Bryan Charles Waller in the records

Bryan Charles Waller intrigues me and his role in the Doyle family life makes me wonder. So every now and then I'll add another time-point document from Waller's life here as a growing blog post.

Birth of Waller in 1853

Baptisms in the Parish of Thornton in Lonsdale, Yorkshire, England

When baptized: 1853 October 2nd

Child's Christian Name: Bryan Charles son of

Parents: Nicholas and Julia Perry Waller

Abode: Masongill House

Quality, Trade or Profession: Gentleman

Registered in UK Medical Register from August 1875

UK and Ireland, Medical Registers, 1859-1943

WALLER, Bryan Charles

Masongill House, Cowan Bridge, Kirkby Lonsdale

Registered 1875, Aug 7 in Scotland

Qualifications: 

Lic. R. Coll. Phys. Edin. 1875

Lic. 1875, Fell. 1879 Royal Coll. Surg. Edin.

M.B., Mast. Surg. 1876, M.D. 1878, Univ. Edin.

At Arthur's wedding in 1885

A family holiday - an interesting note in 1889. The Doyle's all together holidaying in the village of Askrigg, located at the center of Askrigg. The King's Arms Hotel at Askrigg operates today still. It appears ACD and his wife Touie are present, along with ACD's mother-in-law Emily Hawkins (who lived at Masongill also). 

Craven Herald - Saturday 03 August 1889

ASKRIGG. VISITORS - At the King's Arms Hotel: ... Mr and Mrs Doyle, and MissesConstance, Adelaide, and Julia Doyle, Masongill Cottage, Kirkby Lonsdale ; Miss Emily Hawkins, Southsea ; Bryan Charles Waller, Masongill House, Kirkby Lonsdale....

Waller and Mary Doyle in 1891 census - Bryan Waller appears at Masongill in 1891 with two servants. In the next property entry Mary Foley and her daughter (Bryan) Mary J J Doyle are living at Masongill Cottage. She had been named after Waller.

Masongill House

Bryan C Waller, Head, 39, Single, Living on his own means ; Duly registered medical practitioner as consulting physician, born Thornton-in-Lonsdale, Yorks

Elizabeth Cregan, Servant, 38, Single, Cook domestic servant, born Yarm, Yorks

Margaret Blamire, Servant,  29, Single, Housemaid, born Whittingtonm Lancashire

Masongill Cottage

Mary J.E. Doyle, Head, 53, Married, No occupation, born Ireland

Mary J.J. Doyle, Daughter, 14, Single, born Scotland

Marriage of Waller in 1896 - Waller marred at the age of 43. What was he waiting for? Was he hopnig for marriage with someone else? Was Waller waiting for Mary Doyle to be single? If so, ACD's father Charles died in 1893 so he had a window. 

1896 Marriages in the Parish of St Andrew's and St Leonard's in the County of Fife
When, where and how married: 11th August 1896 at the Episcopal Church of St Andrew's, St Andrew's. 

Bryan Charles Waller, Landed proprietor, Bachelor, age 43

    Usual residence: Masongill House, Thornton-in-Lonsdale

    Parents: Nicholas Waller, Landed proprietor (deceased) & Julia Perry Waller nee Parker (deceased)

Ada Roberts, spinster, aged 29

    Usual residence: College Gate, St Andrew's

    Parents: Alexander Roberts, Professor of Humanity, United College St Andrew's & Mary Ann Roberts nee ???

Witnesses: A.R. Roberts & M.A. Roberts (parents)

The wedding was noticed in the papers, as one might expect:

Preston Herald - Saturday 15 August 1896
WALLER-ROBERTS - August 11, at the Episcopal Church, St Andrew's N.B., by the Rev. J.G. Owen, incumbent, Bryan Charles Waller, of Masongill House, Kirkby Lonsdale, to Ada, sixth daughter of Alexander Roberts, D.D., Professor of Humanity in the University of St. Andrew's.

They had no children.

1899 - Marriage of Miss Bryan Doyle to Rev Angell. This Doyle family wedding was held at Masongill where Mary Doyle was living.

The Queen - Saturday 22 April 1899

FASHIONABLE MARRIAGES. ANGELL-DOYLE.

MISS BRYAN DOYLE, youngest sister of A. Conan Doyle, was married on Tuesday last week to the Rev. C. C. Angell, B.A., Cantab., the well-known athlete. The great popularity of the youthful bride drew a large congregation to the the fine old parish church of Thornton-in-Lonsdale, which was profusely decorated with white flowers, Easter lilies, floral arches, and other emblems of rejoicing. The service was choral, the hymns being sung by the school children. The bride wore an ivory white satin Duchesse gown trimmed with antique point de Venice lace, orange blossoms, pearls, and silver chiffon, a small coronet of the flowers among her dark hair, and a Brussels net veil. Her Court train of white brocade, which suited her tall and slender figure, was carried by her little nephew, Mastor Oscar Hornung. The three bridesmaids were very tastefully dressed in cashmere trimmed with lace and chiffon, each dress of a different colour, a soft shade of green, blue, and lavender, with picture hats of cream lace. The bride was given away by her mother, who wore a silver grey poplin costume and pale pink toque, and who afterwards entertained a large party of friends at Masongill Cottage. The newly-married pair travelled to London by the evening mail, en route for Paris, where they are passing their honeymoon.

Mrs Doyle at Masongill

Lancaster Standard and County Advertiser - Friday 07 August 1903
Perhaps it is not generally known that the mother of Sir Conan Doyle lives in the Lune Valley. She has a pretty house in the tiny hamlet of Masongill and may be often seen on a Sunday morning driving to the old church at Thornten-in-Lonsdale in a wicker pony-chaise, accompanied by her maid. Mrs. Doyle, though apparently more than the alloted three score years and ten, appears still active and robust. She always wears spectacles and, it is said, occupies a good deal of her time in revising proofs of her son's writings. 

Death of Bryan Charles Waller, 1932

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 08 November 1932

WALLER - November 4, at Masongill House, Ingleton, Yorkshire, BRYAN CHARLES WALLER - Interment at St. Oswald's, Thornton-in-Lonsdale, near Ingleton, to-day (Tuesday), November 8 at 2:30 pm.

Buried in St Oswald Churchyard, Thornton-in-Lonsdale, North Yorkshire, England

In Memory of Nicholas Waller

of Masongill House

Born 29th May 1802

Died 12th March 1877

Also his wife Julia Perry Waller

Born July 13th 1813

Died May 28th 1887

Also their son Bryan Charles Waller

Born at Masongill House, July 27th 1853

And died there November 4th, 1932

Ada did not die till 1951.

46th Saturdays with Sherlock Holmes at the Pratt Central Library, 1 Nov 2025

TLDR: The event was streamed this year and can be watched at the Youtube link down the page!

Each year since 1980, Sherlockians have gathered in November at the Enoch Pratt Central Library in Baltimore for a series of Sherlockian presentations. It was originally called the 'Weekend With Sherlock Holmes' with the first day for Sherlockian presentations, and the second day for a Sherlock film screening and discussion. Over time it evolved into Saturday-only, and that is the current format. 

This year the 'Saturday with Sherlock Holmes' returned, the 46th event, organized and hosted by Andy Solberg BSI. Each year a theme is introduced as a guiding principle, and this year it was "Our favorite parts of the canon". 

The agenda included Daniel Thomas BSI who has presented at all but one of the 46 meetings held to date! The agenda is shown below:

Agenda

Andy Solberg - Welcome, and My Favorite Passage - A Study in Scarlet

Daniel Thomas - Morley's In Memoriam Sherlock Holmes

Matt Hall - Simon Goodenough's Sherlockian Murder Dossiers

Evelyn Herzog - A Case of Identity to Copper Beeches

S. Brent Morris - The Red Headed League

Deborah Clark - Holmes and Watson: Examples of Friendship

Carla Coupe - The Hound (Especially Chapters 1-2, 6, 12-14

The talks were wonderful. Andy Solberg opened with a delightful set of text from Study in Scarlet. Dan Thomas selected Christopher Morley's In Memoriam: Sherlock Holmes, first published in 1930. Aside from the merits of Morley's column, Morley was a native of Baltimore, and described visiting the Pratt Library in this article to read Doyle:

One walked downtown to the old Enoch Pratt Free Library on Mulberry Street in Baltimore and got out a book-- The Firm Of Girdlestone, or The Captain of the Pole Star, or Beyond The City, or A Duet, or Round The Red Lamp, or The Stark Munro Letters or The Doings of Raffles Haw. For this I specialized chiefly in the lesser known tales, and regret Sir Arthur's tendency (in his autobiography) to make light of some of these yarns. As for The White Company and The Refugees and Micah Clarke and Uncle Bernac, these were household words. When one found at the library a Conan Doyle he had not read, he began it at once on the walk home. It was quite a long trudge from Mulberry Street to the 2000 block on Park Avenue, and the tragedy often was that, loitering like a snail, almost like the locomotion of a slowed moving picture, the book was actually finished by the time one got home. There wall all the journey to do over again the next day.

Dan (a divorce attorney) concluded with a delightful aside on Conan Doyle, and the long wait for his second marriage. Worth listening to! Evy spoke about stories in the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and Brent Morris explained the fifth proposition of Euclid mentioned in the 'Sign of Four'. Debbie Clark spoke about the friendship between Watson and Holmes through the canon (another area of Morley expertise), and Carla Coupe ended with a beautiful description of the Hound of the Baskervilles (my favorite too!).

My talk was an extension of a blog post I'd written a while ago about my favorite publications of stories in the canon: Simon Goodenough's Sherlock Holmes Murder Dossiers. At some point soon a completed version will be available as an article.

I don't have to give detailed summaries because the Pratt Library streamed the event live, and the Youtube recording is already available!

Timestamps (to allow people to jump to a specific talk)

Andy Solberg Introduction: 0 min

Daniel Thomas: 18 min 05 sec

Matt Hall: 45 min

Evelyn Herzog: 59 min 30 sec

S. Brent Morris: 1 h 13 min 05 sec

Deborah Clark: 1 h 50 min 00 sec

Carla Coupe: 2 h 05 min 45 sec

The end of the presentations are followed by an inquisition, where each speaker asks a question related to their talk.

To round out this record of a wonderful Sherlockian day, here are photographs of the speakers, with thanks to Greg Ruby.

Andy Solberg

Daniel Thomas

Evelyn Herzog

S. Brent Morris

Deborah Clark

Carla Coupe

Till 2026 !!

Lilian Wheeler, a Sherlockian actor

In my meanderings through old newspapers, I cam across this reference to an Australian actor performing with William Gillette in the play "Sherlock Holmes".

The Telegraph (Brisbane), Sat 15 Feb 1902

Australian Actress.

Miss Lilian Wheeler in London.

Engaged in "Sherlock Holmes" at Lyceum Theatre. London. February 14.

Miss Lilian Wheeler, an Australian actress who formerly was a member of Mr. Rignold's company, has been engaged to succeed Miss Charlotte Granville in the part Madge Larra-

bee in "Sherlock Holmes," a play which has been running successfully at the

Lyceum Theatre since September 9 last. Miss Wheeler will accompany Mr. William Gillette's company when " Sherlock Holmes" is taken on tour in tlie United States and Australia in 1903.

Kalgoorlie Western Argus (WA), Tue 11 Mar 1902 

Lilian Wheeler, the Australian acttess who joins William Gillette in order to play Madge Larrabee in "Sherlock Holmes," is a native of Daylesford, Vic. (says the "Critic"). She walked on with Bland Holt for a year before George Rignold gave her a chance as Hetty Preene in "The Lights of London." In three months she was playing lead. She tours America and Australia with Gillette.

But by May 1902, the The Bendigo Independent reported that "A chance for which most young aspirants to theatrical fame would have given years of their life fell to Miss Lilian Wheeler, when she was engaged to play lead in Mr. William Gillette's production of "Sherlock Holmes" at the Lyceum Theatre, with the English provinces, America, and Australia to follow. Miss Wheeler has since retired from the cast in London, but will join the touring company." 

The 'Newsletter' that same month shared that this was due to Wheeler's health: 'I regret to state that owing to illness Miss Lilian Wheeler has been obliged to resign her part in Mr. Wm. Gillette's Sherlock Holmes Company. The Newsletter wishes the clever little lady a quick return to health and the 'boards' again.'

Wheeler recovered - the play toured the UK. The 'Pall Mall Gazette for Saturday 14 June 1902 stated that 'Miss Lilian Wheeler, the beautiful young actress who is playing the part of Madge Larrabee in Sherlock Holmes at Brighton this week, is an Australian, and is properly proud of the fact she only came the “Old Country” in January, and this is her first part in England.' 'The Era' for Saturday 21 June 1902 reported that in the Portsmouth performance 'Miss Lillian Wheeler is excellent as Madge Larrabee'.

Was Lilian Wheeler the Australian Sherlockian actress? The tour to Australia did not happen, but Gillette did take the play to the US. Wheeler does not appear to have joined the tour.

A 1902 article when Wheeler burst onto the scene in London provides some background on her:

Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News - Saturday 05 April 1902

MISS LILIAN WHEELER. 

Miss Lilian Wheeler, who has joined Charles Frohman and is to play the part of Madge Larrabee in Sherlock Holmes, at the Kennington Theatre, is an Australian who has secured for herself a very enviable position in the Australian theatrical world. When engaged by Mr. Frohman, she was practically at the head of her profession there. Miss Wheeler comes from Victoria, and has had to make her own way in the world, she having lost her people when quite a child. She graduated from the University of Melbourne, and to enable her to gain her footing in the theatrical world, she was obliged to teach at a school for some con siderable time. When she got her chance, however, her promotion came very rapidly, and in three years she had reached the top of the tree. Miss Wheeler is described as a very beautiful woman, tall, athletic, and a dashing horsewoman.

Wheeler did travel to the US in 1905 to join her actor husband actor Ernest Mainwaring. and died in New York.

The World's News (Sydney, NSW), Sat 20 Jan 1906

Great regret was expressed in theatrical circles—and, indeed, the playgoing public shared a similar feeling— when the cable informed us of the untimely death of Miss Lilian Wheeler, who, after she went abroad, became Mrs. Ernest Mainwaring (pronounced Mannering), her husband being the son of a distinguished English general. Miss Wheeler will be well recollected in Australia, and especially Sydney, where, at Her Majesty's Theatre, she established the acting reputation of the house when it was controlled by a former lessee. She is probably best remembered as the Desdemona in Mr. George Rignold's production of "Othello." Her beauty, together with great histrionic ability, made her stage success complete. 

Miss Wheeler's death occurred in New York, where she had gone from London to join her husband, who was touring in Texas; and her remains were translated thence to England and laid to rest in the Mainwaring family vault. A pathetic illustration of a woman's friendship peeped out of the advertising pages of "The Daily Telegraph" (Sydney) recently, and here it follows in its simple eloquence:—

WHEELER.—In loving memory of Lilian Wheeler (Mrs. Ernest Mainwaring), who died in New York November, 1905, aged 28 years.

"Under the shadow of Thy wings she has found rest."

—Inserted by her devoted friend, Mary Alexia St. H. Cussack.

At some point I'll add some genealogical information on Wheeler's parents/birth in Australia. As the article above states, while Lilian died in New York, her remains were transported back to England for burial in Cheshire. She is buried at the Overleigh Old Cemetery. 

In loving memory of 

Lilian Maud

Wife of Ernest Charles Mainwaring

Who died 11th November 1905

Aged 29 years

"Blessed Are The Pure In Heart, For They Shall See God."

Lilian shared the story of her Australian upbringing with several newspapers, and these help identify Lilian's life events in Victoria. Here I have abstracted information related to Lilian's past:

Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW)

Saturday 25 March 1899

"My father died when I was hardly more than an infant, my mother about ten years later. I scarcely remember her, but her friends all tell me that she was a very beautiful and highly educated woman, and a brilliant conversationalist. I was born in Castlemaine, Victoria, and it was there that my mother for several years edited the local paper, the 'Castlemaine Representative.' After her death I lived with Mr. and Mrs. T.R. Andrews, in Melbourne, and to them I am indebted for both my education and a home. Mrs. Andrews, a splendid elocution-teacher, gave me instruction in voice-production, but I always refused to learn recitation, although fully determined that some day I would go on the stage. I studied physiology and anatomy under Mrs. Andrews in connection with voice-production, and all my spare hours were occupied in learning by heart...."

I have not yet identified her birth registration, but other information fits together genealogically. I'll lay that out here to give a sense of Lilian's family.

Castlemaine was a gold rush town, located mid-way between Bendigo and Ballarat. Gold had been disclosed in 1851, and the population exploded to 25,000 within months. By the mid-1860s and into the 1870s when the rush was well past, Castlemaine had stabilized as a rural city with a population over 5,000. 

Lilian's parents married in 1865 - Joseph married Elizabeth Reseigh MARTIN in a church that still stands in Castlemaine:

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)  Thu 24 Aug 1865
WHEELER-MARTIN - On the 17th inst., at Christ Church, Castlemaine, by the Rev. J.C.P. Allnutt, Joseph Wheeler, photographer, late of Bath, Somerset, to Elizabeth Reseigh, only daughter of Edward Martin, secretary Gas Company, Castlemaine.

(As an aside, there's a scandalous report in the Farmer's Journal and Gardener's Chronicle , Saturday 24 October 1863, page 7) regarding a man who dressed as a woman and soliciting sex (prostitution). Joseph Wheeler, aged 19, gave evidence as he had " first formed acquaintance with the prisoner about seventeen months ago, and believing him a female had been betrayed into an intimacy with him."... shades of the Sherlock story "A Case of Identity").

Joseph died in early 1875, shortly after Lilian was born:

Advocate (Melbourne, Vic), Sat 30 Jan 1875

The death of Mr. Joseph Wheeler, proprietor of the Castlemain Representative, is announced. He had long been ailing, and leaves a widow and two children.

Joseph was buried at Castlemaine General Cemetery, with Elizabeth's parents. Underneath Joseph's details are those of two other WHEELER's - the details are hard to read - they may be children or they may be relatives of Joseph.

Joseph Wheeler

William Wight Wheeler

Caroline Lucina Wight Wheeler 

That same year (1875), the widow Elizabeth re-married - named Lisa Reseigh Wheeler - to John Nightingale. 

Aged around eight, Lilian then lost her mother in 1883:

Advocate (Melbourne, Vic), Sat 27 Jan 1883

Mrs. Elizabeth R. Nightingale, who for several years has conducted the Castlemaine Representative Newspaper, died there on Monday night. She had been suffering from disease of the heart.

Elizabeth was buried on her own at Castlemaine General Cemetery. 

Erected by her children to the memory of

Elizabeth R. Nightingale

Who died 21st Jan 1883

in her 41st year

John Nightingale was not mentioned in Lilian's short interview text above - and this may be a sore point. Nevertheless, when Elizabeth died (Lilian's mother), probate included a small statement regarding her children.

Victorian Probate, 1883

That the said deceased left her surviving me her husband and her children by a former marriage namely Harold Casteldine ?? Wight Wheeler, and Lily Frances Maud Reseigh Wheeler and one child by me namely Neville Nightingale.

Perhaps Lilian Maud Wheeler was a stage name.... or perhaps it was just a simplification of her very long name.

Lilian provides a synopsis of her time after her mother's death, raised by a couple with the surname ANDREWS. Records show Lilian sailing for England in 1901, where she quickly impressed.

In 1904, Lilian married:

Bristol Times and Mirror - Monday 27 June 1904

Mr. Ernest Mainwaring, son of General W.G. Mainwaring, C.I.E., late I.S.C., and Miss Lilian Maud Wheeler, younger daughter of Mr. Joseph Wheeler, of Victoria, Australia.

Here is a summary of the information on Lilian's death certification in New York:

One final point, Lilian's mother and father with their newspaper activities were moving in the same time and place as Mary Fortune. Perhaps they met!

Watson's Tin Box meeting summary - October 20, 2025

Each third Monday of the month, the Watson's Tin Box of Ellicott City scion meets -at Union Jack's in Columbia MD and we gathered on Monday October 20 for another great gathering of members - 25 in total. This included THREE first-time attendees!!

In fact, I took a census of where people attended the meeting from (MD locations unless otherwise stated): Baltimore; Bowie; Carol County; Columbia; DC; Darnestown; Ellicott City; Fairfax VA; Frederick; Gaithersburg; Gambrils; Harford County; Sandy Spring; Silver Spring; Westminster. Quite a mix!

Along with our three first-timers, we have two NEW MEMBERS, who were attending their second meeting: Michelle March and Michael Ravnitzky. 

The story of the meeting was The Adventure of the Three Students.

After introductions, we moved to the toasts. Both toasts this evening were sourced form the same place: Ross Davies' wonderful Sherlockian toasts archive. If you ever write and deliver a Sherlockian toast, you can submit it for posterity, and for others to use!

Michelle March delivered the toast to 'The Woman' (Irene Adler), using a toast written by Karen Ellery for the Norwegian Explorers at the height of COVID:

Here's my contribution to keep the show hummin':
I've been asked by our host now to toast to The Woman.

No Victorian Violet did Sir Arthur create:
I would say that this lady is quite up to date.
And just how is this gal's Scandal modern, you ask
(Aside from the man who was wearing a mask)?
Well, this Diva who bravely rebuffed threats and slurs, she
Was, of course, born in the state of NEW Jersey.
She knew her own worth and accepted no dis,
And I'll mention she ventured at times from straight Cis.
Her wedding was tight, and although there was no vid
Its limited guest list would work now with COVID.
She outwitted the Master and there on the shelf, she
Left him with-- what else? Of course, 'twas a selfie.
So let's toast her with pride and without censure, yes,
That With-It and Well-Known Adventuress!
Irene Adler!

Liane Luini then presented a toast written by Tin Box member Nea Dodson, originally delivered at a Watson’s Tin Box meeting in October 2015 (exactly 10 years earlier). A really delightful and creative toast on the Tin Box itself:

A doctor, a soldier, and a trusted right-hand man
He thought it was all over when shot in Afghanistan

How little did he know that his life would just now start
When Stamford introduced him to that weird guy at St. Bart

Sherlock liked to think he was the greatest problem solver
But Watson could cure anything with brandy or revolver

From vampires to napoleons, missing bride to glowing hound
He followed Sherlock faithfully — and then he wrote it down

But — 60 stories only! How paltry! What a loss!
Except…there are more waiting in a bank at Charing Cross
Just as Watson never lived and thus can never die
He has left behind adventures that never can run dry

Like the pledge before school classes, anthem before a game
Almost every pastiche has disclaimer just the same:
“I didn’t make this up, I found these notes” they claim
“In a battered old dispatch box painted with his name!”

So let us lift our glasses, let us shout “Hear, hear!”
To noble Doctor Watson, Sherlock’s and our dear
But also to the dusty vault beneath the bank of Cox
Protecting for eternity our Watson’s Tin Box

In the spirit of Halloween, Carle Coupe then called for toasts to 'creepy things' in the Canon - among those shouted out were the Hound; the Creeping Man ; the cut-off tress of hair found in a locked drawer by Violet Hunter, and many others! 'Augustus Miltervon - creepy or just a creep?' pondered Karen Wilson.

This toast followed by the traditional Haiku for the story was delivered by Tom Fahres:

Write of three students.
Mystery trope’s a red herring
The BUTLER! did it?

We then moved on to Announcements - including some show-and-tell! By the way, if you're looking for things to do - you can keep track of all Sherlockian events at.... http://www.sherlockiancalendar.com 

• Tom Fahres has organized a local SPODE gathering 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday October 23 at the King Street Oyster Bar (Potomac). 
• November 1st is the 46th Annual 'Sherlock Holmes at the Pratt Free Library' - lots of details in the link, and it will include presentations from several members of WTB.
• We were reminded that the Irene's Cabinet publication from WTB will return in 2026. The deadline for submissions to Jacquelynn Bost-Morris is December 15.
• The Red Circle of Washtington DC has announced its 75th Anniversary celebrations on November 15, featuring the U.S. Premiere of three restored Eille Norwood "Silent Sherlock" films and a Celebration Dinner. Keep track on the Red Circle web site for more details.
• Megan Homme is organizing the next meeting of The Naval Treaty of Annapolis, at St. Paul Church in Crownsville, MD on November 16th at 2pm. They will be discussing and watching the Granada version of the Empty House. If you'd like to know more about this group, here's a recent newspaper article.
• The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes (ASH) will hold their fall (autumn) luncheon in New York City on Saturday, November 8.
• The DC Whiskey and Sodality meeting will again take place on Sunday, November 23, 2 pm at Shelly's Back Room, 1331 F Street NW. Contact Terry McCammon for details. "Excellent ventilation, excellent pub type food. Good whisky and draft beer list. I have cigars to share." Smoking optional ; ventilation excellent.
• Olivia Millunzi pointed the group to Otto Penzler's book 'Christmas Crimes at the Mysterious Bookshop', where each of the twelve stories are at Christmas, involve a crime, and are set in the famous Mysterious Bookstore - just in time for the holidays!
• John Hebeler capped it off, bringing his 1970s high school essay on Sherlock Holmes (recently rediscovered!) for which he got an A+ !  There was much cheering. If anyone wants to listen any or all of the 50 Sherlock Holmes radio shows staring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, please get in touch with John and he will give you access.
• Greg Ruby announced that there will be a Sherlockian tour of Maryland in Spring 2026, and he's looking for expressions of interest. A range of sites with strong and not-so-strong ties to the canon will be visited. I assume/hope Poe's grave is on the list! Christopher Morley's childhood home is one site that will be visited. I hope they consider Eldersburg MD.

To the story of the evening - 'The Three Students'. Debbie Clark gave an overview of the items in the evidence box. A reminder that you can browse the Evidence Box items at our website, but here are some photos of the laid-out evidence. What do you recognize from the story?

Above: I have to say that my favorite thing in the Evidence Box are the running spikes (at top right of this general view of the table) because they are clearly authentic to the period (1895!).

 

 

Left: The proofs for the examination (to translate a tract of Thucydides) ; Right: A photograph of Gilchrist in academic garb, a postcard of the college, and the very key that Bannister left in the door.

Left: a collection of Johann Faber pencils, and a badge of the Rhodesian Police; Right: A postcard for the shipping line that sailed for South Africa, and Gilchrist's letter to Soames.

The discussion of the story was fun. The story of an obvious attempt to access the examination papers prior to a scholarship examination. Did the butler do it? No, but he did aid and abet. Could the police have been called in? Lorraine and Dana shared their perspectives working at academic institutions and how 'cheating' is dealt with. Perhaps the police could have dealt with the matter of entry into the office - Sheridan (a first-timer!) addressed some of the potential legal avenues. Grant (another first-timer!!) discussed the electric lamp referenced in the story, and the implications for where (Oxford, Cambridge, Durham?) this could have taken place. The volume of Klinger was waved around the room in support of an argument. It was suggested that Doyle may have written this story having visited his sons at colleges. Gilchrist heading for South Africa may not have been an ideal scenario him, particularly given that the Boer war was only a few years away (1899). Olivia used her reference librarian skills to point out that Rhodesia existed as a place, but was not an independent country till 1965. How do you even pronounce Thucydides, asked Michael.

All in all it was a real shame that a rugby player came to no good. The question I didn't get to ask - should Bannister have been fired? Were there any ramifications for him??

I gave the presentation for the evening, a tale for which the world is not prepared. So I'll write about it some other time.

And so to the quiz. Sometimes I say 'there was a quiz'. Tonight there was a quiz thanks to our Tantalus Olivia Millunzi. 

But before the quiz got underway there was a twist. Michelle had created an amazing prize. Last month, we discussed the 'Golden Pince Nez', and the gulag. Michele went away and created an amazing 'Gulag Goodie Bag' - truly amazing - containing an 'unfinished business loan', a 'map of estranged spouse's home', 'Sun-Pince-Nez' (AMAZING), and six poison phials - from Gulag Value Store (GVS), each poison is created to work i a specific way. 

Thankfully Melissa created a guide and I took some photos so that the goody bag will be recorded for future generations to marvel at.

 

Left: the tote bag. Gulag never looked so good! Right: The contents.

Above: A guide to the contents - hilarious and amazing.

Above: Each vial (phial !!) of poison was labeled with precision.

Above: The GVS poison labels - absolutely hilarious - make sure you zoom in and read the important information for how each poison works.

Above: My favorite important instructions.

AND THIS WAS THE PRIZE FOR THE QUIZ. Olivia managed an aggressively enthusiastic group of quiz-takers who smelt a genuine Sherlockian rarity, and congratulations to Lorraine for taking home the goody bag (literally). Thank you Michelle for making the quiz even more fun!!

See you in November! Please get in touch through the Watson's Tin Box website if you'd like to know more. (And if you have corrections for this blog post - please let me know - all suggested edits welcome).