The John H Watson Society

‘Tis the season for Sherlock Holmes birthday events in the next few weeks, and should you want to throw a little shout-out to our loveable little society in with your local celebrations, we have a PDF handout that’s already shown up in the BSI Dinner’s digital packet. With our ten dollar digital memberships, it’s never been easier to be a Watsonian or give the gift of membership to a friend . . . which, unfortunately, the flyer doesn’t mention — but you can!

Born December 19, 1902, Richardson was a Shakespearian actor who worked with Lawrence Olivier. He played Doctor Watson in a radio production which featured Orson Welles as Professor Moriarty.

Europe, Asia, and . . . where else? At Saturday’s gathering of the John H. Watson Society, our assemblage of Watson experts considered the question of Watson’s social experience and the number of continents (and many nations) it spanned. Sure, there were plenty of other good parts, but we saved the answer to that one for the Watsonian Weekly. Of course, it you were there, you already know what that answer was. But if you weren’t? There’s always the Watsonian Weekly! Give it a listen and find out!

Born on December 13, 1938, Emmett is a comedian known for The Burkiss Way, The News Huddlines, and Week Ending. He portrayed Watson in The Newly Discovered Casebook of Sherlock Holmes.

We still need a toast to Medicine and a toast to Mary for this Saturday’s meeting!

Also, bring your Watsonian New Year’s Resolutions, your irrefutable opinion on Watson’s “third continent” and a hat.

podcast@johnhwatsonsociety.com if you need an invite.

Next Saturday, it’s that time again! Get your show-and-tell item ready, think of your Watsonian New Year’s Resolution, decide where you fall on the subject of Watson’s “Third Continent,” and let Sampson Buttons know if you’d like to give one of the traditional toasts (Murray, Mary, or Medicine) at buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com .

Saturday, December 12 at 9 AM PDT, 10 AM MDT, 11AM CDT, 12 Noon EDT, 5 PM BST, 6 PM CEST, etc. Wear your Watson hat if you’ve got one (Yes, we’re going to try it again! Don’t wait to throw one on until after Bonnie shows up.), and get ready for some fun. If you need the Zoom invitation, please send a request to podcast@johnhwatsonsociety.com and we’ll get you the link.

Also, it’s time for your weekly does of Watson with the Watsonian Weekly!
https://watsonianweekly.libsyn.com/december-7-2020-a-disputatious-ulster-full-of-bees

The Watsonian Treasure Hunt is our signature event each year. It is a 100 point Watsonian quiz that challenges the best minds in our community. You can see our past Treasure Hunts on the website – they have run the gamut from very traditional quizzes to chains of deductions to punny story riddles. As long as it is challenging, fair and about our beloved Doctor and his flatmate we are open to it. The hunt takes place in the month of August, but ideally we would like to see a complete quiz sent to beta testers June-ish? Are you the Hunt Master we are looking for? Contact buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com.

It’s a very special week at the Watsonian Weekly, the John H. Watson Society’s official podcast, as we get a live report from the celebrations of Watson’s return to England and landing at Portsmouth! We may be a small podcast, but our international team apparently can be in just the right place at just the right time once per year. It’s been a fine 140 years since Watson returned to England and set in motion the course of events that would bring us the Holmes Canon, which means we have just ten years to plan a Portsmouth gathering for the 150th!

Also this episode, Watson-related treasure, Watson-related holidays, and a certain species of ape that Watson was surely not related to. Apologies for the poor sound editing on one segment, but the content is still solid! Look for the latest episode of the Watsonian Weekly at:

https://watsonianweekly.libsyn.com/november-30-2020-the-140th-anniversary-of-watson-docking

as well as Apple podcasts and Spotify.

As today is a feast day for some, following an important Watsonian holiday that most of us didn’t realize was there until yesterday, it is a good time to step back and look at the whole of the Watsonian holiday calendar. This is, by no means, a complete Watsonian holiday calendar, as we celebrate that great man on so many days of the year, and could change with time and comment, but these are still some special dates to look forward to in the coming year.

Sherlock Holmes’s Birthday

January 6 — A day John Watson would celebrate in ways dependent upon the mind of the Watsonian. See the short film “The Adventure of the Furtive Festivity” for one of Watson’s major efforts to organize one such celebration.

“Whatever, Watson!” Day

February 14 — The day we celebrate John H. Watson’s vague and ever-changing relationship status. How many times was he married? Was he straight, gay, or bisexual? The fact he made it through over a thousand pages of autobiography without giving clear answers to any of that makes us just go, “Whatever, Watson!”

Contrived Miracle Day

April 3 — The date of Sherlock Holmes’s return to Watson’s life in 1893, causing the doctor to faint for the first and last time in his life, only to be himself revived by his own miracle cure, brandy.

Reichenbach Day

May 4 — A solemn day of remembrance recognizing the day in 1891 when Sherlock Holmes died ending Moriarty’s criminal empire and Watson’s two year period of mourning that followed.

Wounday

June 27 — The day to show your friends how you feel about them in honor of Watson’s second wounding at the apartment of Nathan Garrideb, believed by some to be the final reason for Sherlock Holmes’s retirement from detection, not wanting to further endanger Watson’s life. “It was worth a wound — it was worth many wounds — to know the depth of loyalty and love which lay beneath that cold mask.”

Watsonian Veteran’s Day

July 27 — The date of the tragic Battle of Maiwand in 1880, when the gallant Murray the orderly saved John Watson’s life by throwing the wounded doctor across a pack-horse, bringing him safely to British lines. (Curiously, John H. Watson could only be injured on the 27th of the month. If we ever find evidence of the day he died, it will surely prove to be on the 27th of the month.)

Hallowatson

October 31 — Whether it’s wearing a black silk mask you made at home or just shouting “Hallo, Watson!” at your friends, Hallowatson is the October celebration of Watsonian weirdness, created simply to summon a spirit in one’s heart more powerful than any disembodied spook. Hallowatson!

Watsonian Thanksgiving

November 25 — Since no Watsons were on the Mayflower, the real Watsonian Thanksgiving occurs on November 25th, when his ship landed in Portsmouth in 1880 and he dined on English soil once again

Compliments of the Season Day

December 27 — The day John Watson gets around to telling his friends “Compliments of the season!” which is about as vague as his love life. Appropriate compliments of the season can range from “Happy Hannukah!” to “You have built a really nice snowman!” and since we don’t know Sherlock Holmes’s religion or snowman-building habits, this is a very non-denominational seasonal holiday.

The Watsonian is the journal of the John H Watson Society. We publish scholarship, fiction and art and we are open to publishing even more! We are looking for someone who is excited about moving our journal forward and supporting all kinds of creative output from all sorts of voices. This is a real opportunity to shape how we engage with the wide world of Watsonians. If you are interested, please contact buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com.

Sharp-eyed visitors may have noticed a couple of additions to our menu up at the top: Member Login and Member Resources. With these links, members can view their account details, renew their membership, download the 2020 issues of the Watsonian, and a few more things.

Having trouble logging in? Not sure how to log in to your account? Selena can help!

We are still so inspired by the art panel given by Talia Bordallo Mico “Brighton” and Chris Aa Bakkane! We want to see YOUR Watsons, too!

Today is Mickey Mouse’s 92nd birthday! Mickey has worn a deerstalker on several occasions and is even known in Europe as a detective! But the most important thing to think about on this day is who would be Mickey’s Watson and why? Discuss.

Name (or alias):

Paul Thomas Miller

Bullpup moniker (Contact us if you don’t know):

Buck

Who is your favourite Watson and why?

Today, James Mason just for the line “You squashed me pea.” But I reserve the right to change my mind constantly. They all have something to offer.

If Watson was writing a story about you, what would it be titled?

The Adventure of the Easily Distracted Moron.

Give us an improbable fact about yourself!

I’ve made it this far through 2020 without crying more than once a day.

Why did you join the JHWS?

It seemed like the inclusive, playful, friendly group, and I wanted some of that!

We want to feature all of our Wonderful Watsonians! Especially you! Why don’t you respond to the questions above (picture optional) to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com?

Be your own Boswell and tell us a little about yourself! 

1. Name (or alias): Margie Deck

2. Bullpup moniker (Contact us if you don’t know):

Mopsy

3. Who is your favorite Watson and why?

Beyond the original in the Canon, I tend to favor Jude Law’s interpretation—he presents exasperated enthusiasm better than any other in my view, and he has the “natural advantages” Sherlock Holmes said Watson has.

4. If Watson was writing a story about you, what would it be titled?

The Adventure of the Puzzled Imposter

Give us an improbable fact about yourself!

In 1995, while in London for a honeymoon, I rang the bell at Westminster Abbey for a call to a prayer service.

Why did you join the JHWS?

When the first treasure hunt was announced in 2013, I gathered  some friends from The Sound of the Baskervilles to work on the thing as a team.  I contacted Don ‘Buttons’ Libey and told him we were playing along just for the fun of it even though the treasure hunt was not a team competition. [The treasure hunt was originally planned as an individual competition only.] Buttons added the team competition because of the SOBs, and I’ve happily been a member since then.

We want to feature all of our Wonderful Watsonians! Especially you! Why don’t you respond to the questions above (picture optional) to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com?

As mentioned a few days ago, Society members will receive an email inviting them to join the JHWS Announcement e-mail list. Those emails went out tonight, and should be arriving soon (if they haven’t already). See you there!

Steve Mason presented this very Watsonian quiz to the Barque of the Lone Star scion and kindly agreed to share it here as well. Do you know your Watson trivia?

For the upcoming meeting of the John H Watson Society (Saturday, November 14 at 9 AM PDT, 10 AM MDT, 11AM CDT, 12 Noon EDT, 5 PM BST, 6 PM CEST, etc.) we are looking for a few toasters with the most-ers. We traditionally toast Murray, Medicine and Mary and if you hurry I believe any of those three topics are up for grabs. Contact buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com if you would like to volunteer or if you need the Zoom link.

This week’s Watsonian Weekly sets the year for the first use of the term Watsonian in a John H. Watson context as 1914. Do you know of an earlier use? If so, let us know at podcast@johnhwatsonsociety.com . But give us a listen in any case!
https://watsonianweekly.libsyn.com/november-9-2020-president-watson-and-the-first-watsonian