Saturday, December 17, 2016
Bigelow on SIlver Blaze
For the first subject concerning the many writings concerning the 60 original adventures of Sherlock Holmes, we begin with Canadian scholar Judge S. Tupper Bigelow. As he begins his article on Silver Blaze explaining the many facets of Sherlockian/Holmesian scholarship.
In The Writings upon the Writings over the years, there have appeared countless scholarly and erudite articles by the same or roughly the same number of authors—equally scholarly and erudite—vilifying the Master for his activities in Silver Blaze, some going to the length of accusing Sherlock Holmes of criminal activities, while others have stated with some assumed certainty, that he should have been warned off the turf, or whatever language they happened to use to mean that for his nefarious activities, he should never have been permitted to go upon a race track again.
He continues by reviewing all the points raised by the giants of chronology, and there are several. It is rare when any two agree. They seldom trust Watson’s dates for the case, and base their findings on obscure clues provided in the narrative of Watson. It could be the weather, or a reference to an historical event, etc.
40 years ago January 2017, a little scion society was formed in Southern Illinois. We decided at the first meeting to scrutinize and study one of the narratives each month. Someone would volunteer to lead the discussion. We never believed it would last 40 years. We have followed the chronology of William S. Baring-Gould because he introduced two novice Sherlockians to the idea that there were Sherlockian societies. Thus, we have added over 500 entries to what Bigelow refers to as “The Writings upon the Writings.” But I digress . . .
We did not know at the time that several scholars would attack Baring-Gould’s chronology, and his annotations, etc. This is a ready vehicle for “Ssherlockian experts.” The fun part is, sometimes your vilified hero, Baring-Gould in this case, finds support from one noted scholar or another, Such is the case with S. Tupper Bigelow who discover
I have reread the comments of chronologists Baring-Gould, Bell, Blakeney, Brend, Christ, Smith and Zeisler, all Sherlockian scholars of the highest rank, as to the year of Silver Blaze, and indeed the day and month of the events related in that excellent story, and I am convinced that of them all, Baring-Gould makes out the best case, stating that the events of the story ran from Thursday, September 25 to Tuesday, September 30, 1890[my italics].
This does not mean that Judge Bigelow confirms all of Baring-Gould’s chronology, but it is a start.
He continues by giving examples of how these same critics condemned Watson for his careless documentation of the exact date for each narrative. In my early sojourns into scholarship I sidestepped the issue of chronology, because I did not believe chronology was important. However, I learned that placing these narratives in the proper order could reveal a chain of clues leading to important revelations about Sherlock Holmes. And then Bigelow won my undying devotion when he said “In any event, Baring-Gould has satisfied me, with his almost diabolically ingenious reasoning, that he is the chronologist whose theories we must accept as fact. Therefore, the race was run in 1890.” Observe his usage of the plural noun “theories.” Does he mean all of Baring-Gould’s chronologies are correct? Probably not, since even Baring-Gould changed his mind from time to time. In short, whenever one studies Sherlock Holmes there are few definitive answers. And there dear reader is the fun of the “grand game.”
I greatly admire Judge Bigelow for his exceptional views on Canonical legal problems. However, I personally enjoyed his comments on an icon who is responsible for introducing countless thousands to the world of Sherlock Holmes and scion societies.
In any event, Baring-Gould has satisfied me, with his almost diabolically ingenious reasoning, that he is the chronologist whose theories we must accept as fact. Therefore, the race was run in 1890. Baring-Gould’s chronology? Possibly not. Baring-Gould had written many chronologies by the time The Annotated Sherlock Holmes was published in 1967, a few months after he passed beyond the Reichenbach.
In case you have only read and did not observe, we are able to know about Judge Bigelow’s thoughts because It was recorder and published in a readily available periodical [The Baker Street Journal, 15, No. 2 (June 1965), 79-82]. It can also be found in Baker Street Briefs from the Silicone Dispatch Box online. An inter=library search can assist you in acquiring a copy to read. All one need do is possess a valid library card and ask the librarian. Good hunting.
A New DIrection: They Believe in SHerlock Holmes
They Believe in Sherlock Holmes: A Study in the Writings About the Writings
Edgar Smith, the creator and first editor of The Baker Street Journal was well aware of the importance of keeping green the memory of Sherlock Holmes. He once wrote “While yet the memory of Sherlock Holmes is green—and that will be as long as the spirit of adventurous emprise is still astir in human hearts—there will be those who will be moved to write in loving tribute to the master and his works.” With all his heart, Edgar Smith believed in Sherlock Holmes. The key observation to be made here is the emphasis on “those who will be moved to write in loving tribute to the master and his works.” There are only 60 narratives about the original detective and his biographer Watson. However, there are, at this writing, 22 De51 articles about these original adventures. A list of these articles can be found in Ronald BurtWaal’s Universal Bibliography of Sherlock Holmes, which is available on the University of Minnesota website under special collections/Sherlock Holmes.
I mention these facts because the new shift is away from the original writings and toward the pastiches, the television interpretation of the original Holmes and Watson, the games, etc. Will these adaptations inspire the same devotion as did the original 60 adventures? Will someone save the discussions detected on social media? Will any of these discussions be preserved from the other forms of social media today and into the future? And what of those countless unanswered questions about the loss of data due to websites removed from, or crashed hard drives? Perhaps the modern Sherlockian is no longer concerned with the past—living life’s special moments only in the present. The plan for this blog. is to examine each month, these original writings in an effort to display the wonderful world of Sherlock Holmes.
Some might question why one should we examine these wonderful writings from a bygone era. To be honest, some were superb, others very good, and as with all things, some were not quite as well done. However, each article was written by their authors out of love for what they do. Which brings us full circle to the thoughts Edgar W. Smith expressed so long ago—these thoughts are a “loving tribute to the master and his works.”
Each Month, these pages will examine several articles in the chronology of the original Annotated Sherlock Holmes, assembled by William S. Baring-Gould. The Occupants of the Empty House have followed his chronology for more than 40 years. We have written several articles questioning his chronology. We have also questioned the verity of many of the chronologists. That is the playfulness one discovers when they begin to play the “The Grand Game.” Although Mr. Baring-Gould is our guiding spirit, he was guilty of a few improbables himself,” as have all who play the game. Some suggest he may have twisted facts to suit his preconceived theories, but it does not matter. Doesn’t everybody resort to this when precise data is not forthcoming? Nevertheless, few if any of his critics believe he ever wrote what he wrote without following the main directive from Edgar Smith. Each was a “loving tribute to the master and his works.” Thus, we begin with Holmesian scholar S. Tupper Bigelow, tomorrow: Episode One: “Silver Blaze in The Writings About The Writings.
WRC
Edgar Smith, the creator and first editor of The Baker Street Journal was well aware of the importance of keeping green the memory of Sherlock Holmes. He once wrote “While yet the memory of Sherlock Holmes is green—and that will be as long as the spirit of adventurous emprise is still astir in human hearts—there will be those who will be moved to write in loving tribute to the master and his works.” With all his heart, Edgar Smith believed in Sherlock Holmes. The key observation to be made here is the emphasis on “those who will be moved to write in loving tribute to the master and his works.” There are only 60 narratives about the original detective and his biographer Watson. However, there are, at this writing, 22 De51 articles about these original adventures. A list of these articles can be found in Ronald BurtWaal’s Universal Bibliography of Sherlock Holmes, which is available on the University of Minnesota website under special collections/Sherlock Holmes.
I mention these facts because the new shift is away from the original writings and toward the pastiches, the television interpretation of the original Holmes and Watson, the games, etc. Will these adaptations inspire the same devotion as did the original 60 adventures? Will someone save the discussions detected on social media? Will any of these discussions be preserved from the other forms of social media today and into the future? And what of those countless unanswered questions about the loss of data due to websites removed from, or crashed hard drives? Perhaps the modern Sherlockian is no longer concerned with the past—living life’s special moments only in the present. The plan for this blog. is to examine each month, these original writings in an effort to display the wonderful world of Sherlock Holmes.
Some might question why one should we examine these wonderful writings from a bygone era. To be honest, some were superb, others very good, and as with all things, some were not quite as well done. However, each article was written by their authors out of love for what they do. Which brings us full circle to the thoughts Edgar W. Smith expressed so long ago—these thoughts are a “loving tribute to the master and his works.”
Each Month, these pages will examine several articles in the chronology of the original Annotated Sherlock Holmes, assembled by William S. Baring-Gould. The Occupants of the Empty House have followed his chronology for more than 40 years. We have written several articles questioning his chronology. We have also questioned the verity of many of the chronologists. That is the playfulness one discovers when they begin to play the “The Grand Game.” Although Mr. Baring-Gould is our guiding spirit, he was guilty of a few improbables himself,” as have all who play the game. Some suggest he may have twisted facts to suit his preconceived theories, but it does not matter. Doesn’t everybody resort to this when precise data is not forthcoming? Nevertheless, few if any of his critics believe he ever wrote what he wrote without following the main directive from Edgar Smith. Each was a “loving tribute to the master and his works.” Thus, we begin with Holmesian scholar S. Tupper Bigelow, tomorrow: Episode One: “Silver Blaze in The Writings About The Writings.
WRC
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Breaking with Tradition--The December Meeting
For 39 years and 11 months The Occupants of the Empty House have met the first Friday of the month--where holidays allow--at 7:30 PM. We have held 479 meetings without missing one single month. For this, our 480th meeting we are breaking with tradition. The meeting will still be held the first Friday, and we will still meet at Alongi's Restaurant, but we will be having a 3 Hour Lunch.
Some wonder why so sudden a change? To be honest, we finally looked around the meeting and came face to face with reality. After forty years, it is becoming increasingly difficult to drive home late at night. Between 12:30PM and the end of the meeting, even though it may last 3 hours, when we walk outside it is still day light. True, this will eliminate anyone who is not retired, or young people in school, and any number of people who may wish to come who cannot come in the day time.
We also noted that reading and writing has become a bane to young people, and reading and writing is what we do. If you must file us with the dinosaurs--relics that have outlived their time--imagine that if the dinosaurs traveled by day they might have avoided the tar pits. Therefore, so that we can stave off extinction, we have decided to make this change. Did we vote on it. Assuredly not. We never vote. But all in attendance nodded their approval. The vote will come 2nd December 2016. The percentage of attendees will be the deciding factor. It is logical.
Keeping the Holmes fire burning,
William R. Cochran
The Master of the Empty House
Some wonder why so sudden a change? To be honest, we finally looked around the meeting and came face to face with reality. After forty years, it is becoming increasingly difficult to drive home late at night. Between 12:30PM and the end of the meeting, even though it may last 3 hours, when we walk outside it is still day light. True, this will eliminate anyone who is not retired, or young people in school, and any number of people who may wish to come who cannot come in the day time.
We also noted that reading and writing has become a bane to young people, and reading and writing is what we do. If you must file us with the dinosaurs--relics that have outlived their time--imagine that if the dinosaurs traveled by day they might have avoided the tar pits. Therefore, so that we can stave off extinction, we have decided to make this change. Did we vote on it. Assuredly not. We never vote. But all in attendance nodded their approval. The vote will come 2nd December 2016. The percentage of attendees will be the deciding factor. It is logical.
Keeping the Holmes fire burning,
William R. Cochran
The Master of the Empty House
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Gordon R. Speck, "The Waxen Image" (Vice-President) Rest in peace, My Dear Watson.
On 10th October I was at work. During my lunch hour I checked my email
and read: “I just learned that Gordon passed away this morning.” The
message sent a shiver through my world, so I can only imagine what it
has done to yours. I had a job to do, so I gathered myself and tried to
concentrate on the work at hand. My thoughts were consumed with the
thought of life without Gordon. Gordon, as a man of tradition, would
require me to follow the Sherlockian custom that we “Stand here upon the
terrace, for it will be the last quiet talk that we shall ever have.”
Oh, my dear old friend. It is with a heavy heart that I take up my pen to write these the last words in which I shall ever record the singular gifts by which my friend Gordon was distinguished. In an incoherent and, as I deeply feel, an entirely inadequate fashion—for one cannot find sufficient words to express my gratitude for this man who came into my life, and departed for this minuscule period of time in the scope of the history of mankind.
Gordon possessed a tenacious unwillingness to yield. It was as if he had been plucked from the Edwardian age. He scorned computers and cell phones and many other modern trappings of the 21st Century. The typewriter was his main instrument for writing. Because of his aversion to cell phones, on long trips to Sherlockian events, I would often call Galea to reassure her we were fine. To be fair, Gordon was born a long time ago, on 2/2 2/1935. Note that date, 2-22. How ironic that he missed the address of Sherlock Holmes by one day. Well, every schoolboy knows that Sherlock Holmes lived at 221b Baker Street, and Sherlock Holmes was to become an important person in his life.
It was because of Sherlock Holmes that I traveled many miles with Gordon over the past 39 years. He appeared at one of the spring meetings of “The Occupants of the Empty House” in 1978. You could probably count the meetings he did not attend on one hand between then and now. In 1979, Michael Bragg moved away, and Newt Williams, the secretary, insisted I become the president. Guess who became the vice-President? Yep, the guy who threatened to lock me in his trunk and drive me to a symposium in Dubuque, Iowa—if I did not agree to go with him. The second such threat occurred shortly after that when we were invited to attend a meeting of The Baker Street Irregulars of New York. I hesitated, and he discouraged the hesitancy. It seems like a century ago, but the shared memories are as vivid as yesterday.
New York was quite a change from our southern Illinois roots. Gordon grew up in Cairo, Illinois, and I, in Carbondale. To New Yorkers, we must have appeared as hayseeds from some remote corner of the world who walked everywhere and did not tire even when running up the steep stairs of a Greenwich Village apartment building. Our New York friends took us to dinner at the Cowgirl Hall of Fame—the Annie Oakley room. We sat on hay bales at the table, and the moon slowly drifted across a slightly clouded sky. The drone of the crickets and tree frogs could be heard in the distance. I guess they did not understand that even in the midwest we live in houses with indoor plumbing.
Then there was the time we went on the great metal desk quest to Redmond, California. I suggested that it might be more practical to buy a new desk than to rent a truck and drive to California and back. However, Gordon explained he was also taking some of his mother’s furniture to his sister along the way; thus, there was a reason—it was not completely the old tenacious unwillingness at work here. The trip was, as were they all, an adventure.
Gordon was invested into the prestigious Baker Street Irregulars in 1986 as Colonel James Barclay. Gordon did not share any traits with Colonel Barclay, but he did not care— he was now a BSI. I was very proud of him. Gordon’s writings about the 60 original stories had caught the attention of those who select the deserving recipients. His published papers drew attention to our little band of Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts. He was, in short, our ambassador.
When I became the editor of The Baker Street Journal in 1993, I took Gordon with me as the associate editor. This was an unprecedented move for the Irregulars, but they understood. I would not go without Gordon—any more than he would go without me. Did I mention the cartoon by Jeff Decker concerning Bill and Gordon on a trip to the Zoo. I think it is the only time Gordon did not get top billing.
Did I mention that we traveled a great deal together? In our journeys we talked about life, Sherlock Holmes, what to expect when we arrived, etc. In short, we became very close. He was my brother. I loved him like a brother. And as fate would have it, after his emergency heart surgery, Galea told the hospital I was his brother, so I could get into the ICU to see him. The doctor look puzzled because of my height and Gordon’s limited stature. After careful scrutiny, the suspicious doctor finally announced that we really did look a lot alike. I think Galea may have strained something trying to not laugh out loud. Gordon looked a bit pale as well, from holding it in.
Gordon was always a bit uncomfortable when anyone thanked him profusely for his generous acts. He would always take gifts for our hosts, carefully stowed away in the trunk as we would begin a journey. It may be the contents of a particular bottle of scotch that our host enjoyed, but Gordon always seemed to know the right gift. In New York each year, we held court in our suite following the BSI meeting. So many ideas were hatched at these meetings, and the refreshments were free to all. When the Shaw collection went to Minnesota, Gordon expressed a concern that the collection may overwhelm the library staff, and so the annual Shaw fund collection was made to assist the library. Our entire scion, and some distant friends, take part every year. We had hoped that other scions would follow suit, yet to little avail. However, watch closely each year. Our annual donation will be made “in loving memory of Gordon R. Speck.” It was his most popular cause.
Countless Sherlockians throughout the world have been benefactors of Gordon’s generous gifts: books, periodicals, spirits, etc. He even took the time to xerox an entire book for Newt Williams when Newt said he could not find a copy of Ellery Queen’s Misadventures of Sherlock Holmes. I don’t think Gordon ever knew I knew about that one, preferring everyone believe Newt did it himself.
Gordon was a voracious reader and introduced me to many new ideas and authors. He was a punctilious proof reader, and a ubiquitous presence wherever we would travel. I mention Gordon’s writing style because one of our distant friends referred to Gordon as “Mr. Funk and Wagnals” for his use of superior verbiage. Therefore, true to form, Gordon’s constant use of more antediluvian words created a flurry of page turning as he read each new paper. He was one of a kind.
In all, the journey with Gordon was always exciting, never dull, and made special by his presence. He was generous to a fault, outgoing, and always attracted a crowd at a gathering, be it Sherlockian or his beloved class reunion. I could talk for hours about my dear departed friend. But I rest assured that in my heart, Gordon still lives, somewhat like Holmes and Watson. They were described as “two men of note who can never die.” The poem reads “only those things the heart believes are true.” So it is between Gordon and The Occupants of the Empty House. Though our hearts are broken he cannot escape. For one brief moment each month he would journey to DuQuoin, where it is always 1895. Therefore, in our hearts, he will always sit before the hearth of Camden House enjoying the program, and encouraging us to continue our task. For his greatest trait was that he discouraged hesitancy in every one of us. Go ahead, he would say. Do it! And, as for me, I did it. He never did put me in the trunk of his car, and because of Gordon, my life was changed forever.
Last but not least, Gordon was a writer of the first water—the highest degree of quality or purity in whatever he chose to write. Gordon possessed the ability to say more with only few words than many can say in volumes. Rest in peace, My Dear Watson.
Oh, my dear old friend. It is with a heavy heart that I take up my pen to write these the last words in which I shall ever record the singular gifts by which my friend Gordon was distinguished. In an incoherent and, as I deeply feel, an entirely inadequate fashion—for one cannot find sufficient words to express my gratitude for this man who came into my life, and departed for this minuscule period of time in the scope of the history of mankind.
Gordon possessed a tenacious unwillingness to yield. It was as if he had been plucked from the Edwardian age. He scorned computers and cell phones and many other modern trappings of the 21st Century. The typewriter was his main instrument for writing. Because of his aversion to cell phones, on long trips to Sherlockian events, I would often call Galea to reassure her we were fine. To be fair, Gordon was born a long time ago, on 2/2 2/1935. Note that date, 2-22. How ironic that he missed the address of Sherlock Holmes by one day. Well, every schoolboy knows that Sherlock Holmes lived at 221b Baker Street, and Sherlock Holmes was to become an important person in his life.
It was because of Sherlock Holmes that I traveled many miles with Gordon over the past 39 years. He appeared at one of the spring meetings of “The Occupants of the Empty House” in 1978. You could probably count the meetings he did not attend on one hand between then and now. In 1979, Michael Bragg moved away, and Newt Williams, the secretary, insisted I become the president. Guess who became the vice-President? Yep, the guy who threatened to lock me in his trunk and drive me to a symposium in Dubuque, Iowa—if I did not agree to go with him. The second such threat occurred shortly after that when we were invited to attend a meeting of The Baker Street Irregulars of New York. I hesitated, and he discouraged the hesitancy. It seems like a century ago, but the shared memories are as vivid as yesterday.
New York was quite a change from our southern Illinois roots. Gordon grew up in Cairo, Illinois, and I, in Carbondale. To New Yorkers, we must have appeared as hayseeds from some remote corner of the world who walked everywhere and did not tire even when running up the steep stairs of a Greenwich Village apartment building. Our New York friends took us to dinner at the Cowgirl Hall of Fame—the Annie Oakley room. We sat on hay bales at the table, and the moon slowly drifted across a slightly clouded sky. The drone of the crickets and tree frogs could be heard in the distance. I guess they did not understand that even in the midwest we live in houses with indoor plumbing.
Then there was the time we went on the great metal desk quest to Redmond, California. I suggested that it might be more practical to buy a new desk than to rent a truck and drive to California and back. However, Gordon explained he was also taking some of his mother’s furniture to his sister along the way; thus, there was a reason—it was not completely the old tenacious unwillingness at work here. The trip was, as were they all, an adventure.
Gordon was invested into the prestigious Baker Street Irregulars in 1986 as Colonel James Barclay. Gordon did not share any traits with Colonel Barclay, but he did not care— he was now a BSI. I was very proud of him. Gordon’s writings about the 60 original stories had caught the attention of those who select the deserving recipients. His published papers drew attention to our little band of Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts. He was, in short, our ambassador.
When I became the editor of The Baker Street Journal in 1993, I took Gordon with me as the associate editor. This was an unprecedented move for the Irregulars, but they understood. I would not go without Gordon—any more than he would go without me. Did I mention the cartoon by Jeff Decker concerning Bill and Gordon on a trip to the Zoo. I think it is the only time Gordon did not get top billing.
Did I mention that we traveled a great deal together? In our journeys we talked about life, Sherlock Holmes, what to expect when we arrived, etc. In short, we became very close. He was my brother. I loved him like a brother. And as fate would have it, after his emergency heart surgery, Galea told the hospital I was his brother, so I could get into the ICU to see him. The doctor look puzzled because of my height and Gordon’s limited stature. After careful scrutiny, the suspicious doctor finally announced that we really did look a lot alike. I think Galea may have strained something trying to not laugh out loud. Gordon looked a bit pale as well, from holding it in.
Gordon was always a bit uncomfortable when anyone thanked him profusely for his generous acts. He would always take gifts for our hosts, carefully stowed away in the trunk as we would begin a journey. It may be the contents of a particular bottle of scotch that our host enjoyed, but Gordon always seemed to know the right gift. In New York each year, we held court in our suite following the BSI meeting. So many ideas were hatched at these meetings, and the refreshments were free to all. When the Shaw collection went to Minnesota, Gordon expressed a concern that the collection may overwhelm the library staff, and so the annual Shaw fund collection was made to assist the library. Our entire scion, and some distant friends, take part every year. We had hoped that other scions would follow suit, yet to little avail. However, watch closely each year. Our annual donation will be made “in loving memory of Gordon R. Speck.” It was his most popular cause.
Countless Sherlockians throughout the world have been benefactors of Gordon’s generous gifts: books, periodicals, spirits, etc. He even took the time to xerox an entire book for Newt Williams when Newt said he could not find a copy of Ellery Queen’s Misadventures of Sherlock Holmes. I don’t think Gordon ever knew I knew about that one, preferring everyone believe Newt did it himself.
Gordon was a voracious reader and introduced me to many new ideas and authors. He was a punctilious proof reader, and a ubiquitous presence wherever we would travel. I mention Gordon’s writing style because one of our distant friends referred to Gordon as “Mr. Funk and Wagnals” for his use of superior verbiage. Therefore, true to form, Gordon’s constant use of more antediluvian words created a flurry of page turning as he read each new paper. He was one of a kind.
In all, the journey with Gordon was always exciting, never dull, and made special by his presence. He was generous to a fault, outgoing, and always attracted a crowd at a gathering, be it Sherlockian or his beloved class reunion. I could talk for hours about my dear departed friend. But I rest assured that in my heart, Gordon still lives, somewhat like Holmes and Watson. They were described as “two men of note who can never die.” The poem reads “only those things the heart believes are true.” So it is between Gordon and The Occupants of the Empty House. Though our hearts are broken he cannot escape. For one brief moment each month he would journey to DuQuoin, where it is always 1895. Therefore, in our hearts, he will always sit before the hearth of Camden House enjoying the program, and encouraging us to continue our task. For his greatest trait was that he discouraged hesitancy in every one of us. Go ahead, he would say. Do it! And, as for me, I did it. He never did put me in the trunk of his car, and because of Gordon, my life was changed forever.
Last but not least, Gordon was a writer of the first water—the highest degree of quality or purity in whatever he chose to write. Gordon possessed the ability to say more with only few words than many can say in volumes. Rest in peace, My Dear Watson.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
February Meeting Notice 5th February 2016
David Bensley will lead the discussion on The Sign of Four as we continue our 40th year of monthly meetings Occupants and new guests are reminded that anyone else may also present a
paper for this journey through the 60 narratives. Why should we have
one main speaker and allow others to submit papers? Because it allows
for infinite variety.
To join us at Alongi’s Restaurant in
DuQuoin, Illinois, look for the red brick building on the north side of
Main street, just west of the train tracks. Enter and find yourself
once again transported into a world of Hansom cabs, gaslights, and
swirling yellow fog — it is 1895. Our genial hosts will be pleased to
help you find Camden House and the Occupants. All you need ask is
“Where is Sherlock Holmes?” If you are not a fixed point in a changing
age, you may wish to go to the phrase “Come at once if convenient” to receive driving
directions. No matter how you find us, we hope you will join us as we
explore the original adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson
-NMW-
For directions click the link below
"Come at once if convenient, if not, come all the same."
Monday, September 14, 2015
Did the Annotated Sherlock Holmes Introduce you to the World of Sherlock Holmes?
As a youngster, at about the age of seven or eight, I was mesmerized by the Sherlock Holmes stories being read to me by my cousin Maryjane. I purchased The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, my first book, shortly thereafter. I satill have it — a 1920 A. L. Burt edition that is today quite fragile, as the cover is tattered and worn, hanging by threads to the yellowed pages. I have kept it all these years. Soon this copy will be 100 years old, but the shabby volume will remain on the shelf, because it was the first of my collection. My study of Sherlock Holmes remained, as did the book on the shelf, dormant for many years of school, and through College. Then I detected William S. Baring-Gould’s The Annotated Sherlock Holmes.
To be honest, to the seasoned Sherlockian, this tome added little to the literature of Sherlock Holmes. Many had written about these narratives; The Baker Street Irregulars, and their scions had been meeting for years; and Chronology has been a major area of study since the first adventure appeared in print. However, to the world outside this tight little circle, where the secrets were confined to meetings — often by invitation only — it was invaluable. The dream of finding like minded individuals to share my ideas with seemed remote so remote in 1972; but now years later, the scion that found its roots in Baring-Gould’s Annotated, has held over 38 years of monthly meetings. In short, he opened a world to people like myself that we doubted we could join. However. I am pleased to report, I was wrong.
Baring-Gould’s efforts were a revelation to the uninitiated devotes who, heretofore, had no outlet for their keen interest in the world’s first consulting detective. The unflattering criticisms of Baring-Gould’s efforts were varied. He suggests many facets of Holmes’s early life that are not reenforced by Dr. Watson’s narratives to the point that it is declared fictional. However, to active minds: the fact that Holmes may have personally known Jack the Ripper; or that Moriarty may have been his tutor; or he may have had an affair with Irene Adler, etc, were proportionate to references to works of other scholars. In short, he opened the floodgate to those who did not know of their very existence.
In an article entitled “A Singular Set of People,” Baring-Gould bears witness to the existence of The Baker Street Irregulars of New York. He individually lists the names of early scion societies, founded by members of the parent society. He discusses some of their activities. In short, to those in the remote, rural communities throughout the world, he gave encouragement that they did not stand alone. Such was the case of “The Occupants of the Empty House,” formally formed on 22nd January 1977. We had read the “Buy Laws” of the Baker Street Irregulars, and decided to hold our first meeting as per these sanctified scrolls. To our surprise, those 22 individuals who gathered that evening voted to meet once per month, contrary to the laws established by Elmer Davis. We formed our society without realizing the condition that many of these early scion societies were established by an existing member of the parent organization. In truth, we did not care.
The first time I read 221b by Vincent Starrett was from the pages of The Annotated. They are 14 verses of pure ecstacy. There has never been a more complete and definitive description of devotion to the 60 cases. One shudders to think that what may have been had my eyes never seen these immotal words about the “two men of note.” Thus, it was Baring-Gould who introduced me to Vincent Starrett. Notwithstanding, he also introduced me to Knox, Bell, Morley, and many others who have become life long friends.
Long live William S. Baring-Gould.
William R. Cochran
To be honest, to the seasoned Sherlockian, this tome added little to the literature of Sherlock Holmes. Many had written about these narratives; The Baker Street Irregulars, and their scions had been meeting for years; and Chronology has been a major area of study since the first adventure appeared in print. However, to the world outside this tight little circle, where the secrets were confined to meetings — often by invitation only — it was invaluable. The dream of finding like minded individuals to share my ideas with seemed remote so remote in 1972; but now years later, the scion that found its roots in Baring-Gould’s Annotated, has held over 38 years of monthly meetings. In short, he opened a world to people like myself that we doubted we could join. However. I am pleased to report, I was wrong.
Baring-Gould’s efforts were a revelation to the uninitiated devotes who, heretofore, had no outlet for their keen interest in the world’s first consulting detective. The unflattering criticisms of Baring-Gould’s efforts were varied. He suggests many facets of Holmes’s early life that are not reenforced by Dr. Watson’s narratives to the point that it is declared fictional. However, to active minds: the fact that Holmes may have personally known Jack the Ripper; or that Moriarty may have been his tutor; or he may have had an affair with Irene Adler, etc, were proportionate to references to works of other scholars. In short, he opened the floodgate to those who did not know of their very existence.
In an article entitled “A Singular Set of People,” Baring-Gould bears witness to the existence of The Baker Street Irregulars of New York. He individually lists the names of early scion societies, founded by members of the parent society. He discusses some of their activities. In short, to those in the remote, rural communities throughout the world, he gave encouragement that they did not stand alone. Such was the case of “The Occupants of the Empty House,” formally formed on 22nd January 1977. We had read the “Buy Laws” of the Baker Street Irregulars, and decided to hold our first meeting as per these sanctified scrolls. To our surprise, those 22 individuals who gathered that evening voted to meet once per month, contrary to the laws established by Elmer Davis. We formed our society without realizing the condition that many of these early scion societies were established by an existing member of the parent organization. In truth, we did not care.
The first time I read 221b by Vincent Starrett was from the pages of The Annotated. They are 14 verses of pure ecstacy. There has never been a more complete and definitive description of devotion to the 60 cases. One shudders to think that what may have been had my eyes never seen these immotal words about the “two men of note.” Thus, it was Baring-Gould who introduced me to Vincent Starrett. Notwithstanding, he also introduced me to Knox, Bell, Morley, and many others who have become life long friends.
Long live William S. Baring-Gould.
William R. Cochran
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Holmes and the Inscrutable Chinese of London
by Janet Bensley
In “The Adventure of the Dying Detective,” Watson tells us, and Mr. Culverton Smith, that Holmes has contracted an illness while “… in some professional inquiry, he [Holmes] has been working among Chinese sailors down in the docks.” This little snippet, along with another referring to “the Chinese in the East End,” hints at the cosmopolitan nature of the population of London at the time. William S. Baring-Gould places the tale as occurring on November 19, 1887, although the literary agent Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did not have it published for Watson it until November, 1913. So what was the Chinese community like during 1887? And how did it change from 1887 until 1913? (Since we do not know for certain exactly when Watson penned the tale, and since he often used more current scenarios in his works in order to “blur” distinctive details, we should cover all contingencies.)
The first Chinese immigrants in London arrived in the 1780s. Most were sailors who worked for the East India Company and the Blue Funnel Line, often as cooks. In 1856 the “Strangers’ Home for Asiatics, Africans, and South Sea Islanders” was established on West India Dock Road, providing one area around which a growing Chinese community would form. The 1881 census records 22 residents of the Home, including eleven who gave their place of birth as China and two as Singapore. Of the rest, six came from India or Sri Lanka, two from Arabia and one from the Kru Coast of Africa.
It is impossible to know the exact number of Chinese migrants in London, but census figures suggest that the Chinese presence grew steadily during the nineteenth century. The 1861 census for London records only 78 Chinese-born residents, but by 1911 there were over 247. To help put this into context, in 1881 census figures indicate a total of 224 Chinese in Britain. Census records of 1891 indicate 582 Chinese-born residents in Britain. By 1896 the census records indicate a decline in the number of Chinese-born residents to 387, of whom 80% are single males between 20 and 35, the majority being seamen. After the turn of the century the numbers begin to increase once again with the 1911 census indicating 1,319 Chinese-born residents in Britain and 4,595 seamen of Chinese origin serving in the British Merchant Navy. (These census figures errs on the conservative side, as the Chinese living in Britain tended to treat all agents of the British state with suspicion and hide themselves from census officers.)
Chinese immigrants settled predominantly in the East End of London, particularly in the boroughs of Poplar and Stepney, near to the docks and the “Strangers’ Home.” In 1881 sixty percent of Chinese-born Londoners lived in the two boroughs. By the 1920s a significant number of Chinese had moved westwards, settling in Westminster, St Pancras, and Marylebone, while small communities could also be found in Hampstead, Kensington and Wandsworth.
By the turn of the twentieth century social commentators were beginning to talk of London’s “Chinatown” located along the narrow streets of Limehouse Causeway, Pennyfields, West India Dock Road, Birchfield Street and North Street Lower. Although this community was relatively small, the Chinese presence had a disproportionate impact on visitors and commentators. Writers such as Oscar Wilde and Charles Dickens the Younger wrote of the enigmatic Chinese shops and restaurants they encountered along Limehouse Causeway. Other authors, such as Sax Rohmer and Thomas Burke, created popular fictionalized accounts of the exploits of shadowy Chinese immigrants intent on world domination. As a result, Limehouse came to possess a dangerous and sinister reputation where Chinese men fraternized with young white women and smoked opium. In its full form, the East End Chinese “opium den,” with its trappings of drug addiction and easy sexuality, only really existed in the imaginations of excitable novelists and hopeful social investigators. But in this area Chinese shops and restaurants, laundries and lodging houses sprang up to cater for the needs of a growing community, including the social consumption of opium. Once such dens were mixed along the streets of Limehouse with the brothels catering for the maritime trade, all the ingredients of a dangerous and titillating reputation were in place.
Although the majority of Chinese migrants were involved in seafaring, census data suggests that the Chinese in London were employed in a wide range of occupations. A large number were employed as cooks and waiters in the numerous restaurants and public houses of the East End, and a similar number worked in laundries. A smaller proportion were employed as clerks, firemen, carpenters and interpreters. Chinese restaurants and cafes were the main social hub of the local community, providing a venue in which to conduct business, and serving secondary functions as informal post offices and banks.
Many of the Chinese migrants did not find the streets of the East End a warm and welcoming place. Stranded in a foreign country with little local knowledge and limited English, many struggled to make ends meet. In 1812 the government ordered the East India Company to provide satisfactory food, clothing and accommodation for the seamen, and a parliamentary committee was established to investigate what could be done to improve the conditions. The “Stranger's Home,” founded in 1856, provided some assistance. Nevertheless, even at the end of the nineteenth century, Limehouse figured largely in the comprehensive enquiries into London poverty and squalor done by Charles Booth (philanthropist and social researcher) .
However, not all Chinese immigrants were poor or uneducated. From the late 1880's until the early 1900's a steady flow of students from China arrived in Britain to study at Cambridge. Many of the graduates stayed on in Britain, rather than return to China. As an interesting note, the first Chinese student to graduate from a British university was Wong Fun who received his MD in 1855 from Edinburgh. It is interesting to note that a mere thirty years later, in 1885, Arthur Conan Doyle also received his MD in Edinburgh.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Chinese
http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/static/Chinese.jsp
http://www.zakkeith.com/articles,blogs,forums/chinese-in-britain-history-timeline.htm
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