The Stormy Petrels of BC enjoyed a lovely brunch in celebration of Sherlock Holmes’ Birthday. There were 18 members and guests plus 3 newly signed-up members. Thank you to the White Spot for the use of their private room (with fireplace).
Looking ahead, we can look forward to many more special events, more scholarship and more Sherlockian fellowship with visitors from abroad.
Please contact Fran, your “Consulting Detective” if you are not already a member and would like more information.
I can almost hear the celebratory clinking of glasses as Sherlockians and Doyleans all around the world toast to the Judge’s decision to save Undershaw from being destroyed and turned into flats.
The hopes for the future of this heritage site is that it will be restored and turned into a museum and a place to write and study.
Well done!
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It is the home Arthur Conan Doyle had specially built for his wife Louise (Touie) who was suffering from tuberculosis. It is the only historic, literary house (apart from Thomas Hardy’s) that was designed by the resident writer. |
| It is where Arthur Conan Doyle wrote most of his well-known works, including The Hound of the Baskervilles. It was where Arthur Conan Doyle was residing when he received his his knighthood. |  |
| From 1907 to 1921 the house was rented out. Since 2004 the house fell into a state of disrepair.It also served as a hotel for a period of time. |
In 2010 it was reported that plans were underway to redevelop the home into multi-unit apartments.The Undershaw Preservation Trust is busy gaining support from Sherlockians/Doyleans world-wide to stop this destruction. |
| There are several things we can do to help support the Undershaw Preservation Trust:We can ‘like’ them on facebook. Like them for all they stand for. For taking a stand and campaigning for a great cause.Sign the online petition, which can be found on the Save Undershaw website.Support fundraising efforts by purchasing from their online shop.Gather a group for a photo shoot in your town and send a letter of support. | The Stormy Petrels are putting together a resolution in support, and are hoping to get together for a photo.Since Undershaw is located in Haslemere, Surrey, England, it would be interesting to get together in Hazlemere in Surrey, just south of Vancouver.Please take steps to help preserve this historic home before the judicial review in May. |
| Several requests have come to the attention of The Stormy Petrels: |
| 1. Papers (between 1,500-2,500 words) are sought for a special issue of OSCHALARS, edited by Karen Devlin. Subjects may include, but are not limited to: – ACD and Scotland – ACD and Ireland – ACD and his contemporaries – The Sherlockian phenomenon – the influence of Maupassant on ACD – the literary legacy of ACD – Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot |
| Send abstracts (approx 250 words) to Karen at: oscholars@gmail.com before May 30th. |
| 2. Request from The Diogenese Club of Dallas: They are asking Sherlockians to let them know: given the chance to receive and keep any memento from the original Canon, what would you choose? The item must be from the original stories (not from a pastiche, movie or other media) and you must keep the item for the rest of your life (not to be re-sold) If you wand to participate, send your feedback to: mason.steve@epa.gov
3. Received from The Musgraves Sherlock Holmes Society: a 26-page spiral-bound publication containing Sherlock Holmes picture puzzles. These puzzles (each a kind of rebus featuring Holmes) were published in various American newspapers in 1905. A lot of fun, but not so easy to solve. 4. Invitation from Roger Johnson, of The Sherlock Holmes Society of London, to take part in a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle weekend in Haslemere, Surrey, England, via The Haslemere Visitor Info Centre. |
Vancouver's Official Sherlock Holmes Society 