A Scion Society of The Baker Street Irregulars
Numismatists Do Not Fear Change
“But at length some sense came back to their crazed minds …” – The Hound of The Baskervilles (HOUN) Beginning next year, the Bank of England will start releasing £5 banknotes featuring the portrait of Winston Churchill. His portrait will replace that of Elizabeth Fry, a Quaker prison reformer, who had been on the banknote since 2001.… Continue Reading
“We were to go to the theatre.” – The Adventure of The Bruce Partington Plans (BRUC) As Frank Mentzel commented, in this month’s Data! Data! Data! column, the first on-screen version of The Copper Beeches was in 1912. Georges Treville travelled to London from Paris to star in a series of 8 films as Sherlock Holmes for Eclair… Continue Reading
“You would have made an actor, and a rare one.” – The Sign of The Four (SIGN) For many who were introduced to Sherlock Holmes during the 1980’s and 1990’s, Jeremy Brett is the first image that comes to their mind. Jeremy Brett would have turned 83 years old today. Born as Peter Jeremy William Huggins… Continue Reading
“‘Data! Data! Data!‘ he cried impatiently. ‘I can’t make bricks without clay.’” – The Adventures of The Copper Beeches (COPP) This column is composed of material (Data!) developed for a short course called Appreciating Sherlock Holmes that I teach twice a year in the Community Education Life Enrichment Program for a local community college. It is composed… Continue Reading
Seventeen thoughts for further ponderance of the case at hand – The Copper Beeches (COPP) THE REALLY WELL-KNOWN UNTOLD CASES While most good Sherlockians know Holmes’s quote, “you have given prominence not so much to the many causes celebres and sensational trials in which I have figured,” it’s not often we strip off the rest… Continue Reading
“Knowledge of astronomy. – Nil.” – A Study in Scarlet (STUD) For the illustrious Sherlock Holmes, as for few other characters whose exploits have been celebrated in fiction and legend the world over, we have unusually full biographical information. More or less as a matter of curiosity, following no doubt in the footsteps of many… Continue Reading
“… Emsworth, the Crimean VC …” – The Adventure of The Blanched Soldier (BLAN) In The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier (one of only two narrated by Holmes), Holmes encounters a Colonel Emsworth who is established as “Emsworth the Crimean V.C.” The V.C. – Victoria Cross medal – was instituted in 1856 by Queen Victoria… Continue Reading
“Man, it’s witchcraft!” -The Valley of Fear (VALL) Today is Halloween and in spirit of the holiday, we are pleased to share this Mutual Radio broadcast of The Adventure of the Uddington Witch from Halloween night, October 31, 1948. Sherlock Holmes was portrayed by John Stanley, with Ian Martin portraying Dr. Watson. Enjoy this special Halloween… Continue Reading
‘”Made all my money at the gold-fields.” – The Adventure of The Gloria Scott (GLOR) In this post, we peruse The Adventure of The Gloria Scott looking for mention of monetary transactions and numismatic items. As always, the page numbers [seen here in brackets] refer to the relevant pages in The Complete Sherlock Holmes published by Doubleday /… Continue Reading
“I assure you that your little problem promises to be the most interesting …” – The Adventure of The Copper Beeches (COPP) Wow, 2015 seems to be going by so quickly. Is November really almost here? The Adventure of The Copper Beeches will be our featured story for the month of November. It’s shaping up… Continue Reading