baker Street Irregulars, “Lady Francis Trelawney Hope” and the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes, as well as numerous other clubs.
Richard is a Baker Street Irregular, “The Battered Tin Dispatch-Box” and is the Co-Founder of the Turf Builders of Baker Street, as well as a number of additional clubs.
Their memberships include:
Francine Kitts:
» The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes (The Third Pillar from the Left)
» The Mini-Tonga Scion Society
» The Montague Street Lodgers of Brooklyn
» Watson’s Tin Dispatchers
» The Baskerville Bash Committee
» The Baker Street Irregulars (Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope)
» Mrs. Hudson’s Cliffdwellers of New Jersey (A Study in Scarlet)
» The Admirable Beach Society
Richard Kitts:
» The Baker Street Irregulars (The Battered Tin Dispatch-Box)
» The Montague Street Lodgers of Brooklyn
» Watson’s Tin Dispatchers
» The Turf Builders of Baker Street (co-Founder)
» Mrs. Hudson’s Cliffdwellers of New Jersey (Cox and Company)
» The Admirable Beach Society
Francine and Richard live on Staten Island, New York. Please join in a warm welcome to our new members.
“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.”
What Else Do We Read?
Buttons began reading the Sacred Canon at age 8 and has re-read it completely once every year, either in the winter or the summer, ever since. This year is the 62nd re-reading of the Canon. But, he also re-reads all of the Thomas Hardy novels every fall; all of Dickens every winter; all of Christie’s Poirot every spring; and all of Kenneth Grahame’s novels every summer; plus other things around the edges, such as Solar Pons and Luis Borges in recent years. He has maintained this routine for over 38 years. As such, he seldom ever emerges from the 19th century and almost never is outside British literature, the only exception being his constant reading and re-reading of the ancient Japanese and Chinese poetry he studied at university and the collected poetry of Wallace Stevens each year.
The process of reading, for Buttons anyway, requires a large, comfortable, over-stuffed chair, a footstool, and a proper floor lamp over the left shoulder. A chair-side table is a requisite, in order to manage the coffee, and apple or two, the bowl of nuts, or the odd adult beverage. A black, round #2 pencil and a half-sheet of foolscap is there also in the event a note needs to be made, or a quiz question comes to mind. In fall and winter, a throw is added for the warmth that often precedes the inevitable nap.
Now, what about you? What are your reading interests and habits? Who would care to recommend an author or two who provided you with great pleasure and enjoyment over the years? What is your number one favorite book? Buttons can never read The Hound of the Baskervilles enough, but admits his favorite book remains The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.
Weekly Quiz #4: 7 October to 12 October 2013 and Monthly Quiz #1: Follow The Clues
Weekly Quiz #4
Monthly Quiz #1
This week’s quiz is also the first Monthly Quiz to find out who will be the First Monthly Quiz Master. All Weekly Quiz Masters who mastered their category (Member Individual, Member Team, Non-Member Individual, Non-Member Team) may compete in the Monthly Quiz in order to move on in the Quarterly and the Annual Quizzes.
This week’s theme is: Follow The Clues. Each question takes you to the next question. You should be able to associate the question and the answer from the top down or from the bottom up. Each answer has something to do with, or is associated in some way with, or is textually associated with the one-word question.
The beginning and ending orientations are to check that you have made the correct starting and ending assumptions and associations. If you have the correct story for the first orientation at the beginning, then you will be on the right track for the rest; and if you have the correct orientation reference at the end, you have likely made the right decisions when solving the clues.
The first submission with the most correct answers will be: 1) the Weekly Quiz Master and/or 2) the Monthly Quiz Master. Good Luck!
Beginning Orientation: Plate
Clue 1: Pugilist.
Clue 2: Boxer.
Clue 3: County
Clue 4: Coal
Clue 5: Cigar
Clue 6: Mutiny
Clue 7: Doctor
Clue 8: Hospital
Clue 9: Tutor
Clue 10: E.C.
Ending Orientation: Gnomon
Kumar Bhatia, JHWS “Bobbie” Shares Another Fascinating Insight
In April 2007, a monument to Sherlock Holmes was unveiled outside the British Embassy in Moscow. It is the only one of its kind in the world, in that it has Holmes and Watson together. It features a pensive Holmes, clad in his signature cloak and deerstalker, standing and looking slightly upwards with one hand behind his back and holding a pipe in the other, as if contemplating a case. Beside Holmes is Dr Watson, seated on a bench and looking up towards Holmes in admiration, as it were. The statues are life-size and consumed 800 kilos of bronze in casting.
The artist, Andrei Orlov, although inspired by Sidney Paget’s sketches, sculpted Holmes in the likeness of the great Russian actor Vasily Livanov, who played the role of the Master to perfection in many Russian Movies. Orlov modelled Dr Watson after Vitaly Solomin who played Watson to Livanov’s Holmes. Vasily Livanov was the only Russian actor to be awarded the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II which was bestowed upon him in recognition of his great portrayal of Sherlock Holmes.
We are thankful to the Sherlock Holmes Society of India who first posted this article by Kumar Bhatia on its Society’s website.
Weekly Quiz #3 Results
The results are in! The Quiz Master for Week #3 is Denny Dobry, “Kirby”. He was followed by James O’Leary, “Pippin” in second place.
There were no submissions in the Member Team Category, or Non-Member categories.
Buttons learned that our Quizzees are not too sanguine about Word Scrambles. Next week’s quiz returns to Canonical references that are readable; in fact, it consists of single word clues. You’ll love this one!
Weekly Quiz #4 is also Monthly Quiz #1 for those who are competing in the Monthly Quiz Master challenge. The Monthly Quiz Master will be eligible for the Quarterly challenge as well as the Annual challenge. Monthly quizzes are:
Member Individual Category
Denny Dobry, “Kirby”
James O’Leary, “Pippin”
Elinor Hickey, “Misty”
Ron Lies, “Chips”
Member Team Category
Margie Deck, “Gwen”
Sheila Holtgrieve, “Daisy”
Non-Member Individual Category
Dean Turnbloom
Good luck to you all. Anyone may participate in Weekly Quiz #4 and we look forward to an expanded roster of members, teams and non-members who wish to match wits with the slow boy who mostly lunches. The questions will be posted by 12 noon (Pacific) on Monday 7 October 2013 and will end at 12 Noon (Pacific) on 12 October 2013.
Say It Isn’t So…
Buttons is just back from a journey of several days, taking clean collars and shirts to the good Doctor whilst he and Mr Holmes are on a case somewhere called Shoscombe… and upon return finds no submissions to the Weekly Quiz #3!!
Whatever shall we do? Can it be the Letter Scrambles are too difficult for the intrepid Quiz Masters of the practice? No, of course not. Will our colleagues in France rise to the challenge? Has Seattle skipped a beat on its perfect record? Alas, a day remains… Aah! I hear carriage wheels against the curb… a firm tread on the stair… Could it be…? Yes, perhaps it could… a quiz participant this way comes! It sounds like the game is a foot, or maybe two feet!
The Watsonian: Progress Report on the First Issue
The journal is 152 pages, perfect bound, and it is beautiful! Our Publisher and Editor, Joanne Yates, has gone far beyond the call of duty and, over hundreds of hours, has produced a fine, fine journal. But, you–our members and authors–have exceeded our wildest expectations. Your papers, articles, and miscellanea are both the highest quality and astonishingly high in quantity. We had to reserve at least four excellent papers for the next issue.
So, the Society is most happy to report a success in the making . . . the first issue of The Watsonian . . . and let’s all hope for many more to follow for a very long time! So, please start your papers and articles and fictional pieces for the April 2014 issue.
Kumar Bhatia, JHWS “Bobbie” Sends This Holmes Song
THE GHOST OF SHERLOCK HOLMES
Don’t start and pray, don’t leave your seats, There’s no cause for alarm :
Though I’ve arrived from warmer spheres, I mean you all no harm.
I am a ghost, a real ghost too, that nightly, earth-wards roams;
In fact I am the sceptre of Detective Sherlock Holmes.
Chorus: Sherlock Holmes – Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock, Sherlock you can hear the people cry,
That’s the ghost of Sherlock Holmes as I go creeping by .
Sinners shake and tremble, wherever this bogie roams,
And people shout ‘He’s found us out ‘ It’s the ghost of Sherlock Holmes .
Chorus: Sherlock Holmes – Sherlock Holmes
The man who plots a murder, when he sees me lift my head,
Forgets to murder anyone and ‘suicides’ instead.
An anarchist with lighted bomb, to cause explosive scenes,
Sees me and drops his bomb and blows himself to smithereens .
Chorus: Sherlock Holmes – Sherlock Holmes
The burglar who’s a-burgling, when he finds I am at large,
Get scared and says ‘Policeman, will you please take me in charge?’
The Lady who’s shop-lifting tries to put her theivings back
And says, ‘Mr Sherlock Holmes, I’m a kleptomaniac.’
Chorus: Sherlock Holmes – Sherlock Holmes
My life was more than misery, compelled to strut the earth,
And be a spy at beck and call of those who gave me birth.
But now that I’m a specter, all their misdeeds shall recoil,
I’m going to haunt ‘ Strand Magazine’ , ‘Tit-Bits’ and Conan Doyle .
Chorus: Sherlock Holmes – Sherlock Holmes
The song was written by one Richard Morton. (I am unable to ascertain the date). The music was composed, and the song sung by H.C. Barry.
The copyright as per the “Cover-Sheet ” is (or was) held by Francis Day and Hunter of Oxford Street, London, and The US copyright, by T.B.Harms and Co. of New York.
We regret that we are unable to upload the front cover photo of the sheet music that Kumar sent.
Weekly Quiz #3: 30 September – 5 October 2013
Weekly Quiz 3: September 30 – October 5, 2013
The Theme: Canon word scrambles. Rework the letter combinations in each question to discover a Canonical quote directly from the text and identify the story. The last question (#10) asks you to solve the scramble and then interpret the answer Canonically (just for fun).
Answers to be submitted by 12 Noon (Pacific), Saturday, October 5, 2013 via email to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com.
If you discover Buttons has left out a letter or added one too many, have pity and answer it anyway as they are fairly self-evident even with the odd error. This one required an extra pint or two.
Questions:
- no, grinchly ate bed-clothes
- Hoop!
- sider licked the pour harp lands
- car near mill have alf sing main charge
- of systole aro nos dissem
- to nod nor gift the nil unsure mule cst
- the tor tears ran, you sat for my wimp el ceo
- if troops hint that nacunite ere fog dog whey
- reed mantel in carara hid t
- haut habsac