The first meeting of the Bowery Ruffians !

I recently posted about the creation of the Bowery Ruffians, and am now returning from the FIRST MEETING of the Bowery Ruffians as part of the wonderful set of events that are collectively called the 'Baker Street Irregulars weekend' (sic). The Bowery features in the only mention of New York in the Canon, in the Red Circle: "Gennaro was able to do a service to an Italian gentleman--he saved him from some ruffians in the place called the Bowery, and so made a powerful friend."

Left: Bowery. Right: Some Ruffians wait for The Wren to open (while a piano is wheeled down the street.... credit: Max Magee).

The rules? It takes at least two, the meeting must take place in the Bowery, and the only toasts can be to those nefarious criminals and ne'er-do-wells in the canon.

On Thursday 16th we gather at The Wren, a bar in the Bowery. Many had drifted over from a long lunch at the historic McSorley's Old Ale House. Each person who arrived was handed an agenda and a pin. The pin was designed by Kyle Brimacombe, and the rabbit and top hat motifs represent two prominent Bowery gangs in the 1850s onwards: The Bowery Boys were an anti-Catholic, anti-Irish criminal gang known for their top hats ; and the Dead Rabbits were an Irish Catholic gang.

 

There was a great turnout of first-time Ruffians, with possibly over 30 Sherlockians in attendance. Even the bar staff (thrilled with the business at 3 pm on a Thursday) were presented with pins.

After welcoming the Ruffians and outlining the rules of the gang, we got down to the real business.

Mickey Fromkin BSI ASH delivered the very first toast ever, and appropriately it was to a Red Circle character: Giuseppe Gorgiano. Mickey wrote this toast specifically for the meeting, and delivered it by heart:

Giuseppe Gorgiano,

He fills us with dread.

His beard it was black

And his circle was red. 

He threatened the Luccas,

Gennaro and wife,

Pursued them to London 

And paid with his life. 

I hereby declare this toast be recited by someone at every meeting of the Bowery Ruffians!! Next, Madeline Quiñones (of Michigan) toasted Moriarty, and then Rudy Altergott BSI (of Illinois) toasted Old Patrick (from The Dancing Men). I then called out for other toasts, not knowing what to expect. 

To my delight, we had some hits! First were a set of dueling toasts for two characters in the Hound of the Baskervilles from Karen Ellery (of Minnesota) and Carl Stix (of Nevada), in that order. 

KE:

The choice of a villain's a tough one, 
Hence this pause to review the right stuff... 

One Has, from his first showing, 

Set my dogged heart glowing: 

To The Hound! 

He's UNIQUELY a RUFF-ian!

CS responded from the other end of the bar:

Those who believe the hound is a villain are barking up the wrong tree. 
Stapleton is the villain of the story, as only a Ruffian would use a dog

-- a creature of love and devotion -- in such nefarious ways. 

Here is to Rodger Baskerville!

Fantastic! Max Magee (of Wisconsin) followed with a toast to Moriarty, and finally I toasted the Bowery Ruffians!

The toasts are underway! (Credit: Max Magee).

If you have a drink in the Bowery and quietly toast one of the many nefarious characters in the Canon, send me a photo and I'll send you a pin! 

Frustrated you can only be a Bowery Ruffian in New York? Don't be. If you have a drink with people anywhere with Bowery in the name, and it counts. For example you might be at Bowery Creek in the Catskills NY, or the community of Oak Bowery in Alabama, or Bowery Kitchen & Bar in Katoomba, New South Wales. They all count! Send a photo, and I'll send the pins!

   Credit: Karen Ellery