Category: News

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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!

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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!

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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!
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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.
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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

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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.

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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

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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?”

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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

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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.

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Weekly Forum: Mrs Turner

The Mrs Turner Question

Weekly Forum 2014: 15 July 2014

Below is all of the textual evidence concerning Mrs Turner who is mentioned only once in the Canon and then disappears forever into question. 

From the text, a number of explanations can be developed from the following snippets: “Mrs Turner;” “brought in the tray;”  “our landlady had provided.”

You may wish to put forth explanations as to Mrs Turner’s antecedents that seem most promising to you and perhaps others will do the same.

The text:

[Watson] “But what is it you wish?”

[Holmes] “When Mrs Turner has brought in the tray I will make it clear to you. Now,” he said, as he turned hungrily on the simple fare that our landlady had provided, “I must discuss it while I eat, for I have not much time. It is nearly five now. In two hours we must be on the scene of action. Miss Irene, or Madame, rather, returns from her drive at seven. We must be at Briony Lodge to meet her.”

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Words . . .

This morning, the tree nursery is coming to plant a Chinese Fringe Tree in our yard (Google image it if you haven’t seen one).

Those three words led me to ask myself if I could cite the use of each word in the Canon. Rather than do the research, I decided to let our intrepid Canonical Concordance Commandos attack the question.  Where are the words Chinese, fringe and tree in the Canon?  How many appearances for each?

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Weekly Quiz Resumes Today at 4 pm Eastern and the Annual Treasure Hunt Begins in 20 Days

The Weekly Quiz returns today at 4 pm Eastern. Try your powers of deduction and have an hour of Canonical fun.

The Treasure Hunt is 20 days away! This is the World Invitational Treasure Hunt with 150 of the most difficult questions ever assembled.  We welcome all Members, non-members, individuals, teams and Club Teams from across the world.  See the Treasure Hunt page for full information and be ready 1 August 2014!
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Weekly Forum:  “Families”

Weekly Forum

Topic: The Primary “Families” of the Canon

Two primary groups of close-knit characters exist in the Canon. These act almost as “families.”

The “Holmes Family” consisting of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, Doctor John Watson and Mrs Hudson often contest against the “Moriarty Family” consisting of Professor James Moriarty, his brothers, Colonel James Moriarty and the “station-master,” and Colonel Sebastian Moran.

How are these two “families” utilized in the Canon as both parallels and antitheses? Are there other “families” in the Canon? Are there echoes of Shakespeare, the eternal struggle between ‘good and evil,’ the Greek literary forms, or other literary antecedents?  

Feel free to comment and join in. The more the merrier!

Buttons

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From the Hall Stool: Weekly Forum

One of the most interesting things about Buttons’ job for the Good Doctor is sitting on the hall stool and observing the comings and goings.

Recently, we have had a lively discussion on the literary merits of Mr Mycroft. What Buttons observed was a number of very well-formed positions with ample textual evidence for an enjoyable and beneficial Forum. Just listening (with an aside or two), I learned a great deal about the Doctor’s intentions and the importance of Mr Holmes’ brother (who I think is involved more than we know).

Anyway, just sitting here day after day, it occurs to me that we could use the Doctor’s waiting room for a Weekly Forum.  There are no patients on Tuesday (the Doctor goes to the races on Tuesday) and we can arrange the chairs and have a group of people in to discuss various things about the Doctor’s stories, all done gracious-like and polite.  I spoke with the gov’nor and he said, “Go ahead. It might sell more books,” so Dr W has no objections; in fact, he said he would leave a note on his desk on Monday night with his suggestion for the Forum topic.  I’ll pin it up on the door and when you arrive you’ll be ready to join in on the discussion.

A Forum format rather than a debate allows us all the positive aspects of dialogue without the necessity of “winning” as in a debate format. The ancient Forum assured the integrity of intellectual honesty, the graciousness of polite discourse, the respect  for rhetorical arts, and the celebration of shared discoveries. 

If you are interested in being a part of the Weekly Forum, stop by on Tuesday at two o’clock in the afternoon, Eastern time.  If you wish to bring a pint and a pie, feel free to do so. You might want to bring an extra in case someone here might be hungry or thirsty. 


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More On Mycroft

For a moment, forget all of the “character business” we know about Mycroft and think of him in context of the Canonical structure.  What is Mycroft’s role and purpose in the Canon?  Is he a major or minor character?   Is he essential to understanding something about Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson? Is he simply interesting but not essential? If Mycroft was not included in the Canon, would we notice his absence?

Consider what Sherlock tells us: 1) Mycroft is older; 2) Mycroft has greater powers than Sherlock; 3) Mycroft is even more intellectually powerful and ascetic than Sherlock; 4) Everything concerning Mycroft is static whereas everything about Sherlock is dynamic; Mycroft is ennui and Sherlock is energy.

Is Mycroft a literary device to illuminate Sherlock? What is Watson’s opinion of Mycroft, or does he have one?

Your thoughts . . . .?

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Mycroft: Did He Pass Away?

Margie Deck “Gwen” from Seattle’s Sound of the Baskervilles and one of our most active Members has sent along a very interesting question.  She refers to the Sherlock Peoria blog and a posting that ask whether Mycroft might have passed away when “The Dying Detective” was written.  Here is the link:

http://sherlockpeoria.blogspot.com/2014/06/summer-of-sherlock-greek-interpreter.html

Margie wonders whether anyone would like to reason a response to this question. The premise of the theory is that if Holmes was dying Watson surely would have notified Mycroft, yet no mention of Mycroft is made.

Thoughts? Can you support or refute the position?

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Important Change in Membership Categories

The Society has listened to its members and is making an important change to the membership categories.

The Society will no longer have two categories of Members: Charter and Founding, and Loyal Members.  Forthwith, we will have only Monikered Members.  Founding and Charter Members will still be recognized as such, but all present and new Members to the Society will have equal membership, including the conferring upon them of a bull pup name, or ‘moniker,’ the name by which Members refer to each other.

This is retroactive to January 1, 2014 and all Members who have joined since that date and who were formerly Loyal Members are now Monikered Members.  You will receive your Society bull pup moniker as soon as the Chair convenes the ancient, mystical and arcane process for their selection, a process that involves profound cogitation, rumination, partial levitation, and moderate bibulation. The result, of course, is the unique bull pup moniker for each Member. The Chair neither professes to understand nor seeks to influence the mystical process; it is all done through the wisdom of the Ethers.

Therefore, in an act of equality and inclusiveness, the Society seeks to simplify membership and to recognize only one category of membership once for all:  Member.

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Digital Edition of the Society’s Journal Now Available

A number of you– including Don Pollock “Hound” and Bob Katz “Willow”–have previously suggested that the Society consider a digital edition of The Watsonian, as well as the print edition.  Buttons was undecided and did not wish to slight or endanger our superb print edition.

Now, through the logic and reasoned persuasion offered by Margie Deck “Gwen,” the following one-year test is being conducted:

The Society will make a digital edition of the entire 178 page April 2014 journal available to members and non-members, as an elective purchase. Both extra print copies and digital copies will be priced at $10.00 per copy (the same cost as the two-year subscription for members). Orders for extra print copies will be  sent postage-paid; orders for digital copies will be downloaded to your email address. It should be noted that print copies are limited and may not be available. We print only 200 to 250 copies each issue, and they go fast!  If we are out of print on an issue, at least you can now have the Pdf digital edition.

This is not a change to your subscription as a member of the Society. You will continue to receive the print edition twice a year. This is only for those of you who wish extra copies or for non-members who would like to have the journal or have a digital copy for their libraries.

As the cost at $10.00 for either print or digital is the same as the Member cost, we believe we will not lose members and, in fact, when digital buyers see the advantage of paying $40 for two-years and four journals, they may as well join the Society and become active participants in the fastest growing Watsonian organization in the world! Plus, we believe the Society may benefit by selling a fair number of digital editions to non-members and, thereby, lowering our print production costs and ensuring the financial stability of our wonderful print journal for the years to come.

The print and digital editions of The Watsonian are available for purchase on the Society Publications page.  Choose the Buy Now button and scroll down to select the version desired. You will be taken to PayPal where you may choose cash payment or credit card, as you wish.  If you purchase the digital edition, the Society will be notified of your payment and will email you the digital copy of the journal within two days (most  are sent the same day and, in fact, often within an hour or two).

So, thank you Margie Deck “Gwen” for your very helpful analysis and for persuading the Society to open up access to our fine journal to Sherlockians and Watsonians worldwide. And thank you to others who have made very helpful suggestions recently regarding the journal and the production costs associated with a print publication.  We appreciate all of your thoughts and take them very seriously. We are all about inclusiveness and access to our Society by as many enthusiasts as care to be involved. This is a wonderful step forward for our goal of honouring Doctor Watson for his many excellent qualities and values and for his immortal talent as a writer.  Insperata Floruit.