Author: Margie Deck/JHWS "Mopsy"

An occasional feature of published pages about John Watson

Watson’s obsession with protecting me manifested itself through his creation of an elaborate constructive mythology of my life. In his extensive writings, which are quite simplistic regarding my methods, but quite accurate regarding the general details of the cases, he always sought to disguise locations, obscure dates, alter names and re-direct the reader’s attention to places and circumstances at great distances from my actual location, all designed–in his mind–to assure my safety from the latent powers of the tentacles Moriarty.

A case in point: Watson’s imaginary Great Hiatus placing me in exotic locales, wandering throughout Asia, disguised as one ‘Sigerson’ when, in fact, I was safely incognito at Maiden Wood…The corpus of writing that Watson produced over the years, taken as whole, is remarkable for this constant protective turn of the narrative.

From The Biography and Autobiography of Sherlock Holmes by Don Libey, Campbell & Lewis, 2013, pp. 165-166

An occasional feature about the places in the John H Watson canon

I think I stood stunned for some moments. Then I have a confused recollection of snatching at a paper, of the remonstrance of the man, whom I had not paid, and, finally, of standing in the doorway of a chemist’s shop while I turned up the fateful paragraph. This was how it ran: We learn with regret that Mr Sherlock Holmes, the well-known private detective, was the victim this morning of a murderous assault which has left him in a precarious position.  There are no exact details to hand, but the event seems to have occurred about twelve o’clock in Regent Street, outside the Café Royal.  The attack was made by two men armed with sticks, and Mr Holmes was beaten about the head and body, receiving injuries which the doctors describe as most serious.  He was carried to Charing Cross Hospital, and afterwards insisted upon being taken to his rooms in Baker Street.

‘The Adventure of the Illustrious Client’

Cafe Royal opened at 68 Regent Street in 1865, staying at the same premises right through until it closed down in 2008, serving royalty and celebrities throughout this period. For four years, the property was redeveloped, and the Hotel Cafe Royal now sits on the spot. —londonist.com/2016/04/12-secrets-of-regent-street

Named after the Prince Regent, the street was built in 1819 under the direction of architect John Nash and its Grade II listed facades represent some of the most distinguished architecture in London. When built, Regent Street was the original purpose-built shopping street for the capital. —regentstreetonline.com

This [224–244 Regent Street] was once the site of The Argyll Rooms, a popular entertainment venue owned by the London Philharmonic Society and used for various concerts, public performances and other exhibitions…During a show on 26 December 1832, a young lady was taken home by her friends after appearing to have some kind of fit. The case was recounted in John Ingram’s 1897 book Haunted Homes and Family Traditions of Great Britain, quoting from the diary of Thomas Raikes, who knew the girl. After the young lady got home, she found it difficult to talk, until eventually she told her companions that she had been seized by the vision of a naked male corpse, with its face partly covered by a cloth, though she recognised the corpse of a man she knew. Her friends reassured her that he was okay. The next day, news came through that he in fact had drowned in Southampton after his boat capsized and the body found tangled up in a ‘boat cloak’. —spookyisles.com/soho-haunted-london-ghosts

By the turn of the century Regent Street had enjoyed 80 years as the ‘centre of fashion.’ It was mainly dependent on the custom of society, and out of season it was often almost deserted. But by 1900 a change could be discerned in the nature of the of the Regent Street customer, partly due to a shift in the relative wealth of the aristocracy and middle classes. —The London Encyclopaedia, Edited by Ben Weinreb and Christopher Hibbert, p. 642, Adler & Adler Publishers, Inc., 1986

An occasional feature of published pages about John Watson

“I sometimes think it a mercy that poor Violet is in her grave,” I overheard one of the maiden aunts say to the other after I had announced my decision [to go to sea rather than open a medical practice], which had had the effect of casting a heavy cloak of gloom over my grandparents’ household. “One son a scoundrel; the other an ingrate.”

“I told you there was bad blood in him, the first time she brought him to our hotel in Stranraer,” Her sister answered. “It’s him they got it from, not poor Violet.”

“I must say I am surprised at John, though. I believed him to be the steady one.”

“Still waters run deep, you know. The next thing we shall hear, he will be paying attention to women.”

—From The Private Life of Doctor Watson, Being the Personal Reminiscences of John H. Watson, MD by Michael Hardwick, E.P. Dutton, Inc., 1983, p. 208

‘There were some figures also upon a sheet of paper, with the names of some club friends…’

With the use of a John Watson Bowler hat and some slips of paper, the names of two Watsonians were drawn this morning to receive the admission tickets for the Left Coast Sherlockian Symposium in Portland, Oregon, this October. The lucky recipients are:

Bruce Parker, JHWS ‘Oxford’

Robert Perret, JHWS ‘Sampson’

Many congratulations to our winners, and thanks to all the Watsonians participating in the contest. Our winners will receive registration instructions via email.

Registration is on-going for the symposium. It is sure to be an excellent weekend of Watsonian, Sherlockian, and Holmesian fun. Information can be found at leftcoastsherlock.com.

The JHWS will be well represented at the symposium. Won’t you join us?

Margie Deck/ ‘Mopsy’

‘It is for the convenience of these that the Diogenes Club was started, and it now contains the most unsociable and unclubbable men in town. No member is permitted to take the least notice of any other one.’

Hello Watsonians!

We invite you to participate in this edition of The Diogenes Club Quick Quote Quiz. As always, this little game requires no submission of answers to anyone—you are playing against yourself and the clock; it is not necessary for anyone else to take the least notice of what you do.

To play along:

–Read the quote from the Canon provided below.

–As quickly as you can, identify the speaker and the adventure featuring the quote.

–Scroll down a few inches to see if you have the correct answer.

–Leave a note in the comments, if you wish, about your answer and your time.

Ron Lies/ JHWS ‘Chips’

Margie Deck/JHWS ‘Mopsy’

Quick Quote Quiz  6/26/2018: ‘You seem to know everything, so I expect that you know that I met her when she was a passenger and I was first officer of the Rock of Gibraltar.’

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Answer: Captain Croker, ABBE