"Monsieur Oscar Meunier, of Grenoble" [EMPT]

Occasionally we remember members of the BSI who have gone to the other side of the Reichenbach. This one was a particularly difficult one for us.

Irving Kamil, BSI ("Monsieur Oscar Meunier, of Grenoble") died on April 26, 2013 at the age of 86. He was a chemistry teacher, assistant principal and principal in the New York City school system for 41 years, retiring in 1990. Irv graduated from Central Methodist College and received a Master's Degree from Columbia University Teachers College.

Irv was a WWII U.S. Navy veteran, a former member and president of the Cliffside Park Board of Education and president of Temple Israel in Cliffside Park. He wrote over 40 articles that were published in The New York Times and other papers, taught a mystery course at The New School, was a member of The Wolfe Pack, and was an avid three-times-a-week bridge player.

Read more...

"I'm Sorry, Councillor, But It's Ted" [VALL]

[Editor's note: The following is a guest post by C. Paul Martin, BSI ("Dr. Leslie Armstrong"), who knew Ted Schulz quite well.]

Theodore G. Schulz, BSI ("The Amateur Mendicant Society") passed beyond the Reichenbach on January 24, 2013. Knowing Ted was to appreciate a true champion and an active practitioner of the art of Sherlockiana and its environs.

Ted was the genuine template for the formation of the optimal Baker Street Irregular, Sherlockian, Holmesian, Praedian, etc. while imparting his caring and enthusiastic personality to all his associates and acquaintances in many societies.

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"His Friend the Lascar" [TWIS]

Editor's note: Brad Keefauver, BSI ("Winwood Reade") wrote this remembrance of his good friend Robert Burr, who passed beyond the Reichenbach on January 9, 2013.

On May 28, 1992, Bob Burr got a phone call from Tom Stix, the head of the Baker Street Irregulars at that time. Tom offered Bob the editorial reins of The Baker Street Journal. After talking to Philip Shreffler, who was ending his seven year run as the journal's editor, Bob decided a few days later, not to take the job.

To many of those who encountered Robert C. Burr, BSI ("The Rascally Lascar"), in various internet venues, the thought of Bob Burr being in at the helm of America's greatest Sherlockian publishing legacy has to seem a little insane at best. His persistence in horrible jokes, non-politically correct comments, and terse, often sharp reactions annoyed more than a few, and got him kicked off of the Hounds of the Internet more often than any other. But the internet Burr of later years was only one part of that complex fellow who was also a great host, a steadfast scion leader, and a careful perfectionist when it came to the written word.  He died on January 9, 2013, in Peoria, Illinois, at age 82.

The simple facts on Bob are these, as he wrote them up for his obituary himself:

Read more...

"Senior Captain of His Regiment" [SIGN]

Richard H. Miller, BSI ("The Grice Patersons in the Island of Uffa") died in Santa Fe on October 21, 2012 at the age of 78. He was born in Illinois and graduated from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina in 1957. He resigned his commission of Army Officer after 4 years, attended The University of South Carolina School of Law, and graduated in 1966. He married Dr. Faye Bruce in 1967 and moved to New Mexico, where he joined the US Naval Reserve, retiring in 1994 with the rank of Captain. He was retired from the Naval Intelligence, the Bar of the US Supreme Court, and The University of California in Los Alamos, NM. In addition to being a prolific reader, he published a number of articles for the Officer Review of The Military Order of the World Wars (Santa Fe Chapter), of which he was a member.

Dick was one of the founding members of The Brothers Three of Moriarty. The scion had an annual trek to the village of Moriarty in New Mexico which they appropriately named "Happy-Birthday-You-Bastard-Moriarty." He was also a member and staunch supporter of the Gila Lizards of the Arid & Repulsive Desert in Santa Fe. Dick Miller was invested into The Baker Street Irregulars in 1982 as "The Grice Patersons in the Island of Uffa."

We were fortunate enough to find some other memories of Dick around the web. For example, Jon Lellenberg, in his Oct. 22, 2012  "Editor's Gas-Bag," remembers Dick:

The moment I first met Dick, May ’73, he was handing me a loaded gun, and it sort of set the tone of our long friendship. It was the annual Colonel Sebastian Moran Memorial Trap-Shoot of John Bennett Shaw’s Brothers Three of Moriarty, where Dick was one of the earliest members, and to Shaw’s disgust and Dick’s delight I beat Shaw out to win it. Dick was a graduate of The Citadel, a veteran of both the Army (nuclear artillery) and Navy (intelligence), and a lawyer at Los Alamos Laboratory for decades. In the 1980s he did his reserve-duty activations at the Pentagon and was of inestimable help to me there. A superb companion, a loyal friend, and a good soul.

Continuing in the same vein, according to Brad Keefauver of Sherlock Peoria (hat-tip to Always1895.net for finding this), Dick once "tried to blow up the college during his talk on Watson's firearms habits."


If you have any specific memories of Dick Miller, please share them with us in a comment below.
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"A Smart Hansom" [CREE]

The Baker Street Irregulars have lost another member. Dr. Robert E. Robinson, BSI ("The Hansom Cab") died in Columbia, South Carolina on August 11, 2012 at the age of 85. He was born in Kentucky, was class valedictorian of his high school, served in the U.S. Army in 1946-47, graduated from Berea College and earned a Masters and PhD in organic chemistry from Purdue University in 1953. It was during his time at Purdue that he married Myrtle, his wife of 61 years.

Dr. Robinson became President of Lindau Chemicals in 1986 and held that position until his death. He was awarded twenty-five U.S. patents, including one for the synthesis of vinyl acetate monomer, which forms the basis for all current production of that material in the world today. He published several technical papers and was senior author of two articles in The Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology. He was elected to the American Institute of Chemists, the American Society for the Advancement of Science, and the New York Academy of Science and was also a member of Mensa.

Read more...

"A Government Matter" [SIGN]

Pamela Bruxner, BSI ("The British Government") died on March 28, 2012 at the age of 77. Pam was a medical secretary at Maidstone Hospital and among her many talents, had a great love and knowledge of music. Her secretarial skills and musical knowledge were used to great advantage with several musical and dramatic societies. She was an Associate member of Glyndebourne, an operatic cultural institution, and hosted their annual picnic for groups of friends. The caveat to attend the picnic was that one had to help prepare an elaborate spread and carry chairs and tables to the gardens.

After the death of her musician husband, Mervyn Bruxner in 1973, Pam joined The Sherlock Holmes Society of London. Among her many contributions to the Society was her highly-acclaimed dramatization of "The Three Students," which was performed at the 1988 expedition to Oxford, with the late Bernard Davies directing and appearing as Holmes. Pam served as Meetings Secretary of the Society from 1989 to 2005, edited or co-edited nine of the Society's handbooks, was made an Honorary Member of the Society in 2003, received the Tony Howlett Award in 2006, and wrote the Foreword to Volume Two of The Best of 'The Sherlock Holmes Journal' (2011).

Pam met Geoffrey Stavert on the 1988 Switzerland pilgrimage and, to the delight of their friends, they became inseparable companions. After Geoffrey's death in 2002, Pam moved to a beautiful village on the Kent/Sussex border, where she immersed herself in local artistic and musical societies. Pam's interests also included Jane Austen, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Margery Allingham, and was a member of their societies.

Pamela Bruxner was invested into The Baker Street Irregulars in 1998 as "The British Government."

You may read her obituary from the Sherlock Holmes Society of London by clicking here.

If you have any special memories of Pam that you would care to share, please leave us a comment.

Photo credit: The Sherlock Holmes Society of London (Flickr)


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"The Last Message from Slaney" [DANC]

Alfred A. (Fred) Levin, BSI ("Abe Slaney") died in a suburb of Chicago on February 17, 2012 at the age of 83. He worked for various chemical companies as an organic chemist and upon retirement worked at Scotland Yard Bookstore until it closed. He then went on to work for an on-line book selling business.

Fred was a pillar of not only his temple, but several others, as his temple didn't have daily services.

His many passions included the Civil War, sports (Cubs, Black Hawks, Bulls, and Bears), Tolkien, and classical music. He had opera and symphony subscriptions for many years. Fred and his wife Sunnie traveled extensively in Europe and enjoyed dining in gourmet restaurants.

His love of all things Sherlockian extended to amassing an extensive collection of foreign editions of the Canon. Fred was one of the founders of Torists International, President of the Criterion Bar Association, Treasurer of The Watsonians, Board member of The Scotland Yarders, and belonged to many other scions, including STUD Sherlockian Society, Hugo's Companions, The Hounds of the Baskerville (sic), and Maiwand Jezails.

Fred Levin was invested into the Baker Street Irregulars in 1993 as "Abe Slaney."

We apologize for the size of the photo; if you have a larger photo of Fred, please let us know and we'll gladly update it.

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"The Two Gentlemen Passed Us" [HOUN]

It's the end of the year and we're catching up on some of the passings that have occurred over the past couple of months. The following are a pair of BSI obituaries of some longstanding members of the Baker Street Irregulars.

J. Warren Scheideman
J. Warren Scheideman, BSI ("Count Von und Zu Grafenstein") died in a suburb of Chicago on August 25, 2011 at the age of 69. He received his degrees from De Paul University and went on to become a member of the faculty in 1984, moderating poetry readings and teaching things as diverse as Film Noir and Science Fiction. A new course in Film Noir, being taught now, stated on its syllabus,

"This course is dedicated to Warren Scheideman who hatched its plot, investigated its subject, and taught its lessons to many students across many years." 

One of his colleagues wrote that Warren’s dissertation on the analysis of curriculum was remarkable, and added that the faculty and students had been inspired and enlightened by his brilliance and thoughtfulness. He wrote a 452-page book on adult learning, which was published by the University and has become an important volume in the world of adult education.

Warren was a member of The Hounds of the Baskerville [sic] and Hugo's Companions. He was widely published in many Sherlockian journals, including the Baker Street Journal and Canadian Holmes, with titles such as "Hugh Boone's Twists on Victorian Society." He was invested into The Baker Street Irregulars in 1982 as "Count Von und Zu Grafenstein."

James H. Bready

James H. Bready, BSI ("The Disappearance of James Phillamore") died in Baltimore on October 29, 2011 at the age of 92. He graduated from Haverford College in 1939 and earned his Master's degree from Harvard University.
During World War II, Mr. Bready served almost five years in the Army's Counterintelligence Corps in the European Theater. Discharged at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4, 1945, at Fort George G. Meade, Mr. Bready, still dressed in his uniform, began working as a Baltimore Evening Sun copy editor at 8:30 the next morning. During his long career, Mr. Bready was a general assignment reporter and later feature writer, editorial writer and columnist. He was remembered by his former paper here.

In 1949, Mr. Bready had interviewed Evelyn Waugh, the English novelist who was visiting Baltimore. His counterpart at The Baltimore Sun, who was also assigned to do an article on the writer, was Russell Baker. Mr. Baker recalled meeting Mr. Bready in his 1989 memoir, saying that "The imagination, wit, and graceful lilt of his writing made him one of the glories of the Evening Sun."

In 1954, Bready's first "Books and Authors" column appeared in the Sunday Sun. He became the paper's arbiter of the Baltimore literary scene, vetting books and assigning them for review. At a time when bylines were rationed conservatively and not necessarily a reporter's birthright, Bready was in the position to offer both a book's author, and its reviewer, some ink. This power, coupled with his fair treatment of the region's writers, made Bready a popular name in Baltimore. The column ran biweekly and then monthly through 2005.

For 30 years until 1984, Mr. Bready was the Baltimore correspondent for Time, Life and Fortune magazines, and had been Encyclopaedia Britannica's designated writer for its entry on Maryland.
Mr. Bready was also the author of several books, The Home Team, an illustrated history of Baltimore baseball, and Baseball in Baltimore published in 1998, which is still sold on Amazon.

Mr. Bready was a longtime member of the Baltimore Antique Bottle Club and had amassed through the years an extensive collection of material related to Maryland rye whiskey. In his retirement he wrote the first detailed study of pre-Prohibition Maryland rye, which was published by the Maryland Historical Society.

Mr. Bready was a member of The Six Napoleons of Baltimore and served as their Gasogene in 1954-55. He was invested in The Baker Street Irregulars in 1955 as "The Disappearance of James Phillimore."

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Please remember these fine men and all previous Irregulars whom we have remembered in these pages. May they rest in eternal peace on the other side of the Reichenbach Falls.

"High-Class Jobs" [CHAS]

The world of technology lost a visionary yesterday as Steve Jobs passed beyond the Reichenbach.

As you know, we cover the intersection of Sherlock Holmes and popular culture here on the Baker Street Blog. So you're probably wondering, "what could Steve Jobs possibly have to do with Sherlock Holmes?" You might be surprised at the answer.

One of the earlier references we can find is that in 1986, Jobs purchased Pixar from Lucasfilm. That was the company that later became famous for the likes of Toy Story and Cars, but in 1985 had already contributed film history by creating the first completely computer-generated image of a character in Young Sherlock Holmes.

Last spring when the iPad launched, we covered the world of apps that were connected with the Sherlockian world in a post titled "Most Intense Application" [BLAC]. We highly recommend taking another look at that entry, as there are some gems. Since then, many others have sprouted.

If you would like to check these out, please just click through on the links provided.

Sherlock Holmes - 3D Classic Literature by Ideal Binary, Ltd. is an e-book that recreates the reading experience in 3D. You can read all of the stories that are in public domain in the United States on this app.

There's another newfangled reading "experience" for the multitaskers among us. These days, the younger generation seems to be able to to 15 things at once - texting while watching television while working on the laptop while listening to music while ignoring a parent - so Sherlock Holmes w/ Booktrack (Soundtracks for Books) - Speckled Band - Booktrack was invented. Personally, I used to be satisfied with some classical music on the grammophone while I was thumbing the pages of the Canon.

From a French developer comes another app called Byook, which is a multimedia reading experience. In this case, you can get S.Holmes and with it comes shrieks, thunder, rain, other sound effects, animation and a real page-flipping experience. In this case, "The Speckled Band" is the subject again. It might be interesting to pit this and the Booktrack against each other for comparison.

If these particular apps aren't your speed, again, you can check that original post ("Most Intense Application" [BLAC]). Alternatively, we have provided a little search widget that will allow you to explore based on the search terms you provide:





Today, we stand on the terrace to remember Steve Jobs. But like Conan Doyle before him, his work will outlast him and his contribution to society will touch millions of lives.

When you make purchases from the links we share, it provides us with a stream of revenue to help keep this site running. Thank you for your generosity.
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"Solitary Meditations" [DEVI]

Dr. Bryce L. Crawford, Jr., BSI (“The Solitary Cyclist”) died on September 16, 2011 at the age of 96. He was the last remaining founder of The Norwegian Explorers, which was founded in 1948 at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Crawford was born in New Orleans, received his PhD in 1936 from Stanford University and did post-graduate work at both Harvard and Yale. He was a University of Minnesota Professor of Chemistry from 1940 through 1985. He held the titles of Chairman of the Department of Chemistry and Dean of the Graduate School. Dr. Crawford was a member of the National Academy of Sciences since 1956, and was awarded the Priestly Medal in 1982. It is the highest honor conferred by the American Chemical Society and is awarded for distinguished service in the field of chemistry.

The commemorative plaque at Reichenbach Falls was the brainchild of the Norwegian Explorers, and Dr. Crawford was largely responsible for the inscription on the plaque…“Across this ‘dreadful cauldron’ occurred the culminating event in the career of Sherlock Holmes, the world’s greatest detective, when on May 4, 1891, he vanquished Prof. Moriarty, the Napoleon of Crime.” It was erected by the Norwegian Explorers and The Sherlock Holmes Society of London on June 25, 1957. Dr. Crawford co-authored “The Final Problem – Where?” an essay relating how the exact spot for the plaque was chosen. After he returned from his reconnaissance mission to Switzerland, he submitted a 48 cent expense report for the funicular ride to the top of the Falls. His reimbursement was denied because of lack of sufficient documentation, which became a continual source of amusement. To his delight, many years later he was given a frame with 48 cents in it.

Dr. Crawford was invested into the Baker Street Irregulars in 1985 as “The Solitary Cyclist.”


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"From This Wood the Cycle Must Have Emerged" [PRIO]

Peter Harry Wood, BSI (“The Second Stain”) died in Vancouver on July 31, 2011 at the age of 80. He was born on the Isle of Man and immigrated to Canada in the 60’s where he was a secondary school teacher, working in both Saskatchewan and Alberta. He retired from teaching approximately 12 years ago and moved to the west coast of Canada, where he served as chairman of many committees in different fields, only stepping down in the last year.

Mr. Wood’s many passions included vintage British cars and motorcycles, jazz and folk music, and writing fiction and science-fiction. He wrote many articles for various Sherlockian journals. His major opus, The Winged Wheel, is set on the Isle of Man and has Dr. Watson taking part in a motorcycle race.

Mr. Wood was a Sherlockian since the age of 10 and was a founding member of The CPR Stockholders, the Edmonton Deerstalkers, and the Friends of the ACD Collection. He belonged to societies in Canada, the US, UK, and Australia, and was prominent in the Hounds of the Internet. In 1983 he was Toronto’s Master Bootmaker and was Priory Schoolmaster of The Stormy Petrels of British Columbia, guiding the group through a ten-year program of study of the entire Canon and two apocryphal tales. The program was completed in May 2011.

Mr. Wood was invested into The Baker Street Irregulars in 1985 as “The Second Stain.” His official obituary can be found here.

Do you have any memories to share of Peter? Or perhaps a better photograph than we were able to find. Please leave them in the comments section below or contact us via email.


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"Let Me Bring Sir Jasper Meek" [DYIN]

Dr. George L. John, BSI ("Sir Jasper Meek") died on February 6, 2011 at the age of 90. During World War II he served as an engineer in the U.S. Army, was captured by the Germans in 1944 and released in 1945. When the war ended, he furthered his education utilizing the GI bill. After witnessing the carnage of war, Dr. John decided to embark on a career helping his fellow man. He graduated from Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas in 1950 and established a private practice in Nebraska. He was the quintessential country doctor, often paid in sides of beef, chickens and general produce. He later returned to Texas and was a staff physician for 16 years for the University of Texas.

Dr. John was involved in many civic organizations and was a patron of the arts. He loved opera and at one point had concurrent season tickets to every major and minor opera company in Texas. He was a cellist, an avid chess player, ham radio operator, and dabbled in astronomy by hand grinding the mirrors for, and building, his own telescope. For a fuller recounting of his life and interests, please see his official obituary.

Dr. John was a member of The Maiwand Jezails and in 1965 attended the Basil Rathbone lecture at Wayne State College. He was invested into The Baker Street Irregulars in 1969 as "Sir Jasper Meek."

“Vanderbilt and the Yeggman" [SUSS]

Editor's note: Our correspondent for obituaries of members Baker Street Irregulars (sometimes referred to as "Stand with me here upon the terrace") is Francine Kitts, BSI ("Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope"), who has this duty annually at the BSI dinner. We welcome her to this role here.

Jason Pierre Rouby, BSI (“Vanderbilt and the Yeggman”) died in Little Rock, AR on January 15, 2011 at the age of 87. He was a reporter for several newspapers, including the Arkansas Gazette, was a regional planner, and was active in community services and charitable organizations. During World War II he served in the US Army as a machine gunner and qualified as a sharp shooter. He was a member of the 80th Reconnaissance Troop, a division of General Patton’s Army and served as a French interpreter in several war trials. He was awarded three Bronze Stars for his involvement in the Battle of the Bulge.

In addition to being a contributing member of The Baker Street Irregulars, Mr. Rouby was a member of the Maiwand Jezails in Omaha and founded The Arkansas Valley Investors, Ltd. in Little Rock. He traveled around the country a few times a year giving talks on Sherlock Holmes and later donated his Sherlockian books and memorabilia to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He was investitured into the Baker Street Irregulars in 1968.

A touching commemorative video of Mr. Rouby, prepared by his grandson David Aaron Rouby, can be seen below:





Do you have any personal memories of Jason Rouby? Please share them in the comments section below.

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"Stand With Me Here Upon the Terrace..." [LAST]

On occasion, we must unfortunately share news of some members who have broken from the ranks of the Baker Street Irregulars. These are tagged (or grouped, if you will) under the category "terrace" in the sidebar area titled "Some Other Topic." Today, as we do some end-of-year tidying, we find that there are no less than three members who require our memories.

David Musto, BSI ("Dr. Anstruther") passed away on October 8, 2010 while on a visit to Shanghai to donate his papers to Shanghai University at a ceremony. In his professional life, Dr. Musto was the leading historian on drug policy and was world renowned in the field, having consulted for presidents and academia. He founded the Yale Sherlock Holmes Society and notably penned "A Study in Cocaine: Sherlock Holmes and Sigmund Freud" that appeared in The Journal of the American Medical Association in 1968. For a full recounting of his career and life, the obituary that ran in the New York Times is available here.

A personal reminiscence from Burt Wolder:

David was one of the founding few, with Henry Folsom, Jan Prager, and Al Silverstein, who formed The Cornish Horrrors in December 1970.

David brought a rare mix of whimsicality and scholarship to his Sherlockian pursuits.

His annual Reichenbach Lecturers ore the last few years included Dr.Henry Lee, one of the world's foremost forensic scientists, Lila Wolff Wilkinson, niece to Julian, and Lisa Sanders, diagnosis columnist for New York Times Magazine.

Whimsicality, of course, because he conceived of the Yale Sherlock Holmes Society as an ephemeral organization, steadfastly refusing to appoint officers or adopt any formal procedures.

David was especially fond of Basil Rathbone's protrayal of the Master. Each summer evening at Yale ended with a screening of the Hound, The Adventures, or one of the Universal series.

David was gentle, soft-spoken, and brilliant. We have lost a great scholar and friend.

At Yale, Dr. Musto established the annual Sherlock Holmes Lecture. We happen to have footage of the 27th annual Sherlock Holmes Lecture, by Dr. Thomas Duffy, which took place at the Davies Auditorium, Becton Center at Yale on June 12, 2008.

Tsukasa Kobayashi, BSI ("Baritsu") died on September 27, 2010 in Tokyo. He had been suffering from myelodysplastic syndromes. Also known as a psychologist, and an active Esperantist, Dr. Kobayashi constituted  the Japan Sherlock Holmes Club in 1977. He and his wife Akana Higashiyama, along with photographer Masaharu Uemura, put their Sherlockian interest to work by producing Sherlock Holmes's London: Following the Footsteps of London's Master Detective in 1986.

The passion for Sherlock Holmes in Japan can be said to be one of the most fervent in the world, if we pit countries against one another. And Dr. Kobayashi's work there has been instrumental in driving that passion. The Baker Street Irregulars chronicled that passion in the 2005 entry in the BSI International Series, Japan and Sherlock Holmes, which has since sold out.

Herb Tinning, BSI ("Dr. Leon Sterndale")
The Reverend Herbert P. Tinning passed away on November 15 after visiting his children in Arizona and Illinois. He worked as an association executive, and was a dedicated deacon in the Episcopal church. He was an active Sherlockian, holding membership in a number of societies in the midwest and then in the northeast. His special enthusiasms included the Antarctic (where he believed Dr. Watson visited during the Great Hiatus) and his namesake story "The Devil's Foot". He was awarded his Investiture in The Baker Street Irregulars in 1974. A longer obituary can be found  here.

As we look back at 2010, it's natural to reminisce. Do you have any memories of the above Irregulars, or of other Sherlockians who have passed beyond the Reichenbach this year? Feel free to share them in a comment.

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"The Finest Study I Ever Came Across" [STUD]

We received news of the passing of a legendary Holmesian earlier this week. Bernard Davies, BSI ("A Study in Scarlet") passed beyond the Reichenbach. Chairman of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London from 1983-86, he was a member of the Society since 1959 and an Honorary Member. He received the investiture "A Study in Scarlet" from the Baker Street Irregulars in 1985 - an exalted title, as it is one of only four investitures of the original novels, and also because it was previously held by Vincent Starrett.

Davies was a prolific writer - such that in 2008, the SHSL compiled his scholarship in the two volume collection Holmes and Watson Country, which is still available for sale from the Society. One of his landmark pieces is on the location of 221B Baker Street.

But his interests didn't begin and end with Holmes; Davies was also an avid scholar of Dracula, having served as Co-President and Co-Founder of the Dracula Society. As Les Klinger put it in the introduction of the two-volume work: "Davies's breadth of interests, research skills, and writing ability make him a national treasure."

A personal remembrance from Roger Johnson, BSI ("'Pall Mall Gazette'"), Press & Publicity Officer for the SHSL:

I knew Bernard for nearly forty years, and liked and respected him immensely. A couple of years ago, when the Sherlock Holmes Society decided to publish a collection of Bernard's collected Holmesian writings I immediately volunteered to act as editor. It was a pleasure and an honour to help prepare the book for publication.

In a reasonably full acting career, he appeared just once in a professional production of a Sherlock Holmes story, when he played Norlett and Bert Stevens in Michael & Mollie Hardwick's audio dramatisation of "Shoscombe Old Place" in 1970. Robert Hardy and Nigel Stock were Holmes and Watson.

Bernard was one of the giants in our peculiar field - and in others, such as the Dracula Society. He was also a dear friend, who will be greatly missed.

If you have a personal memory of Bernard Davies that you'd like to share, please feel free to leave it as a comment below.

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"Dated From Cleveland" [STUD]

Tom Stetak, BSI ("The Head of the Police at Cleveland") was one of a kind. While we here at the Baker Street Blog didn't know him all that well, he left a distinct impression upon all who knew him. Tom passed away last week at the relatively young age of 60 after a brief illness.

Tom's look was the first thing that caught our attention at Baker Street Irregular functions - his bearded countenance made him look Amish in nature, and his restoration business seemed to be in line with that appearance as well.

But it was his sense of humor that really set him apart. At the BSI Dinner in 1997, he was one of the many who stood up to roast Tom Stix, Jr., the outgoing "Wiggins" of the organization. Stix was known for his frank personality - which, depending on his mood, could sometimes be barbed. But he could also be a very warm and caring individual as well. And Tom Stetak sensed  that. One of the lines from his roast went something like:
     "Many people say that Tom Stix isn't emotional, but it just isn't true. Why, Tom has more emotion in his middle finger than I have in my whole body!"

And then the whole room erupted in laughter, with the heartiest laugh coming from Tom Stix himself.

Tom Stetak was also part of the Florin Society - Irregulars with spouses who were also members of the BSI -  and he left his wife Ruthann. You can read Tom's obituary here.

If you have a memory of Tom, please consider leaving it in the comments section below.

"I Grieve to Say" [ILLU]

We just learned of the passing of H. Paul Jeffers, BSI ("Wilson Hargreave") on December 4. There's something of a personal connection here, but first, let's put the facts in front of you, as Sherlock Holmes would prefer. But fair warning: there are many links to click through if you're up to the task.

Paul was an author and a journalist and was prolific in all of his writing. And to know Paul was to understand how diverse his interests were. They ranged from Sherlock Holmes to Americana, from smoking () to religious topics (Dark Mysteries of the Vatican& The Complete Idiot's Guide to Jerusalem), from secret societies (The Freemasons in America: Inside the Secret Society) to maritime adventure (Burning Cold: The Cruise Ship Prinsendam and the Greatest Sea Rescue of all Time).

The American icons in Jeffers' works included Theodore Roosevelt - Roosevelt the Explorer: T.R.'s Amazing Adventures as a Naturalist, Conservationist, and Explorer and In the Roughrider's Shadow: The Story of Theodore Roosevelt Jr. -- War Hero as well as Fiorello LaGuardia, "Diamond Jim" Brady, Billy Mitchell, and Sal Mineo. He even covered one of the greatest natural disasters in the U.S. in the last century in Disaster By the Bay: The Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906.

His works that involved Sherlock Holmes include Murder Most Irregular (in which a member of the Baker Street Irregulars is murdered on the evening of the annual dinner), and A Grand Night for Murder (in which an Edgar award winner is offed the day after receiving the award). He authored the 2005 Baker Street Journal Christmas Annual Once a Week in Baker Street: the Boucher Green Years and edited a book from their work: The Forgotten Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: Based on the Original Radio Plays by Anthony Boucher and Denis Green. He even wrote one that combined his interest in Roosevelt and Holmes: The Adventure of the Stalwart Companions, which included Detective Wilson Hargreave of the New York Police Bureau, mentioned in "The Dancing Men."

As you can see, quite prolific. And this isn't even the end of it. Take a look at his Amazon page for a more complete assessment, or scroll through the carousel below.








I was lucky enough to meet Paul at a meeting of the Men on the Tor - the first Sherlock Holmes society I belonged to. It was after I left Connecticut to head to college, and I returned for a meeting at the Griswold Inn in Essex, CT. I remember sitting next to him and admiring the Peterson's Sherlock Holmes pipe that he was smoking. We got to talking and he told me about the two books he wrote about Holmes, as well as his car-less existence; he traveled to meetings via train (or ride-sharing, in some cases). We struck up a correspondence and one day a package arrived in the mail from Paul: he sent me those two books, inscribed. I still have them in my collection and I'll always treasure them.

In 1999, Paul received his investiture from the BSI, which was "Wilson Hargreave," after the detective who made an appearance in Stalwart Companion. If you have a memory of Paul, please feel free to share it in the comments section below.


Note: From time to time, we run obituaries here on the Baker Street Blog, to honor those Holmesians who have passed beyond the Reichenbach. You can find previous entries by clicking on the "terrace" label at the end of the post. The reference to the terrace is from "His Last Bow," in which Holmes says to Watson:

"Stand with me here upon the terrace, for it may be the last quiet talk that we shall ever have."

"The Martrydom of Man" [SIGN]

The Irregulars have lost another one of our own. Joe Fink, BSI ("The Martyrdom of Man") passed away yesterday after many years of declining health. I first met Joe many years ago at an "Autumn in Baker Street" weekend, where I was impressed with his rapier wit and deadpan delivery. To say Joe had a dry sense of humor is akin to saying that Sherlock Holmes liked tobacco.

One of the things that always struck me about Joe was that he as such an unassuming, seemingly retiring and quiet man, yet he could bring the house down with a single line or an unexpected quip that everyone could appreciate. He was a giant in the world of humor. Unfortunately, it's been too long since I actually witnessed him in action, so I don't have a specific anecdote to share - perhaps someone reading this would like to contribute?

Speaking of anecdotes, Joe had plenty to say, and he made some of his talks and papers available in 1998 when he wrote Joe Fink Tells Tall Sherlockian Tales, published by the Battered Silicon Dispatch Box. 

Joe was a member of a number of Sherlockian societies - most notably the Baker Street Irregulars and the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes (investitured as "Tonga") - as well as a few local societies such as the Epilogues of Sherlock Holmes, Mrs. Hudson's Clifdwellers of New York and the Montague Street Lodgers of Brooklyn.

Please share a story (the funnier the better) about Joe below in the comments section. Our collective memories will help him live on for future generations.

"A Genuine Corot" [SIGN]

In his annual letter to all Irregulars, the current "Wiggins" Mike Whelan noted that the Baker Street Irregulars have lost 16 of our own in the last 15 months. I know I've detailed many (but not all) of them here. And today I'm tasked with documenting another.

Only this time, it's someone I knew fairly well.

Paul Churchill ("Corot") passed beyond the Reichenbach over the weekend. He had announced earlier this year that he was suffering from incurable cancer; the end came much too quickly for anyone who knew Paul.

Paul received his investiture in the BSI in 2006, but for anyone who knew him, it was a long time coming. He was involved in many Sherlockian societies from the mid-Atlantic states to New England, and his presence was always a jovial and warm one.

Among Paul's many talents was illustration, document creation, and the compilation of "evidence boxes" - his term for artifacts he found, created, and assembled into collections that supported each of the 60 Canonical stories.

In Paul's own words:

I have illustrated several Sherlockian books by authors such as Steve Clarkson, Steve Tollins, Joe Fink, Don Izban Susan Diamond, David Hammer, Patrick Campbell and Chris Redmond, and did covers for a reprint boxed set of August Derleth's Mill Creek Irregulars. With a colleague, I translated the story The Musgrave Ritual into Latin, the first and, so far, only Latin translation of an entire Sherlock Holmes story to be published.

My main specialism is the amassing of Canonical evidence boxes. There is a box for each of the sixty tales. The boxes contain any letter, telegram, weapon, note, receipt, newspaper clipping, or piece of realia mentioned or hinted at in the Canon. My secondary specialism is the creation of genuine faux documents, many of which have seen their way into the packets given out at the annual BSI dinner in NY. Among these documents are Watson's commission, the charter of The Diogenes Club, the citation for Holmes' Legion of Honour Medal, the Bruce Partington plans and a patent for same, the hack licence for John Clayton, the Hotel Cosmopolitan receipt for the Countess of Morcar, the Stapletons' receipt for the Mexborough Hotel in Craven Street, one for the New Street, Birmingham hotel where Hall Pycroft stayed, Watson's chequebook which Holmes kept locked in his desk, the Capital and Counties Woolwich Branch chequebook belonging to Cadogan West and the very naval treaty copied by Percy Phelps.

He was a longtime friend of Steve Clarkson, another Irregular (author of the 2003 BSJ Christmas Annual) who was taken from us too early by cancer. He spent many long hours with Steve, sharing memories and just being a friend. Paul was like that. He was a friend to many, and was never too busy or too involved to chat with or make time for fellow Sherlockians.

Jacqueline Morris, Gasogene XIX of Watson's Tin Box shared the details of Paul's memorial service:

Saturday, November 15, 1:00 p.m.
Burrier-Queen Funeral Home
1212 W. Old Liberty Road
Winfield, MD

Following the service there will be a gathering at American Legion 223 in Sykesville. Directions from the funeral home will be provided at the memorial service.

Greg has asked that in lieu of flowers you might choose to donate to one of Paul's favorite charities, the ALS Association. Many of you know that Paul's beloved wife died from ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease many years ago.

For those who would like to send cards of condolence:
Greg Churchill
Mark Churchill (Mark lives in Nebraska)
3300 Appleton Avenue
Parkville, MD 21234

This January at the BSI dinner, the task that has traditionally been solemnly and dutifully performed by Irv Kamil will twice as difficult one as the volume of Irregular deaths has nearly doubled. More than that, the prestige, magnitude and general likability of these Irregulars makes these passings that much more doleful.

UPDATED: Paul's obituary from the Baltimore Sun.

Do you have memories of Paul that you'd like to share? Please consider adding a comment below. It's free and you don't need to register.

"A Cry of 'Cooee!'" [BOSC]

It is once again with a heavy heart that I pick up my keyboard to write of another member of the Baker Street Irregulars passing beyond the Reichenbach. This time the Southern Hemisphere has lost one of its own with the death of Alan Olding ("Cooee!").

Alan was the President of the Sherlock Holmes Society of Australia, and his membership extended to other Aussie societies, such as the Sherlock Holmes Society of Melbourne and the Sherlock Holmes Society of Western Australia. An active member of the Hounds of the Internet for quite some time, where his nom was "Holy Peters, of Adelaide, whose speciality is the beguiling of lonely ladies."

According to his biography on his Sherlockian Who's Who page,

Alan Olding migrated to Australia in 1951, after service in the British Army during WW2. He brought with him his new bride, Olive. They lived in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, before setlling in the Adelaide Hills in 1970. Alan is a retired Insurance Executive. He was invested in the BSI in 1988 under the name "COOEE", and President for the Sherlock Holmes Society of Australia.

His loss is a great one for anyone who knew him.