Six Napoleons of Baltimore dinner - 26th September 2025

The Six Napoleons of Baltimore met at its now-traditional venue - the Maryland Club. This meeting had a wonderful group of out-of-town visitors - and it was pointed out that there were over forty attendees, remarkable growth and a return to the glory days thanks to Greg Ruby's work to create a sense of occasion around the meetings. 

The agenda was as follows:

What a room! Toasts were delivered by P.J. Sullivan (NH), Lauren Cercone, Karen Wilson, and Liane Luini. Liane used a toast written by Paul Churchill which was very touching.

We then moved into the dining room.... yet another beautiful room! This was Karen Wilson's last meeting as Gasogene of the Six Napoleons (more of that later). We stood on the terrace for two recently deceased Napoleons (George White CLII, and Ken McQuage CLXV), and then tucked into dinner.

To be indicted as a Napoleon, one needs to accomplish several things. The first of these is to withstand the inquisition. 'Postulants' are examined by a group of Napoleons, to determine whether their knowledge of the Canon is up to scratch. The inquisitors then report to the group, with great humor, on the performance of those postulants.

Another requirement is to deliver a paper at a Six Napoleons dinner. There were two papers delivered. The first was by Bob Sharfman BSI, who seditiously distributed 'Vote for Moriarty' pins at the opening of his presentation! 

Steve Doyle then spoke about Lord Peter Wimsey and Sherlock Holmes. This covered two of my favorite people in one talk. Even better, Steve strayed into Wodehouse and drew a parallel between Bunter and Jeeves. Really delightful, and I hope Steve will publish this paper at some point.

A delightful feature of each meeting is the recitation of 'A Musgrave Ritual'. Mike McSwiggin, a Maryland native, stepped up for this, then stripped off to reveal an Orioles shirt with a big reveal on the back:

Not bad for a pharmacist ;)

THREE new Napoleons were inducted - Bob Sharfman, Steve Doyle, and Ray Betzner (all BSIs and now Napoleons also). Congratulations and welcome to each of them!

The evening ended with the announcement of the new Gasogene. Each Gasogene serves a two-year term, and Karen Wilson announced that the Gasogene for 2026/2027 will be Henry Wegrocki. I managed to capture Karen and Henry at the exact moment that power transferred. Congratulations to Henry, and thank you to Karen for leading the Six Napoleons through their first two years of this new meeting format.

The meeting provided an opportunity for seven of eight members of an elite unit to gather together. 

The Dancing Men Scourers: Front: Greg Ruby BSI, Back left to right: Ross Davies BSI, Olivia Millunzi, Victoria Wood, Bruce Harris BSI, Ira Matetsky BSI, the author.

There was no mistaking it for anything but a newly-dug grave

This is a little unusual as a post, but I thought I'd catalog the final resting places of early Sherlockians. This idea partly came to me when I was recently writing about John Bennett Shaw (more of which some other day) and spent some time seeking out at his grave (digitally unfortunately).

It made me wonder - do any of those Sherlockians have an indicator on their grave of their great interest? Or some other symbology representing aspects of their life and beliefs? It also struck me that this could be the start of a list of sites to visit... a bucket bucket list, if you will.

Let's take a look at some, in roughly chronological order. 

PLEASE NOMINATE SHERLOCKIANS YOU'D LIKE ME TO ADD TO THIS LIST.

Arthur Conan Doyle. Technically, a Scottish Sherlockian.

The grave of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 – 1930), creator of the world's most famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, is under a large tree in Minstead churchyard in the New Forest District, Hampshire, England. This is Doyle's second grave. He was first buried at Windlesham Manor, then moved around 1955. 

Steel true, Blade straight

Arthur Conan Doyle, Knight

Patriot, Physician, & Man of Letters

22 May 1859 - 7 July 1930

And his beloved wife

Jean Conan Doyle

Reunited 27 June 1940

It's interesting that Jean is listed as reunited.... I assumed they were in constant contact through seance after Doyle's death.

Sidney Edward Paget. The famous English illustrator of Sherlock. 

The grave of Sidney Paget (1860 – 1908), the man who created the first famous images of Sherlock Holmes, is buried in East Finchley Cemetery in the north of London, England.

To the

dear memory of

Sidney Paget

who died January 28th. 1908,

aged 47 years.

"Until the day dawn."

And of Edith, his wife.

1865-1942

Two other sides of the grave marker indicate two children buried at the same plot: "And of Leslie Robert, Their Son 1894-1942. Died on Active Service." and "And of Beryl May Their Daughter 1902-1955".

George Newnes. The published of the Strand Magazine.

The grave of Sir George Newnes, 1st Baronet (1851 – 1910), the man who founded the Strand Magazine and brought the short stories of Sherlock to the world, is buried in Lynton Old Cemetery, Lynton, North Devon District, Devon, England. 

In loving memory of 

Sir George Newnes, Bart

?????

Died June 9, 1910

Aged 58 years

Frederic Dorr Steele. The famous American illustrator of Sherlock.

The grave of Frederic Dorr Steele (1873 – 1944), the man who immortalized the image of Sherlock in America, is buried in Albany Rural Cemetery, Albany County, New York, USA. Now here is a grave with a Sherlock reference! The headstone is not contemporary to the time of Steele's burial. In 2020 the Frederic Dorr Steele Memorial Committee formed to create and install a grave marker at the site where his ashes had been interred.

 

Frederic Dorr Steele 

Aug 6 1873 - July 6 1944

Artist, Illustrator, Sherlockian

Thanks to Harrison Terry Hunt for providing a high-quality photograph of Steele's grave marker.

William Hooker Gillette. American actor who immortalized Holmes on the stage.

The grave of William Gillette (1853 – 1937), the man who first popularized Holmes on the stage and served as the inspiration of illustrators and later actors, is buried in Riverside Cemetery, Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut, USA. Shown at right are Sherlockians with the newly cleaned graves in 2022.

 

WILLIAM GILLETTE

Born July 24 1853

Died April 29 1937

Edgar Wadsworth Smith. The famous American Sherlockian. 

The grave of Edgar W Smith (1894 – 1960), the man who wrote early influential articles, self-published via his imprint 'The Pamphlet House', led the Baker Street Irregulars, founded the Baker Street Journal and was its first editor. In 'real life' Smith was prominent as Vice-President of General Motors. Smith is buried in New Vernon Cemetery, New Vernon, Morris County, New Jersey, USA.

Edgar Wadsworth Smith

Apr 1 1894 - Sept 17 1960

To me, this is an eminently American grave marker, with minimal information and no biographical details. It is in some ways surprising that someone as successful as Smith would have such a modest marker.

Christopher Morley. The famous Anerican founder of the Baker Street Irregulars. 

The grave of Christopher Morley (1890 – 1957), the man who founded the Baker Street Irregulars, and well-known author and journalist. Morley is buried in Roslyn Cemetery, Roslyn, Nassau County (Long Island), New York, USA.

Christopher Morley

Born Haverford, Penna.

May 5, 1890

Died Roslyn, New York

March 28, 1957

Charles Vincent Emerson Starrett. Canadian/American Sherlockian, author, and bibliophile. 

The grave of Vincent Starrett (1886 – 1974), the man who wrote 'The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes', Sherockian, bibliophile. Starrett is buried in Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Ray Betzner created a lovely blog post on the cemetery, Starrett's grave, and other nearby important graves (such as Alan Pinkerton).

Philip St. John Basil Rathbone. Actor.

The grave of Basil Rathbone (1892 – 1967), South African/English actor and the face of Sherlock on the big screen. Rathbone is interred in the Shrine of Memories Mausoleum at Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.

 

Basil Rathbone

1892-1967

There is some information about how to find Rathbone's resting place at this site.

James Stephens Montgomery. American Sherlockian singer.

James Montgomery (1898-1955), a renowned singer, released a recording of Baker Street songs and created Christmas annuals. Stephens is interred at West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA.

Montgomery

James Stephens

1898-1955

William Baring-Gould. The creator of the first annotated Sherlock Holmes.

The grave of William Baring-Gould (1913 – 1967), the man who created the first annotated Sherlock Holmes,  chronologist, and author of a fictional biography of Holmes. In real life, he was a creative director at Time Magazine. Baring-Gould is buried in Pound Ridge Cemetery, Pound Ridge, Westchester County, New York, USA.

NO PHOTO

John Bennett Shaw. The legendary Sherlockian collector. 

The grave of John Bennett Shaw (1913 – 1994), the man who made evangelized, corresponded, and collected Sherlockiana. Shaw is buried in Rosario Cemetery, Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, New Mexico, USA.

SHAW

John Bennett Oct. 10, 1913 - Oct. 3, 1994

Dorothy Rowe Apr. 29, 1924 - Nov. 24, 1999

Catherine Mary Nov. 20, 1951 - Dec. 6 2010

Sir Sydney Castle Roberts. British academic and writer.

The grave of S.C. Roberts, author of the first study about Sherlock Holmes (Doctor Watson, 1931), considered the starting point of the Sherlockian studies, has not been identified yet. Roberts was cremated at the Cambridge Crematorium and a final resting place for his ashes has not yet been found.

In the cremation register it states under 'How ashes were disposed of':

Sherlock Holmes. The first Sherlockian? Date of death and grave not yet identified. Have checked Swiss cemetery registers - no luck there.

A Lauriston Garden of Verses, and Will Ransom, and random book luck

I've been updating my recent post on Edgar W. Smith's ouvre and the products of his 'Pamphlet House' press. 

In looking into this I picked up a copy of 'A Laurison Garden of Verses' by Helene Yuhasova. Summit, N.J.: The Pamphlet House, 1946, but printed at the Thorneycroft Press of Summit, NJ. p. [15]. Limited to 250 copies. 

Bruce Harris provided the images shown on that blog post and it's in great condition. My copy looks like it was dragged through a garden. Nevertheless, it was being sold at a scientist-friendly price. 

When I glanced at the inside rear wrapper, I spied a small private library stamp: Will Ransom Library Record. No. 3347, From E.W. Smith. Rec'd 10/27/48.

Who is Will Ransom? 

Will Ransom (1878-1955) was a designer of typefaces and other graphic, but also well known as a collector and bibliographer of private presses - a historian of printing. Ransom's notebooks and correspondence were organized prior to his death and donated to the Newberry Library - an independent research library in Chicago. The library has several of Smith's publications in its holdings. So as the operator of a private press, Smith was likely in touch with Ransom, and perhaps correspondence between them exists in the Ransom collection at Newberry.

What a nice find.

----------

A kind of neat circular feature of Smith's book 'Baker Street Inventory' is that he includes in the list of published bibliographies, the very book in which it is published: "The present bibliography". I've never seen that before - talk about being up-to-date at the time of printing!

------- 

As a side-note, Smith has been on my mind, and yesterday my mind led me to Second Story books in Rockville. There in the little Sherlock section they have, I picked up a non-Sherlockian book by Doyle - 'Rodney Stone'.

Opening it up, what do I see find...... 

-----------

And finally, in non-Smith book luck, I recently purchased one of Arthur Morrison's stories on the detective Martin Hewitt - 'The Red Triangle'. Beautiful cover, but on opening this cheap book I was thrilled to find Vincent Starrett's owner's signature inside!

'

Watson's Tin Box meeting summary - September 15, 2025

Each third Monday of the month, the Watson's Tin Box of Ellicott City scion meets - and we gathered on Monday September 15 for another great gathering of members - 22 in total. This included several first-time attendees, and some who haven't visited in a long time.

The story of the meeting was The Adventure of the Golden Pince Nez.

After introductions (we AGAIN had more attendees from Frederick MD than anywhere else, and visitors from THREE states/districts including PENNSYLVANIA), we moved to the toasts. 

After a traditional toast to The Woman, Liane Luini shared a wonderful poem on 'brain fever' - in the form of a toast. This was published in Irene's Cabinet Volume 8, 2010 - which of course like all issues is available digitized at our site.

'A Medical Minute, circa 1895'
April Curnow, Gasogene XXI

Whenever someone’s found to be 
Showing signs of lunacy, 
The sufferer’s most probably 
Afflicted with brain-fever.

Delirium or sudden rage, 
Bad nerves, an incoherent stage, 
Disorder nothing can assuage –
These all point to brain-fever.

And if the patient’s sore oppressed 
He’ll lie abed six weeks at best, 
For nothing else but calm and rest 
Will serve to treat brain-fever.

’Twas Alice Rucastle’s sad plight. 
Her father plagued her day and night 
To sign away her legal rights, 
Until she got brain-fever.

When Percy Phelps went half insane 
With fits and raging, cries of pain, 
To one and all his case was plain:
He suffered from brain-fever.

This ailment’s so imprecise
Most any symptom will suffice.
On Harley Street they don’t think twice – 
“Poor devil’s got brain-fever.”

The doctors have the final word. 
Disputing them would be absurd. 
The diagnosis most preferred 
Is certainly brain-fever.

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

    French Titled story
    Of dysfunctional Russians
    Playing hide and seek.

We then moved on to Announcements. It was agreed that I would try and capture meeting announcements in my blog summary.... so here we go! By the way, if you're looking for things to do - you can keep track of all Sherlockian events at.... http://www.sherlockiancalendar.com/ 

• Save the date, Thursday Oct 23 - the Maryland SPODE to meet for Happy Hour in Montgomery County. Location and time TBA.
• The Red Circle of Washtington DC has announced its 75th Anniversary celebrations, 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.
• The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes (ASH) will hold their fall (autumn) luncheon in New York City on Saturday, November 8.
• There is lots of info at https://www.sherlockbaltimore.com/ about the upcoming weekend of activities in Baltimore on the weekend of September 26/27. This includes the Six Napoleons of Baltimore dinner on Friday 26th at the Maryland Club (Steve Doyle will be the guest speaker) ; the Sherlockians of Baltimore luncheon will be held on Saturday, September 27 at Sabatino's restaurant in Baltimore's Little Italy neighborhood ; and the Black Pearls of the Borgias SPODE dinner will be held Saturday, September 27th. 
• Coming in November is the 46th Annual 'Sherlock Holmes at the Pratt Free Library' - more information will be coming soon, and it will include presentations from several members of WTB.
• The new series of the Rosenbach Library (Philadelphia) 'Biblioventures' has been announced - returning on September 27 is the Sherlock Monthly series. It's free to register, and the first story will be... 'Golden Pince Nez'. 

Following announcements, we stood on the terrace for Ken McQuage BSI .Ewy Herzog spoke about Ken, and her attendance at his memorial. Ken was an occasional attendee at WTB meetings, as well as the Six Napoleons (Baltimore) and the Red Circle (DC). M. Kenneth McQuage was invested into the BSI as "The Plumstead Marshes" in 1989, published Sherlockian articles, was an attendee at the annual dinner at the Sherlock Holmes Society of London, and even created a Sherlockian weathervane!

Ken McQuage BSI

Jacquelynn Morris then presented the Evidence Box on behalf of Debbie Clark, and moved us toward our discussion on the story of the evening - the Golden Pinze Nez. The items were laid out. 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?

 

I'll let you think about the lemon..... and I am glad i managed a photo of the eponymous eyewear!

The discussion of the story was wide-ranging. The story opens with the wonderful description of 'three massive volumes' for 1894 - very 'Tin-Boxian', and mentions of so many stories I wish I could read. I have to say, I do love a story with a MAP, so this one always pleases, even if the truth is that the design of the home leaves a lot to be desired. And does anyone have coconut matting on their hallways? And what is the difference between a vial and a phial?

We wondered why pince nez aren't around any more, and it was suggested that they cause stigmatism. We discussed what Russian events led to the nihilists being jailed as they were, what gulag were they in, and when exactly would all this have taken place in the past (we know the story occurred in 1894). If the wife you sold out turned up in your bedroom having murdered your secretary, would you hide her? And can you really smoke 4 cigarettes an hour, for 18 hours a day, every day, and be alive? All this was discussed. Last but most certainly not least we discussed a chapter written by Jacquelynn Morris in the BSI Manuscript Series book on this story - in which  Jacquelynn analyzed the possible poison used by Anna and discovered that she may well have not died!

We then moved on to our guest for the evening. Travis Shick, of the White Rose Irregulars of PA drove all the way from Reading PA for the evening to deliver his talk entitled "The sign of ... FORE! The intersection of Sherlock Holmes and Golf.". Travis delivered a tour-de-force, educating us on golf and the explosion of its popularity in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Doyle's own exploits on the gold course, and discussed the two mentions of gold in the canon. As we entered the back nine, Travis discussed the difference between a golf club and a golf club, and then showed a range of vintage clubs of the period, and a gold ball (at the time they were 'reverse dimpled'). 

To thank Travis as a guest speaker, he was presented with an EXCLUSIVE AND RARE Watson's Tin Box tote bag, that you too can own for the basement price of $15, along with a WTB pin. Travis understands he needs to visit us again to achieve full membership (cheaper than joining a golf club!). THANK YOU TRAVIS for the visit and talk ; please tell your family you didn't embarrass them.

We ended the evening with a 'shout out' quick from Olivia Millunzi, freshly returned from a vacation to Scotland (always somewhere!!!). And with that, members dispersed.... until October !!

As always, 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 get in touch).