Category: News

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A Discovery?

Our valued Member, Kumar Bhatia “Bobbie” from UAE, sends us word in The Guardian of the discovery of a new story, potentially written by the Literary Agent, and found in an attic in Scotland. Already, there has been an outpouring of media attention to this event from across the geographical and the Sherlockian worlds.

In a number of discussions by noted Sherlockians on respected blogs, the weight of the proof would seem to necessarily fall on the side of proving its authenticity; most comments cite numerous reasons for doubting its provenance as being written by the Agent.

Here at the good doctor’s consulting rooms, we will await the definitive diagnosis, doubtless to come from the hobs and nobs of the Sherlockian milieu. Instead of declaiming, we have decided to have a nice meat pie and a pint, sit quietly on our stool, and await further news from the Scottish Borders.

As always, we are indebted to Kumar Bhatia, our “Bobbie” and a proven “bloodhound” for breaking news in the world of Baker Street.

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Weekly Forum: 2015 #8 Something Different!

This week, we are trying something a bit different:  you create the topic or topics for the week’s discussion. They can be on the Canon, the characters, fandom, TV, radio, film, cosplay, London, or whatever enchants your imaginations.

Please add a comment and ask a question or comment on a topic and let’s see who responds.  We can have as many topics, comments, replies and re-replies as members care to provide.  Here is your chance to participate with that one burning topic you have been wanting to talk about for years! Go for it!

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Weekly Forum: 2015 – #7 Continuing the Forum on Canon Residence Names

NEW DISCOVERY UPDATE:  12 February 2015

After a close review of the entire Canonical text, Buttons has added a number of corrections, as well as seven new entries to the Canonical Residence Names List found on the February 3rd post. The new entries include: Aston Manor; Boscombe Hall; Capleton; Charlington Hall; Elrige’s Farm; The Gables; and Westbury House.  Corrections or additions (in italic) include: Stoke Moran Manor House; Myrtles (Latimer); Ridling Thorpe Manor; Appledore Towers; and Oxshott Towers (Folliot/Ffolliot).

We now believe this to be the accurate and definitive listing of Canonical Residence names and the occupants; however, we always welcome corrections, additions, and questions pertaining to the catalogue of names.

This week we would like to continue the discussion on the Canonical Residence names that was begun last week.  Please add your comments to this topic that has stimulated quite positive interest.

We are hoping to evolve an article or possibly a joint monograph from the discussion.  An interesting bit of information was discovered by Buttons this week while reading through an eighteenth century register of British Manors. A manor and manor house dating from the fifteenth century was located at Reigate in the County of Surrey.  The description, in many ways, fits the description of one of the houses in The Reigate Puzzle. Additional research is being done and perhaps a brief article could be written on these similarities.  The Manorial history of Great Britain and the Lordships of the Manor evidence is full of fascinating vignettes and may offer some insights to the residence names chosen by Dr Watson for the stories.

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Member Bill Mason “Billy” Honoured

Our loyal Member, Bill E Mason “Billy” from Tennessee scored an Honours Hat Trick recently.  He was invested in the BSI as “White Mason,” was named a Master Bootmaker (MBt) by the Bootmakers of Toronto, and was appointed Head Light (President) of The Beacon Society. The Society extends its warmest congratulations to “Billy” for a trio of achievements well-deserved.

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Weekly Forum: February 3, 2015

NEW INFORMATION:  February 6, 2015

The Weekly Forum for February 3, 2015 asks about the British tradition of naming their homes. From those dwelling names throughout the Canon, what conclusions can we make regarding Dr Watson’s choices of those names for his stories?  Has there been a Catalogue of Canonical Residence Names created by anyone in the past?  Is this a literary endeavour worthy of addressing by the Society?

A Canonical Compendium of Residences and Occupants

The John H Watson Society

February 6, 2015

Listed are the names of the residences and occupants named in the stories and books of the Canon. It is the Society’s hope that, eventually, Members will chose one or more of these residences and offer research on the place names and the British tradition of naming homes. The Society envisions individual or cooperative articles for The Watsonian or perhaps monographs arising from this research into the Canonical Nomenclature of Residences. Please contact Buttons if you have interest in writing an article or monograph.

Canonical Residences  and Occupants                   Story/Book

Abbey Grange (Brackenstall)                               ABBE

Albermarle Mansion (Melville)                            WIST

Appledore Towers (Milverton)                             CHAS

Arnsworth Castle                                                   SCAN

Aston Manor                                                           3GAR

Baskerville Hall (Baskerville)                               HOUN

Birchmoor (St Simon)                                           NOBL

Birlstone, Manor House of (Douglas)                  VALL

Boscombe Hall (Turner)                                       BOSC

Briarbrae (Phelps)                                                 NAVA

Briony Lodge (Adler)                                            SCAN

Camden House                                                       EMPT

Campden Mansions (La Rothiere)                       BRUC

Capleton (Backwater)                                            SOLI

Carriton’s                                                               SUSS

Carston Castle (Holdernesse)                               PRIO

Cedars, The (St Clair)                                           TWIS

Charlinton Hall (Woodley)                                   SOLI

Cheeseman’s (Ferguson)                                       SUSS

Chiltern Grange (Carruthers)                              SOLI

Copper Beeches (Rucastle)                                   COPP

Crane Water (Armitage)                                       SPEC

Deep Dene House (Oldacre)                                  NORW

Dingle, The (Harringby)                                       WIST

Elrige’s Farm (Elrige)                                           DANC

Fairbank (Holder)                                                 BERY

Folkstone Court                                                     HOUN

Forton Old Hall (Williams)                                  WIST

Gables, The (Stackhurst)                                      LION

Grosvenor Mansions (St Simon)                          NOBL

Hales Lodge (Barker)                                            VALL

Harvey’s                                                                 SUSS

Hatherley Farm (Turner)                                     BOSC

Haven, The (Bellamy)                                            LION

Haven, The (Amberley)                                         RETI

High Gable (Henderson-Murillo)                         WIST

High Lodge (Oldmore)                                          HOUN

Holdernesse Hall (Holdernesse)                           PRIO

Hurlstone Manor House (Musgrave)                   MUSG

King’s Pyland (Ross)                                             SILV

Laburnum Lodge (Brown)                                   SIXN

Lachine (Barclay)                                                  CROO

Lafter Hall (Frankland)                                        HOUN

Manor House                                                          GREE

Mapleton (Backwater)                                          SILV

Merripit House (Stapleton)                                   HOUN

Myrtles, The (Latimer)                                         GREE

Nether Walsing (Stone)                                         WIST

Odley’s                                                                    SUSS

Oxshott Towers (Folliot/Ffoliot)                          WIST

Poldhu Cottage (Holmes and Watson)                DEVI

Pondicherry Lodge (Sholto)                                 SIGN

Popham House (Eccles)                                        WIST

Purdey Place (Hynes)                                            WIST

Ridling Thorpe Manor (Cubitt)                           DANC

Shoscombe Old Place (Falder)                             SHOS

Stoke Moran Manor house(Roylott)                   SPEC

Thor Place (Gibson)                                              THOR

Three Gables (Maberley)                                      3GAB

Torrington Lodge (McFarlane)                            NORW

Tredannick Wartha (Tregennis)                          DEVI

Tuxbury Old Park (Emsworth)                            BLAN

Vicarage, The (Elman)                                           RETI

Vernon Lodge (Gruner)                                        ILLU

Westbury House (Doran)                                      NOBL

Wisteria Lodge (Garcia)                                       WIST

Woodman’s Lee (Carey)                                       BLAC

Yoxley Old Place (Coram)                                    GOLD

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Weekly Forum: January 27 2015

This week’s Forum topic is one that has had little, if any, explication from the textual Canon: stationery.

What evidence exists of the various writing papers, envelopes, calling cards, invitations, pens, pencils, etc. that would be generally thought to be found in a Victorian Stationers Shop?  Prepare to be surprised.

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New Website Platform Soon

The Society is moving to a new website platform/operating system soon.  Our Webmistress, Beth Gallego “Selena” has been working for several months to convert over our entire website history and every post ever made. This has been a HUGE project for “Selena” and one the Society is truly indebted to Beth for doing, and doing so well.

For the next few days, Buttons will play with and experiment on the new system in order to learn its ins and outs.  Next week sometime, we expect to “flip the switch” and “Selena” will turn on the new site.  You will also have to experiment a bit–click here, click there, click everywhere–and discover what new features exist.

Thank you, “Selena” . . . Thank you Beth Gallego.  As you may remember, Beth is a librarian in Burbank, California and is involved with Sherlockian groups and other Sherlockian librarians.  She will be attending 221B Con in April and, hopefully, participating in discussions of the Society.

More on this topic later.

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“Chips” Adds: “On This Date”

Our Master of the Canonical Tid-Bit, Ron Lies “Chips” has added a wonderful new feature to his posts: the “On This Date in the Canon.” He will list the Watsonian/Sherlockian occurrences on key dates from his researches into the good doctor’s writings.

Here is this week’s:

To All:

A little behind on my posting but I am in a group of irregulars myself.

“Chips.”

On This Date:

January 1st Saturday 1881, Stanford introduced Holmes to Watson.

January 2nd Sunday 1881, Watson moved into 221B Baker Street.

January 3rd Monday 1881 Holmes moved into 221B Baker Street.

January 3rd Saturday 1903 James Dodd received an amicable reply to his letter from Mrs. Emsworth.

January 4th Monday 1885 Joseph Openshaw received 5 Orange pips.

January 4th Sunday 1891 Holmes crossed Moriarty’ s path.

January 5th Monday 1903 James Dodd traveled from London to Bedford and thence to Tuxbury Old Place January 5th Monday 1903 James Dodd sees the face of Godfrey Emsworth at his bedroom window.

January 6th Wednesday 1886 Wednesday Charles Augustus Milverton called upon Holmes at 221B Baker Street.

January 6th Tuesday 1903 Colonel Emsworth tells James Dodd that he must leave Tuxsbury Old Park the next morning, January 6th Friday 1888 Jack Douglas shot and killed Ted Baldwin

and the most IMPORTANT:

January 6th Friday 1854 Sherlock Holmes was born!

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Weekly Forum: January 6

As the new year begins, it is time to resume our Weekly Forum and to continue generating interesting joint articles for the journal, as well as have some fun whilst speculating on the unending mysteries of the Canon.

Based on the evidence of both Watson and Holmes, which do you believe The Agency prefers: Capital crimes or non-capital crimes? In which cases do we find our two partners experiencing the most zest, passion and determination?

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The Fourth Garrideb Formed

Greg Ruby “Robin” of The John H Watson Society announces the formation of The Fourth Garrideb:

The Fourth Garrideb was formed on August 9, 2014 during the World’s Fair of Money in Chicago with 7 founding charter members “of the finest period.” TFG is a group of Sherlockian coin collectors and numismatists who are looking to document the 175+ numismatic items featuring Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Arthur Conan Doyle and related items. In addition, we look for numismatic references within the Canon and related stories.

TFG posts irregularly (60 posts to date since our formation) about Canonical and Conanical numismatics at www.FourthGarrideb.com. TFG has the motto of “Numismatists Do Not Fear Change.” TFG was recognized as a scion of the Baker Street Irregulars in September and is also a member club of the American Numismatic Association.

Lifetime memberships are available for $22.10, with details at fourthgarrideb.com/join-us. Those joining now will be considered charter members “of the Alexandrian School,” while those joining after the charter period will be considered as “the rest of a bad lot.” Members receive email notifications of when new posts are published, a membership certificate and a Garrideb dekadrachm (which we do not recommend polishing as Nathan Garrideb was doing).

TFG will be mainly a virtual society, but hopes to have meetings with other Sherlockian societies in conjunction with major coin shows around the country. Tentative arrangements are being made for 2015 in Portland, Oregon and Chicago for the spring and summer conventions of the American Numismatic Association.

Member of The John H Watson Society are encouraged to explore this interesting new group at their website.