|
|
From
The Surrey Shore . .
.
The Newsletter of the Hated Rivals on the Surrey Shore Vol. 1, No. 6, December 2002
****A Scion
Society for All Who Enjoy Sherlock Holmes in All His Manifestations!****
Ah, you caught us again. No,
we’re not really becoming Mad Hatters (despite what some may think), but
we are hosting a tea party — a Victorian tea, to be exact — at our next
meeting on Sunday, January 5, 2003, from 1:30 to 4 p.m., at the Hamilton County
Historical Society’s Jail Museum in nearby Noblesville, Indiana. And as it’s
also the day that the Hated Rivals have chosen to celebrate the birthday of
Sherlock Holmes, it’ll be a birthday party to boot! So plan on joining us for various
types of tea (and coffee for those who aren’t tea drinkers), scones,
sandwiches, and other goodies befitting an authentic Victorian tea — as well as
a birthday treat for the in absentia Holmes, who’s undoubtedly engaged
in a celebration of his own that day, tucked way in his humble retirement
cottage on the Sussex Downs. (Note: As we have explained in an earlier
newsletter and in an article on our Web site, the Hated Rivals on the Surrey
Shore celebrate Sherlock Holmes’ birthday on January 5 — Twelfth Night — rather
than on the traditionally recognized date of January 6. Why? Check the Web site
or come and ask us.) In addition to the tummy-warming tea and goodies, we plan
to tickle your cinematic funny bone with several episodes of the 1950s Sherlock
Holmes TV series starring Ronald Howard (and again, no, not Opie) as
Holmes. Although a serious attempt at bring the Great Detective to the small
screen, the shows are, to modern sensibilities, what locals colloquially call
“a hoot.” (And that’s not owl!) The number of episodes that we’ll show will
depend on how much time we have left following our tea and a short business
meeting (plus a few Sherlockian surprises, as per usual). Those who missed our
meeting at the Jail Museum last year (and even those who didn’t) can also take
a tour of the historical Victorian house and early 20th-century
jail. (But don’t forget to bring a hacksaw should anyone “accidentally” get
left in gaol.) For the exact address and directions, see the “Coming Meetings”
section at the end of this newsletter. We hope to see you there! (And don’t
make us send the local constable out looking for you!)
***
Yes, this is it. The last letter
from Barker that you’ll ever receive – this year. (Hmmm. Why did I hear sighs
of relief until I reached “this year”?) So it seems fitting that I open this
one with a look back at the accomplishments and activities of 2002 for the
Hated Rivals on the Surrey Shore. So climb aboard — the Wayback machine awaits!
Our scion started off quite
humbly if our first meeting was the standard. Other than three of our founders
(the others having been felled by a nasty case of bronchitis going around that
cold January), we had only a handful of visitors to help kick off our
inaugural, organizational meeting at the Lawrence Library, in Indianapolis. As
one visitor happened to be Will Higgins, former columnist for the Indianapolis
Star, however, our very first meeting actually made the local paper –
something not every scion can claim. The meeting was small, but intimate, as we
talked about where we wanted to go with this new scion – and about Sherlock
Holmes and what he meant to us as a group and individually. We also celebrated
Sherlock Holmes’ birthday, as it was the weekend traditionally set aside for
the purpose (although, nonconformists that we are, we chose a different date
for what we feel are more canonical reasons than the traditional one). Like the
proverbial acorn, we started small but we had tree-high hopes – hopes that
proved well-founded, as by the end of the year, our average attendance grew to
about a dozen Sherlockians, new and old.
Our March meeting, at the
Hamilton County Historical Society’s Old Jail Museum, in Noblesville, saw the
Rivals for the first time in a truly historical setting. Following a tour of
the Victorian-era facility, attendees engaged in a lively discussion about lady
detectives in the Victorian era and finished over treats in the house’s kitchen.
That meeting was the first attended by a budding Sherlockian who was to become
by year’s end a scion officer. May saw our best-attended meeting so far – some
30 aficionados of the Victorian Age – when we gathered at the Indiana Medical
History Museum on the west side for a talk on Victorian-era graverobbing and
medical knowledge by local expert David Heighway. A tour of the museum rounded
out this enlightening meeting. Our summer picnic meeting at Conner Prairie
brought even more new faces to the Rivals, and our September meeting at Crown
Hill Cemetery continued our record of meeting at local historical sites –
although high humidity and temperatures in the ’90s deterred most of us from
joining the tour of the graveyard (made up for by great fellowship after the
meeting at a local eatery). We pulled out all the stops on the program for our
last meeting, on an unseasonably warm November afternoon, back at the Lawrence
Library: a talk on “Afghanistan in the Victorian Era,” Sherlockian (and
related) music by the local musical duo Holmes and Watson, and even a video of
one of several old 1950s episodes of the Sherlock Holmes TV series – plus
refreshments to celebrate the joint birthday of two of our officers. Although
attendance was slightly down from the average, we did attract a few new faces,
so we consider our last meeting – as well as our entire first year – a rousing
Sherlockian success.
In addition to our meetings, we
were able to create a Hated Rivals Web site and add a Web page for the scion to
the local newspaper’s Communities section of its Web site, both with several
updates that we posted throughout the year, including expanded articles that
first appeared here, in our newsletter. We ended the year with an officers’
meeting over tea and scones at a local tearoom, where we planned out our next
year of Sherlockian/Victorian fare. (Or course, we couldn’t seem to avoid a
touch of controversy and received some hate mail from a couple of people who
totally misunderstood our philosophy and several statements that we made in our
newsletter and on our Web site, proving that they’re not really the sleuths
that they obviously think themselves to be. But then, if you take a stand for
anything, you’re certain to run across those who disagree and choose to be
disagreeable in doing so. So I guess that means we’re actually doing something
here if some do take such pains to oppose and attack us. So it goes.)
So what exactly does the future hold for the Hated
Rivals? See the Coming Meetings section at the end of this newsletter for some
teasers, and keep looking for this newsletter and future announcements on our
Web site and page. We’re not planning on going anywhere (except to more great
Victorian venues for some more fun meetings), so we hope that, if you truly
enjoy and honor Sherlock Holmes in all his many cultural manifestations
and like fellowshipping with those who think similarly, you’ll consider joining
us at some time in the future, right here on the ol’ Surrey Shore. (Where all
are welcome.)
As I’ve read a lot of
Sherlockian writings and attended many scion meetings and conferences in the
past, I’ve sometimes mused on just what makes a person a Sherlockian (as
opposed to, say, a fan of any other literary character – don’t hear about many
Huckians or Ivanhoians or Ahabians). Of course, the first attribute that a
person must exhibit to be a Sherlockian is simply an enjoyment of Sherlock
Holmes. And I don’t limit that enjoyment to just the original stories either.
In fact, although it certainly helps, I don’t think that one even needs to have
read the original Holmes stories to be a Sherlockian (and certainly not all of
them). One can enjoy Holmes, as a character, from other forms of media as well
– any of his cinematic incarnations, his portrayal in many pastiches, and even
just from general knowledge. (Although I think that most who become
Sherlockians through some other path than via Doyle’s original stories
eventually are drawn to those excellent tales as well.)
Now some would also say that being a true
Sherlockian requires belonging to a Sherlockian scion – or even to the Baker
Street Irregulars itself. I’m afraid, however, that I must disagree on that
point. I don’t really believe that it takes scion membership to be a Sherlockian
– and certainly not to belong to the BSI, as that organization’s membership is
limited to a certain number (or at least it was the last time I checked – those
who keep up on such things will, I’m sure, let me know if I’m incorrect here).
Scion membership can be great fun if you find the right scion for your own
particular interests, and many do seem to aspire to BSI membership as a part of
their Sherlockian journey, but I know that there are and have been many a great
Sherlockian who was not a member of the BSI or who, perhaps, never attended
even a scion meeting. (In fact, although scions seem to proliferate faster than
almost any other type of club or hobby-based group, not every city in the world
yet has one within its boundaries or even nearby – and yet I feel sure that
most such places have at least a few Sherlockians sleuthing around within their
borders.) So, no, although it can often enhance the Sherlockian experience to
an enjoyable extent, I don’t really think that membership in any organization
really is a qualification for one to consider oneself a Sherlockian.
So what, then, other than enjoyment of the character
of Sherlock Holmes, makes one a true Sherlockian? Well, in my humble opinion
(and that’s all that it is, of course, as I’m certain that you could find
countless others who would disagree), I think the thing that most makes one a
Sherlockian, far beyond any literary enjoyment, is a sense of and love for
justice. After all, what was one of Sherlock Holmes’ most noble characteristics?
Holmes had a finely tuned sense of justice – not only for some, but for all. He
helped not only royalty and those who were very well off (and thus could afford
his standard fee), but those who were often victims of some villain or another
(who sometimes came from the better-off classes himself) – the poor, the
downtrodden, the helpless, for whom Holmes often waived his fee altogether. And
he treated all equally – though somewhat a misogynist, for example, he still
was always kind and gentle toward those clients who were of the fairer sex. He
once commented (and I’m paraphrasing here) that he’d prefer to see justice done
even if he had to circumvent the laws of England to do so. Holmes was, above
all, a force for justice – and one that often put the well-being of others
before his own (the mark of a true hero).
So I’d like to humbly submit that the true
Sherlockian is of similar mettle. A love of justice and all that it entails is,
I believe, what separates the true Sherlockian from the, well, not so
true one. I also believe that most who call themselves Sherlockians are,
indeed, true Sherlockians. (Not all, of course. As I’ve said before,
every hobby has a few rotten pips – and anyone who’d attempt to claim otherwise
is doing no one a service. And although I’ve had the misfortune to run afoul of
a few of those pipish ones in my time, most Sherlockians whom I’ve
encountered and corresponded with in the past two and a half decades since I
first began to read of and appreciate the Master Sleuth of Baker Street, I’d
say, readily deserve the title of true Sherlockian.) You’re free to
disagree with me, of course – but if so, you may want to ask yourself, “Why?”
What quality better exemplifies Sherlock Holmes and his followers than a love
of justice? (If you have an answer, feel free to send it to us, and we’ll be
happy to revisit the question in a future newsletter.)
And now, enough with the past. From here on, especially in my next letter (oh yes, you just can’t get away from them that easily), I turn to the future, along with the rest of my beloved Hated Rivals on the Surrey Shore. Viva la 2003! (Or, to be more British about it, jolly good show, what?)
—C. Barker,
Esq.
***
A slightly smaller than average
group of Hated Rivals gathered on Saturday, November 9, at the Lawrence Library
for the final meeting of 2002. (We, of course, attribute the light attendance
to yet another day on which, as they did for our September meeting, the
temperatures ranged far above normal – a high of 70 in early November! – and
not to any lack of interest in our jam-packed program for the afternoon, which
was well-received by all who joined us.) To make up for the absence of a few of
our regular members, who had to be elsewhere that day, we welcomed a visitor
from the other scion in town, who appeared to enjoy the festivities as much as
any a Hated Rival (as difficult as that may seem). We also welcomed Rival
Louise Haskett to her first meeting, although she’s been with us in spirit from
our first mailings (Look for some of
her Sherlockian articles on our Web site in the near future.) The meeting
itself got off to a slightly late start; our normally faithful Lady Molly got
lost on the way in thanks to a wayward section of road construction (no doubt
planted by a fiendish enemy out to foil our plans for nonstop fun). Our fears
that she had met foul play were alleviated, however, as she arrived a bit tardy
and a little flustered but none the worse for the wear. Meanwhile, new Rival
Jim Sutton entertained us aptly with some of his guitar stylings.
Following Lady Molly’s arrival, the meeting kicked
into high fashion. After some brief business, the proceedings opened with an
original Sherlockian song, “A Three-Pipe Problem,” by the new musical duo of
Holmes and Watson (consisting of aforenamed new Rival, Jim Sutton, and our own
Barker, Bill Barton, on guitar and mandolin, respectively). Then came Bill’s
talk on “Afghanistan in the Victorian Age,” a fascinating (if necessarily
brief) overview of the history of that rugged Central Asian nation during
Victoria’s reign, from 1837 to 1901. The talk ranged from the rise of Mohammed
Dost just prior to the Victorian era, through the First and Second Afghan Wars
(the latter, of course, where Watson received his famous wound at Maiwand), to
the death of Abdur Rahman, the country’s final amir of the 19th century,
who coincidentally died in the same year as Victoria. Afterward, Holmes and
Watson gave us another original song, this one tied more to the topic of the
meeting than to Sherlockiana: “The ‘I Feel Like Bin Laden’s Fixin’ To Die’
Rag,” a humorous parody of a well-known Woodstock-era song. We all took a
welcome break for pie, chips, and other refreshments in honor of the
simultaneous birthdays of Rivals officers Lady Molly (Mimi DeMore) and Amelia
Peabody (Suzanne Snyder).
Before we could resume, however, tragedy struck! The
evil assassin mentioned in our last newsletter suddenly surfaced, cleverly
disguised as Rival Bruce Coleman, and attempted to run Barker through with his
deadly blade. But the brave and loyal Lady Molly shielded Barker with her own
body, taking the cold steel meant for our president’s namesake. Barker lowered
the bleeding Lady Molly to the floor as the assassin fled (ironically passing
in the hall the real Bruce, who had lost track of the time while wandering the
library and had only just arrived at the meeting himself). Tragically, Lady
Molly could not be saved – but fortunately, Mimi could and was reborn under a
new scion identity: Russell! Buoyed by this happy turn of events, all Rivals
(and guest) in attendance celebrated by watching a video presentation of a half-hour Sherlockian TV drama from the
1950s (although it unintentionally plays more as a comedy these days), starring
Ronald Howard as Holmes. (No, as we said, not Opie – another
Ronald Howard.) Finishing off the pie and other goodies, the Hated Rivals
adjourned, looking forward to what the next year may bring to Indianapolis’
newest Sherlockian scion.
***
To the Victorians, the term tea
meant many different things (in addition, of course, to the drink itself). To
the working classes, tea was simply the evening meal, which included meats and
vegetables as well as tea, pastries, and fruit. To the more fortunate, tea was
a late afternoon meal served to ward off hunger until supper, which usually
wasn’t served until 8 or 9 p.m. (and could be a very lavish meal, especially
among the upper classes). This type of tea was more commonly known as a Low
Tea, and usually consisted of tea, scones and clotted cream, small, light
sandwiches (such as cream cheese and cucumber), and perhaps other cakes and
even broths or other drinks. It afforded the well-to-do (and their imitators
among the middle classes) an opportunity to visit and engage in gossip and other
interactions. The presentation of such teas was of foremost consideration, and
a poorly hosted tea could often cause one loss of status among one’s peers. A
High Tea added fruits, several types of preserves for the pastries, and other
fare to the plate (and was closer in content – in not in style – to the teas of
the lower classes). The first teas in Britain were the domain of royalty and
eventually spread downward to the lower classes. By the start of the Victorian
era, tea had become the national drink of choice, having replaced even ale and
gin among all but the lowest elements of society. One could say that the
practice fitted Victorian England to a “tea.”
***
I Hear of Sherlock
Everywhere!
According to sociologist David Phillips, a study
that he conducted at the University of California, San Diego, has identified
what Phillips refers to at “The Baskerville effect” – in other words, a state
of fear so great that it raises the victim’s stress levels to such an extent
that a heart attack can occur, and the poor soul is literally scared to death.
The term derives, of course, from The Hound of the Baskervilles, in
which various members of the Baskerville family – including Sir Hugo
Baskerville, but not, thanks to Holmes and Watson, Sir Henry Baskerville – die
of fright after believing that they’ve seen the spectral hound of legend (and
of the tale’s title) that has plagued their family for generations. Phillips
affirms that the Baskerville effect seems to be very real and to exist not only
in fiction, but in fact as well.
Edward R. Hamilton, Bookseller, offers a free
catalog of thousands of remaindered books at bargain prices, as well as a
number of new titles at discounted prices. Recent catalogs have listed several
new and past Holmes pastiches, as well as various editions of the original
stories, plus many other titles of interest to those fascinated by the
Victorian era. One such recent title is an atlas of Antique Maps of the 19th
Century World (catalog #2117169, $19.95 + $3.50 p&h). This book
reproduces beautifully drawn maps of countries around the world as they
appeared in 1851. Accompanying text reveals to the modern reader how the
mid-Victorians viewed these other nations around the globe. For a current
catalog, write to Edward R. Hamilton, Bookseller, Falls Village, CT 06031-5000
(no street address – the full zip does the trick). You can also find out what’s
currently available at the Hamilton Web
site at www.edwardrhamilton.com. Two caveats: Hamilton accepts only checks or
money orders – no credit cards – and new titles often go fast, so if you see
something that you want in a catalog, don’t delay in ordering it. (Items past
the New Arrivals section at the front usually remain in stock for a while, as
do those marked with a star as new publications.) Catalogs keep coming at
irregular intervals unless you opt off the mailing list. (Hamilton does
maintain a second Web site, at www.hamiltonbook.com, where you can make credit
card orders, but an additional per-book charge is assessed to such orders.)
Aficionados of late Victorian London have a definite
friend in Old House Books, located in Moretonhampstead, Devon TQ13 8PA, in the
U.K. (That’s Devon, as in Devonshire, county where The Hound of the
Baskervilles takes place. Coincidence? Hmmmm . . .?) In addition to the
reprinted Dickens’s Dictionary of London, 1888, and Dickens’s
Dictionary of the Thames, 1887, that we mentioned in our April 2002
newsletter, Old House has now reprinted another famous period guidebook to
London, as well as a map. The guidebook is Baedeker’s London and Its
Environs, 1900, and the map, Bacon’s Up to Date Map of London, 1902.
Those who have attempted to locate period Baedeker’s guides know that the
volumes run anywhere from $30 to $50 or more, depending on their condition. Old
House has reprinted this guide, with all its full-color maps, for only £14.99
(plus S&H, which is usually £3) – that’s less than $25 U.S. Bacon’s map,
also in full color, comes in several different formats, the folded version
being only £8.99. For more information or to order online, go to
www.oldhousebooks.co.uk. (Old House’s publications can also be ordered from
Amazon UK at www.amazon.co.uk.)
If you haven’t anything to watch on TV Friday nights
until Monk returns with new episodes (see our August 2000 newsletter),
you may want to check out Fox Network’s John Doe, at 9 p.m. Fridays. Doe
is a man who can’t remember who he is or anything about his past – yet knows
almost everything else in the world and can bring up these facts on a moment’s
notice. While seeking out his own identity, he uses his knowledge to aid the
police in cracking tough cases. Although not Sherlockian per se, Doe’s method
of connecting his vast store of knowledge with what he observes at crime scenes
conjures up an image not at all unlike that of Sherlock Holmes. (And in a
recent episode, involving a murder on a flight to London, Doe and an English
doctor – a female neurologist – complimented one another after solving the
tricky case by addressing one another as “my dear Watson” and “Sherlock.”) You
may want to check out the weekly series quickly, however. Fox pre-empted it
during most of its November sweeps, and one doesn’t need to be a Sherlock
Holmes to deduce that to mean that the show probably won’t be around much
longer.
The Eyre Affair: A Novel, by Jasper Fforde (Viking
Press, 2002; $23.95), envisions a modern England in which the Crimean War has
lasted for 130 years and one can visit the world of one’s favorite character in
literature through use of a Prose Portal transportation device, invented by a
scientist named Mycroft. After an evil mastermind named Archeron Hades steals
the device and begins killing off and kidnapping characters from famous books,
thus changing their stories forever, special operative Thursday Next must track
the villain down through various literary worlds and restore the course of
Victorian literature. And one of the worlds that she visits just happens to be
that of a certain consulting detective that we all know and love. Available at
most bookstores and online at such sites as Amazon.com.
Frank Thomas, author of a number of enjoyable Holmes
pastiches of the 1980s – and whom we mentioned last newsletter for a collection
of his short Holmes pastiches offered by Gryphon Books – has apparently
published another collection entitled The Secret Files of Sherlock Holmes (Xlibris
Corp., 2002, $20.99). We say “apparently,” as it’s not totally clear that this
is a different volume from his Gryphon collection, since Xlibris is a
print-on-demand publisher that doesn’t prevent an author from reselling a work
to another publisher. We’ve queried the author as to whether the Xlibris
collection is different from the Gryphon book, but have yet to receive a reply.
If we do, we’ll let you know. (And if anyone out there does know whether this
is a new or reprinted collection, please let us know.) In any event, the book
is available from Xlibris at www.xlibris.com and from Amazon.com at
www.amazon.com.
Those who’ve sampled the Ruse ongoing graphic
novel series from CrossGen Comics, featuring the Holmes-like private detective
Simon Archard, know how excellent the series is. (Although its original writer
has left the book, his replacement is doing a fine job so far, and the art
remains some of the best in the industry.) CrossGen has just released a new
series as a spinoff from Ruse, entitled Archard’s Agents. Issue 1
came out on December 26. This series focuses on the many agents that Archard
uses in his war against crime (reminiscent of Holmes, of course, who was the
inspiration for Archard). Archard and his “Watson,” the lovely Emma, make only
cameo appearances in this series. Based on only the first issue, however, it,
too, shows great promise.
Speaking of the all-too-limited genre of
Victorian-set or –inspired graphic novel series, Issue 4 of The League
of Extraordinary Gentleman, Vol. II, also finally arrived at stores on
December 26, only a mere two months late. (Those who read the first series may
recall how long were the periods between some of its issues.) The cover depicts
one of H.G. Wells’ Martian war machines in action. Undoubtedly, this issue will
quickly sell out, as have the previous three, so if it interests you, pick up a
copy soon!
We mentioned last newsletter the USA original movie Case
of Evil, which warned watchers to “forget everything you thought you knew
about Sherlock Holmes.” Sadly, the movie lived up to its own PR by not only
trashing much of the established Holmes mythos, according to the original
stories, but also by changing historical fact. The story took place in 1886,
for example, but the London underground was still under construction (a device
chosen, obviously, so that Holmes and Moriarty could have a dramatic scene in
the unfinished tunnels). In reality, the underground had been in existence for
decades by 1886. Nor had Holmes even met Watson by that year, in the movie,
although he had already tracked down and (or so he thought) dealt with
Professor Moriarty decisively. Almost nothing about the characters rang true to
the original stories or even to any previous cinematic portrayal. Holmes, aside
from being far too young and a womanizer to boot, simply failed to act even
remotely Sherlockian. Watson, who sported sparse blond chin whiskers, was
apparently a autopsy surgeon, as well as an inventor of such devices as a
gun-cane, and was also an insufferable prig until he finally warmed up to
Holmes. Mycroft was a skinny invalid who required crutches to walk, thanks to a
drug overdose he’d suffered at the hands of Professor Moriarty years earlier.
And Moriarty himself was played as a sort of evil fop, wearing brightly colored
top hats and portrayed by an actor who too closely resembled a young, hammy
William Shatner (a sort of combination of Captain Kirk and the Cat in the Hat).
And to top it off, he was the inventor of heroine! Only Lestrade seemed
anywhere near his canonical self, probably because his part was so small. The
story itself actually wasn’t nearly as bad as expected (other than the
historical and literary distortions), but it certainly was not in any sense a
Sherlock Holmes story. If you missed the premiere of this turkey, you really
didn’t miss much. Good for a few laughs here and there, but otherwise one of
the worst Holmes movies ever made.
We also mentioned last newsletter From Dark Pages,
the progressive mystery play run annually at the Morris Butler Home in
Indianapolis, which several Hated Rivals had a hand in creating a decade ago.
From reports we’ve heard of this year’s presentation, however, it appears that
the play has taken several wrong turns. Most of the original rooms in the show
– including those for Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, have been
removed and replaced with either obscure or nonliterary characters such as
Lizzie Border (undercutting the original concept of the play revolving around
Victorian horror classics). Plus the identity of Jack the Ripper has been
changed from the original culprit, Sir William Gull (at least a suspect who
can’t yet be proven not to have been the Ripper), to Eddie, the Duke of
Clarence and Queen Victoria’s grandson – an historical impossibility, as Eddie
was documented as being far out of London, at Sandhurst and elsewhere, on
several of the dates of the Ripper murders. Even worse is the fact that the
part of the original script where Holmes declares flatly that Eddie is not
the Ripper has been left in, making Holmes look as though he hasn’t a clue what
is going on – which was certainly not the case in the original show. Our
reporter also notes that the current actors have little feel for the many humorous
lines in the parts of the script that remain from the original version, leaving
the audience no time to react and reading them so flatly that few pick up on
them in the first place. Sad to hear, recalling what the original was like –
especially as the price has raised to $10/person from the $6.50 charged during
the two years the Rivals participated in the show (a real bargain, looking
back). Look for a future article in this newsletter for a nostalgic look back
at the creation and original presentations of From Dark Pages.
***
Coming Meetings!
Following is the schedule for
all our meetings for 2003. Check our Web site or Star Web page for updates. In
the meantime, set these dates aside to join the Hated Rivals at any of the
following soirées:
A Victorian Tea!
Sunday, January 5, 2003,
from 1:30 to 4 p.m.
The Hamilton County
Historical Society Old Jail Museum
810 Conner St., in
Noblesville, Indiana (on the Town Square)
Directions
and Details: Take
I-69 N. to S.R. 37 Noblesville; turn left at State Road 32 and on to the Square
– State Road 32 becomes Conner Street in Noblesville. Activities include a
Victorian Tea, a short business meeting, and the viewing of several 1950s
Sherlock Holmes half-hour videos, plus our annual fete to celebrate
Sherlock Holmes’ birthday and Sherlockian fellowship galore!
and . . .
Saturday, March 8: A Sherlockian Surprise!
(Location and festivities
TBA next newsletter)
Saturday, May 10: The “Train-ing” of Sherlock
Holmes
(A talk on Victorian
Railways; tentative location: The Indiana Transportation Museum)
Saturday, July 12: A Barker Birthday!
(Plus a discussion on
Victorian archeology; location TBA)
Saturday, September 13: Cooking Out with Sherlock
Holmes
(A canonical cookout [what
else?]; tentative location: Barker’s backyard)
Saturday, November 8: Mayhem, Menace, and
Moriarty!
(A talk on crime in
Victorian London; location TBA)
plus . . .
More videos, more
Sherlockian music, and lots more period flavor throughout 2003!
For
more information, contact us c/o Bill Barton, P.O. Box 26290, Indianapolis, IN
46226-0290; or Mimi DeMore, P.O. Box 482, Fishers, IN 46038. E-mail us at
postmaster@surrey-shore.freeservers.com or at ladymolly@hotmail.com. (And don’t
forget to venture online to check out our Hated Rivals Web site at http://surrey-shore.freeservers.com
or our Indy Star Web page at http://community.indystar.com/928/ for
recent updates.) See you again back on the ol’ Surrey Shore, where the game’s
always afoot!