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
I don’t know if such a list currently exists. If it does–or if it will–I certainly want a copy of it.
“Gwen” is on to something. We’d all like a copy of such a list. Perhaps the JHWS could make one. Let’s take one step at a time. How about if five members of the Society each pick one Canonical residence apiece and discuss the background and connotations of the name. If more than five members volunteer, the more the better. Each should post their research on this blog for the rest of the group to see. The thread could readily be turned into another of those signature joint papers, which the JHWS has pioneered. It would be a fine addition to the October issue of The Watsonian….
So who are the first five and what are your choices?
Hi All–Looked in Stephen Clarkson’s delightful ‘The Canonical Compendium’ and found a list with 66 names under the title of Addresses/Place Names—Manors and Estates. I’m certainly willing to send a scan of this list to anyone who wishes to have one. This list does not contain any additional/expanded information beyond a story designation.
I have got to get my hands on a copy of that book. I’ll be keeping a close eye on my favorite used & rare bookshop, just in case one turns up for less than the $150 USD listing online!
I love that there is a property called The Dingle. That just makes me happy.
It is available as a pdf. for $7.99 at Ash-Tree Pres eBooks or Adobe file on CD from the Battered Silicon Dispatch Box. I have neither one.
I purchased mine as a .pdf, and then had it printed for ease of use by Best Value Copy. I emailed the file to them, they printed it double-sided, bound it with a plastic ring, and put heavy stock covers on it for about $15. Totally worth it!
I’m willing to take “The Myrtles” in Beckenham, since Myrtle is a very typical plant of my area.
Following on Dr Katz’s lead, It would be fun to develop a full discussion on these place namess, more than just a listing. I would be willing to take on five subjects, opting for my very favorite, Wisteria Lodge, as well as Pondicherry Lodge, Riding Thorpe Manor, Stoke Moran, and Hurlstone. We should try to aim for the October issue of The Watsonian with a complete article, or it may make a very interesting joint-effort issue of the Monograph Series, something like 12 Members writing on 5 residences each (with one extra).Of course, the most interesting question of all is whether the residences at 221 or 221B Baker Street had an exterior descriptive name in addition to the address? Many of the homes and buildings on the modern day Baker Street retain unique residence names.
The project sounds wonderful. Sadly time contraints at the moment prevent me from volunteering for the work but I am so looking forward to the end results. Bravo!
Looking through the list, I notice Camden House [EMPT] does not appear. Of course, it doesn’t actually have any residents at the time the Good Doctor describes, unless one counts Moran, Holmes, and Watson himself. 😉
Thanks “Selena” . . . It has been added. Any others anyone finds, please let Buttons know.
Will the project include the mention of the efforts of scholars to find the real-life analogs?
It certainly could do so if the individual authors wish to include these references of prior research; otherwise, they may wish to approach it in a different manner and emphasize other aspects of the subject. As always, new information is always hoped for.
David Hammer wrote several books on Sherlockian travels some years back and these may have some information about homes and their names.