Monthly Meeting – Page 19 – Vancouver's Official Sherlock Holmes Society

“The Adventure of the Second Stain” was first published in The Strand Magazine in December 1904 and in Collier’s on January 28, 1905.

The morning paper announced: “A crime of mysterious character was committed last night at 16 Godolphin Street…”

How was this event connected to the two distinguished visitors to Baker Street? One, Lord Bellinger (twice Premier of Britain, and the other, the Secretary for European Affairs.

Why did the Secretary’s wife call in at Baker Street? After her departure, Holmes, smiling, mentions to Watson: ” Now, Watson, the fair sex is your department.”

What did she want of Holmes?

Watson tells us that this was “…the most important international case which he (Holmes) has ever been called upon to handle…”

This adventure, the last in The Return, was ranked as #8 by ACD his list of 12 favourite stories.

Please join the Stormy Petrels as they discuss this case on Tuesday, June 6th at 7:00pm, meeting at their usual Hampton Place lounge.

Contact Fran for more info.

Bonus question: What sort of weapon was used to rid the world of Eduardo Lucas?

“Come, Watson, come!” he cried. “The game is afoot.”

So begins our next story for discussion at the Stormy Petrels May meeting: “The Abbey Grange”

One imagines Holmes smoking his cherrywood pipe* as he comments on Watson’ s writing style, prompting Watson the remark (bitterly) to Holmes: “Why do you not write them yourself?

*we are told that he smokes this type of pipe when his is in a “disputatious mood” (Copper Beeches). In this adventure, Holmes and Watson also happen to be discussing the same subject of Watson’s writing style.

In this case, we hear from Scotland Yard’s Stanley Hopkins, that one of the richest men in Kent, Sir Eustace Brackenstall, is dead. His beautiful wife, formerly Miss Mary Fraser of Adelaide, South Australia, has given her evidence as to what happened. The marriage had not been a happy one, as everyone seemed to be aware.

We see Holmes examining ropes, cords, wine glasses, and the cork of a dusty bottle.

Thinking over all the evidence and the eye-witness account of the Lady and her maid, why did Holmes suddenly exclaim: “It’s wrong – it’s all wrong – I’ll swear it’s wrong.”

Join the Stormy Petrels as they delve into this story on Tuesday, May 2nd, 7pm at the usual Hampton Place at UBC.

For more info, please contact Fran

Bonus question for those attending the meeting:

What was the name of the ship on which Mary Fraser met Jack Croker?