“In Order to Get Rid of the Disagreeable Persistence” by Brad Keefauver

There are Sherlockian obsessions, and then there are Sherlockian obsessions.

We have our collectors, of course. We have our chronologists, as well. We have the diehard fans of Mister Jeremy Brett. We have those who hold tight to the notion that Mycroft Holmes and G. Lestrade were sweet on each other. And then we have that most niche obsession of all: someone who won’t let go of the greatest Sherlock Holmes movie of 2018, Holmes and Watson.

You may have forgotten that Will Ferrell vehicle existed by now, either on purpose or just because you never bothered to see it. And you might be happy with that. But to the truly obsessed fan of Holmes and Watson, the obsession never ends.

Someone out there may have been watching Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story on Netflix, looking at Lizzie’s mother Abby, played with such vexation by Rebecca Hall, and going “HEY! That’s Doctor Watson’s American lover!” The mind whirls and takes Abby Borden’s death date of August 4, 1892 into a Watsonian timeline, and goes, “Hmm. That could work . . .”

Yes, John Watson had an American lover played by Rebecca Hall in Holmes & Watson.

But the obsession doesn’t stop there.

Our theoretical obsessed fan out there could also have been watching Stuart Fails To Save The Universe on HBO Max and seen actress and comedian Lauren Lapkus as one of the dimension-hopping quartet whose very beings change as they go from reality to reality. Would it be that far-fetched to say her character of Denise wound up named Millicent and having been raised-by-feral-cats in a universe that looked a lot like the one in Holmes & Watson.

(Oh, by the way Irene Adler fans and Johnlock shippers, Millicent is Sherlock Holmes’s one true love. Watch better movies, heathen.)

Wow. I don’t know where that parenthetical came from. I’m just speaking of some hypothetical, theoretical, possibly heretical fan of the movie Holmes & Watson here.

I mean, a person like that could watch about any TV show and just come up with some way that it ties into their obsession. Just pick one at random, like the current HBO Sunday night mainstay Lanterns. Set in Superman’s comic book universe, where the Green Lantern is one of his fellow superheroes, surely that can’t be . . .

THE SHERIFF IS MRS. HUDSON.

Noooo, the sheriff of Rushville, Nebraska, a woman that came from Gotham City and has the same last name as Batwoman, can’t be Mrs. Hudson.

Unless, of course, she was living in a town where aliens seem to have human duplication abilities and the character looks a lot like Kelly Macdonald who was not just Mrs. Hudson, but Professor Moriarty’s daughter who was seemingly exploded, just like one of the aliens was seemingly exploded in Lanterns. And the show’s final episode hasn’t run yet, so she could be an incredibly long-lived alien who was both landlady to Sherlock Holmes and sheriff to Rushville, Nebraska.

And that’s just one week of television in the life of one theoretical fan of the movie Holmes & Watson. If you’ve somehow never watched it, this could be you one day. We’ve long had those folks among us that followed the actors and actresses from Basil Rathbone’s movie series into other roles. Did they start creating fanfiction premises that verged on becoming their headcanon? (And if they did, would they have known what “fanfiction” or “headcanon” even meant?) Such obsessions have been a part of Sherlockiana as long as there has been Sherlockiana, so you just never know.

There’s a line in “Copper Beeches” about Jephro Rucastle hiring Violet Hunter “in order to get rid of the disagreeable persistence of Mr. Fowler.” Rucastle’s ploy fails, because Mr. Fowler is kind, generous, persevering, and, above all that, a man in love. Fowler is the spirit animal of those of us that find ourselves in love with the most niche of Sherlockian obsessions. And like Fowler did with Mrs. Toller, the dedicated obsessionist will always hope “in convincing you that your interests were the same as his.”

Maybe not so much that you’d have someone in your family name a new baby “Jack Riley” after the actor who played one of the newskids in the movie Holmes & Watson. Because that would just be crazy if that somehow happened the same week as a theoretical obsessed fan watched all of those TV shows in a universe that’s totally NOT a simulation. But still . . .

Do the Baker Street Irregulars have a Section 8 discharge available to them? Asking for a friend.

A Recap of Holmes in the Heartland

It's hard to believe that Holmes in the Heartland was just last month!  So much fun was had and memories were made.  For those of you who weren't able to join us in St. Louis last month (or those of you who want to relive a fantast weekend), this blog post is for you!

Thursday

Holmes in the Heartland officially started on Friday, but a few dozen locals and early attendees were able to watch a screening of The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes next door to our conference space on Thursday evening.  For some, it was their first time, and others were there to see it because they had enjoyed the film in all of their previous viewings.  One thing everyone had in common was that we all had fun as a large group at the theater and were the last ones present at the Q&A at the end of the evening!

Friday

Holmes in the Heartland officially kicked off on Friday evening with our Haunted Happy Hour.  The winner of our VIP package, Elaine, received the key to the Sherlock Holmes suite for the weekend as well as her box full of Holmes in the Heartland goodies.

As attendees met up with friends both old and new, our mascot Boolock Holmes made her way around the crowd, distributing spooky Sherlockian trivia to help the conversations kick into a higher gear.  Between trivia, drinks, food, and friends, everyone squeezed every minute of fun out of Friday evening!

Saturday

Attendees were eager to visit the vendors area early Saturday morning, and kept a brisk business going for the full hour before our first presentation of the day.  Between the vendors and the door prizes, not too many Holmes in the Heartland attendees went home empty handed!

Michael Dirda kicked off the day's presentations with his talk "Pursued by the Hound: How Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and Arthur Conan Doyle Have Haunted my Life."  The Pulitzer Prize winning journalist took us through his life and showed how the Canon was there for major and minor points all along the way.

Up next was our next presentation from Julie McKuras entitled, "The Haunted Holmes."  In her talk, Julie discussed just some of the women who haunted Sherlock Holmes's life.  From maids to adventuresses, Julie shared a list of characters that she argued should weigh on the Great Detective's conscience for years to come.

Johanna Draper Carlson took us to worlds where fantastical things can happen in her presentation, "Zombies, Vampires, and Monsters in Sherlock Holmes Comics."  From Dracula to Frankenstein's Monster, Johanna discussed the many recherche encounters Holmes has had in comic form.  The lively Q&A session after her presentation showed a high level of interest for Johanna's area of knowledge.

Boolock Holmes made another appearance as our last presenter of the morning.  Assisted by Brad Keefauver, puppeteer Mary O'Reilly led a panel that had the Hound of the Baskervilles, the lion's mane jellyfish, the speckled band, and the goose from "The Blue Carbuncle" all in attendance.  It's a good thing we had this scheduled before lunch, as Mary and her creations had a long line waiting for pictures when she was done!  

Lunch was next on the agenda, which gave everyone a chance to stretch their legs, fill their stomachs, and visit with fellow Sherlockians.  

Kicking off the afternoon was Scott Monty's presentation, "Sherlock Holmes in Popular Culture: Ghosts of the Past, Present, and Yet to Come."  In this wide-ranging talk, Scott took us through examples of how fans have interacted with Sherlock Holmes, all the way from early parodies to favorite media adaptations and fan fiction to the possibilities of the future including artificial intelligence.

Randy Getz shared haunting melodies Holmes and Watson could've heard during their day in his presentation entitled, "The Phantoms of Sherlock's Opera."  It's safe to say that everyone in the audience walked away with a deeper understanding and appreciation of classical music and how it would have been appreciated in the Victorian era as well as how we appreciate it today.

A different side of Arthur Conan Doyle was investigated in Ira Matetsky's presentation, "Arthur Conan Doyle, Poet."  While not primarily known for his poetry, Ira shared with everyone some of Doyle's prose that tied right into the weekend's theme of "Sherlock Haunts."  Not only were some poems chilling, but others brought more than a few audience members to tears.

Everyone's Sherlockian friend, Bob Sharfman, wrapped up the day's presentations with his "A Haunting Refrain."  Starting from the lyrics to a Tony Bennett song, Bob was able to ramble through Sherlockian topics like only Bob can.  By the end of the talk, audience members were laughing and discussing right along with him.

With an hour of downtime between the day's and evening's programs, some folks took a break in their hotel rooms, while others relaxed in the bar.  And then it was back at it for Saturday night!  A fantastic dinner was enjoyed before the evening's programming kicked off.

This year's Holmes in the Heartland weekend featured an auction to raise money for The Beacon Society.  Scott Monty emceed this event that featured some great donations.  After all of the lively bidding ended, we raised more than $1,600 for The Beacon Society!

As if raising all of that money weren't enough to put all of the attendees in good spirits, Max Magee led the evening's entertainment where he tried to conjure up more spirits from the Canon.  Channeled through Curtis Armstrong and Ashley Polasek, Sherlock Holmes had to atone for some of his actions as clients from the afterlife finally had their say.

Sunday

Holmes in the Heartland weekends always wrap up with a field trip to a St. Louis location, and this year's event took us to The Missouri History Museum.  Attendees got to delve into the history of the 1904 World's Fair and all of the connections it had to the Sherlockian Canon.  Visits to other exhibits as well as the gift shop were on the agenda for many folks.  A casual lunch on site wrapped up this Holmes in the Heartland weekend, as everyone drifted back to their regular lives, full of stories, laughs, friendships, and looking forward to their next chance to meet us in St. Louis!

Toasts from Holmes in the Heartland

A full recap of Holmes in the Heartland will be coming next month, but please enjoy these two great toasts given at Saturday's banquet: a toast to Sherlock Holmes by Srini Raghavan and Kristen Mertz's toast to the wild English moors.

Toast to Sherlock Holmes by Srini Raghavan

Ladies and gentlemen, fellow Sherlockians, Like many of us gathered here this evening, I first became acquainted with Mr. Sherlock Holmes as a teenager. I still remember the excitement of finding a copy of the Canon in my local library and reading it from cover to cover. The mysteries and adventures of Holmes and Dr. Watson captivated me from the very first page—whether they unfolded on the cold, foggy streets of London or while rattling along by train to some remote country manor.

As I read each story, I would try to solve the mystery before Holmes did. Needless to say, I came a cropper every time. What fascinated me even more was that, years later, I continued to return to these same stories again and again, despite knowing exactly how each one ended. Eventually, I understood why.

The true magic of the Canon lies not only in the mysteries, but in the unforgettable characters who inhabit them. Sherlock Holmes captivates us not merely because of his brilliant intellect, but because of his indomitable spirit and his devotion to justice. Yet he also understood that justice without compassion is incomplete, and he often tempered justice with mercy.

Dr. Watson reminds us of the virtues we value most: loyalty, honesty, courage, and friendship. He is far more than Holmes' chronicler—he is the trusted companion who brings balance and humanity to the great detective.

And then there is Mrs. Hudson, whose patience and fortitude somehow survived chemical experiments, midnight visitors, pistol practice, and all the other adventures of her extraordinary lodgers at 221B Baker Street.

We should also remember the Baker Street Irregulars, whose resourcefulness and dedication so often helped Holmes extend his reach throughout London. 

These are the people who keep drawing us back to the Canon. Long after we know the solution to the mystery, we return because we enjoy their company. Like old friends, they never disappoint us.

So tonight, let us raise our glasses—not only to the world's greatest consulting detective, but also to Dr. John H. Watson, Mrs. Hudson, the Baker Street Irregulars, and to all who have shared in the adventures of Baker Street.

Ladies and gentlemen—

To Mr. Sherlock Holmes!

And, in the Master's own words...

"The game is afoot!"

Cheers!

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Toast to the Wild English Moor by Kristen Mertz

To the wild English moor

To its beauty and its danger

From the rare orchids to the endless heather

From the peat bogs to the craggy peaks

How we love our stories

Of faeries leading us to our end

Of phantom coaches running across the moor's tracks

Of the mournful cries of ghosts in the mire

Of a hound roaming through the misty night

There never was a setting so perfect as the wild English moor.

As Emily Bronte wrote:

    "For the moors! For the moors, where the short grass like velvet beneath us lie!

    For the moors! For the moors, where each high pass rose sunny against the clear sky!"

May we all raise our glasses!

To the vast and mysterious, to the dark and lovely, to the sinister yet beautiful wild English moor!

Reichenbach Revisited By KD Mertz

The Sherlock Holmes Society of London is celebrating its 75^th anniversary this year. Part of the celebration included the pilgrimage to Meiringen and re-enactment of the events of Reichenbach Day. As part of the event, each participant had to select a character and dress in Victorian costume for the entire trip. Without thinking, I selected Kitty Winter and then I thought I should have thought about that more, but it all worked out in the end. So, dear readers, I will regale you with stories of our doings, as well as a little Sherlockian adjacent side trip.

Our trip began in Lausanne, Switzerland, leaving from our hotel and taking the metro to the Palais de Rumine (yes, we got a lot of looks as you can imagine). Here we learned about the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Foundation and the collection located in this historic building. It includes many photos of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, including some from his trips to Switzerland. We then walked to the Atelier Typographique de la Cite, a printer’s workshop owned by Nicolas Regamey of the Reichenbach Irregulars and the London Society, where we drank wine and toured the print shop. Nicolas provided all the menus, tickets, and programs for the entire event. I took the opportunity to collect some souvenirs from the shop that are one of a kind as you can see from the picture. I especially like the miniature set of “How Watson Learned the Trick” in both English and French and the little house to keep them in. We ended the evening with fondue at a local restaurant, more wine and, as always, wonderful conversation with my Swiss and English compatriots. Just when I was about to call it a night the Brotherhood of Pirates of Ouchy (a group in Lausanne who have restored a 1932 boat now called the Vaudoise) came to our table with 4 more bottles of wine and pronounced we couldn’t leave until they were finished. Needless to say, I returned to the hotel well past midnight, and apparently some stayed after the restaurant closed to finish the bottles outside!

Figure 1: Victorian Casual

Figure 2: Atelier Typographique de la Cite Souvenirs & Pins from SHSL

The following morning, we road custom coaches to visit Lucens where Adrian Conan Doyle had owned the chateau there. The Sherlock Holmes Museum of Lucens now houses the collection that Adrian Conan Doyle previously had in the chateau. I am always amazed to discover all of the collections that I previously had no idea existed, apparently Sherlock Holmes and creator are quite popular! It was beautiful afternoon with tea, lunch, and a tour of the chateau and museum. In the evening we joined the aforementioned Pirates of Ouchy for a sailboat ride on Lake Leman. It provided a wonderful view of the lake and Lausanne from the water. We toured the Beau Rivage as well, where we dined that evening. The Beau-Rivage Palace is a luxury hotel that opened in 1861, has hosted many diplomatic events and been visited by many famous and historical figures.

 

Figure 3: Chateau de Lucens

Figure 4: Helene in the ballroom at the Beaux-Rivage Palace

Figure 5: Sherlockians on a boat

The third day of our trip, we rode the custom coaches to visit the Charlie Chaplin Museum and then catch the Golden Pass Belle Epoque train, with vintage-style carriages, for beautiful ride thru the Golden Pass by Lake Geneva and amidst the Swiss Alps to our next stop for another coach ride to take us to our final stop, the Park du Savage Hotel in Meiringen.  That evening we had dinner at the Hotel Victoria, where we enjoyed another lovely meal and more conversation. Holmes told us all of his intent to climb to the falls to meet the villain Moriarty. Of course, Moriarty made an appearance, to hisses from all in the room, threatening our dear detective with meeting his end on the morrow. The scene had been set.

Figure 6: Sherlockians on a train

 

Figure 7: Park du Savage aka Englischer Hof where our intrepid group stayed before the fateful day

The next morning, in anticipation of the horrible events to follow our group dressed in black to gather at the falls for the re-enactment. Followed by photographers and film crews we made for quite the sight to passersby! A Chinese tourist and avid Sherlock fan named Kitty (what serendipity!) walked into our group of 60 plus Sherlockians in full Victorian regalia in amazement. All to watch Sherlock and Moriarty’s fate play out in real time. Imagine her surprise thinking she would simple visit the falls and finding the scene laid out before her. It was wonderful to see her reaction and ear to ear grin as she chatted with us and watched the events. After this, we had lunch at the Gasthaus Zwirgi at the top of the falls. Tom Atkinson provided some history on how the Granada TV filmed the struggle on location at the Reichenbach falls. To end the afternoon, Holmes showed up to reveal that he had survived the falls! We were delighted to discover that we would not have to endure waiting three years as our poor Watson did.

Figure 8: Two Sherlocks on a rock

Figure 9: Sherlock & Watson before climbing the falls

Figure 10: Waiting for the re-enactment

In the evening we had dinner at the Parkhotel du Savage and were treated to a surprise special production of “An Incident in Meiringen”, a short mystery that kept us all guessing whodunit? for the evening. Thank you to all our players for their wonderful performances.

 

Figure 11: Mystery Theatre with dinner

The next morning was time to say goodbye to everyone. What a shock to see everyone wearing modern clothes. It was a challenge to recognize people without their costumes, hairdos and fascinators. Peggy McFarlane graciously joined me for a walk to get some Sherlock chocolates (they are expensive but worth it), buy some more Swiss chocolates at the grocery store and have a last little walk about the town before saying goodbye to everyone. I must admit it was a relief to not have to deal with all the Victorian wear, especially as I was heading to Germany to meet Sonia Yazmadjian to see the Bavarian castles. Short summary, we had a great time, saw a lot of castles, took a lot of trains, saw a lot of beautiful churches and some mountains and Neo-Gothic architecture, had a lot of good food and a few refreshing beers with many souvenirs secured.

After saying au revoir to Sonia, I headed for my last little solo adventure before I would have to head home. I made a special trip to Coburg to visit Schloss Rosenau, located just outside of Rodental.  Schloss Rosenau was built around 1439 and has a long history, but the important bit is that it was eventually bought in 1805 by Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. It was renovated in the Gothic Revival style. The surrounding grounds and park were redesigned in an English Garden style, to include an orangery, a sun-dial and two water features called Prince’s Pond and my ultimate goal for the trip, Swan Lake. This was the summer house of Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Louise. This is the castle where Prince Albert was born. He was baptized in the Marble Hall with water from the River Itz, which winds thru the grounds around the castle. This is where Prince Albert spent a good part of his childhood and where he last visited before leaving Germany to successfully court Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria herself visited Rosenau and said in her diary that had she not been the Queen of England she would have gladly spent the rest of her days there. It is believed that the black swans were placed in Swan Lake on the behest of Queen Victoria after Prince Albert’s death to signify her grief at his loss. To this day there are still a pair of these beautiful birds, called the “mourning swans”, in residence there. I have nicknamed them Drina and Bertie because I have my reasons (if you know, you know) AND I adore them. I plan to visit again. It is hard to disagree with a queen’s opinion, especially when she is so correct. This would indeed be a happy place to spend the rest of your days.

Figure 12: Schloss Rosenau

Figure 13: THE Black Swans

Again, dear readers, another adventure is over but if you are interested in seeing more details of the re-enactment and trip in general, the Associated Press, Brigitte Latella and a wonderful photographer followed us around. Links provided here for your perusal (Sherlock Holmes Fans Recreate Fateful Duel and Brigitte Latella's Report in Italian). Ciao, auf wiedersehen and au revoir until the next opportunity for Sherlockian shenanigans presents itself!