Watson's Tin Box meeting summary - November 17, 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 November 17 for another great gathering of members - 30 in total (highest post-COVID!!!!) with one first-time attendee.

I again 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; Laurel; Sandy Spring; Silver Spring; Westminster, Woodbine. Quite a mix!

Along with a first-timer, we have three NEW MEMBERS, who were attending their second meeting: Sheridan Ameo, Cindy Saver, and Grant Heller. 

The story of the meeting was The Solitary Cyclist. Being at Union Jack's we were technically at 'the nearest public-house. That is the centre of country gossip.' Very appropriate, and a very full house!

After introductions, we moved to the toasts.

Brent Morris delivered the toast to 'The Woman' (Irene Adler), using a toast he'd written previously - it's got some great puns!

One of the great charms of studying the canonical writings is speculating as to what might have been. With my interests in prestidigitation, I’ve often wondered why Irene Adler’s love for the magic of performing on the stage did not lead her into becoming an illusionist. Now this possibility is not as far-fetched as it might seem. While male magicians are better known than females, there have indeed been a number of grand female performers.

A contemporary of Irene Adler was Adelaide Hermann the first great female Magician. In 1896, her husband, Alexander Hermann—Hermann the Great—died suddenly, leaving Adelaide deeply in dept. Just six weeks later, Adelaide reopened the Hermann show as “The Queen of Magic” and played around the world successfully for 32 years. Thus there is evidence that the world could have accepted another woman of dazzling mystery and intrigue, had Irene been so inclined.

Certainly there is some tantalizing evidence of Irene’s magical skills from “The Scandal in Bohemia.” We know that “a slim youth in an ulster” said “Good night, Mister Sherlock Holmes” as he walked down Baker Street. We know this was Irene Adler, but Sherlock Holmes was puzzled as to the source of the words. I suspect the puzzlement came because she disappeared. The indication is that she performed the famous English magic trick of walking down a street and turning into a pub.

She could have been involved in the illusion first introduced by the English magician, P. T. Selbit—“Sawing through a Woman” or “Sawing a Woman in Half” as we know it today. The classic method requires the woman in the box to have a half sister. Regrettably Irene seems to have been an only child, and so could not have performed that illusion.

There are few stage mysteries more spectacular than the elegant floating lady. Irene could have performed this admirably, but English law at the time was relatively unenlightened and no doubt dissuaded her from following this path to magical fame. At each evening’s performance she would have risked being arrested for no visible means of support.

The initial clues of a magical career were promising, but further study leads us to conclude that Irene Adler did not pursue the mystical arts. Alas, magic and prestidigitation lost a practitioner, but opera was forever enriched by her presence.

Please join me in a toast to “The Woman.”

Liane Luini then presented a toast written by Tin Box member Yale Stenzler, originally delivered at a Watson’s Tin Box meeting in 2008, and written at the passing of our founder Paul Churchill:

I lift my glass in a toast to THE MAN ...
Who co-founded Watson’s Tin Box in Ellicott City.
Who was a member in good, no great standing, in Watson’s Tin Box.
Who has been a member of the Baker Street Irregulars in New York City for many years. 
Who was a member of the Six Napoleons.
Who personally knew Dr. John H. Watson.
Who was a collector and creator of all things Sherlockian.
Who recreated and lived within 221-B Baker Street, London (Eldersburg, MD.)
Who extended himself to every new member of Watson’s Tin Box.
Who had a case box for every Sherlock Holmes adventure in the Canon.
Who loved to talk about his Sherlockian collection and memorabilia.
Who was beyond doubt a gentleman of fine character and gentle disposition.
Who will be greatly missed by family, friends, and those that knew him by name only.
To you THE MAN – Paul G. Churchill, we lift our drinks to recognize you, not once, but always.

Carla Coupe then read a toast to Mrs Hudson, first presented at the recent Copper Beeches (of Philadelphia) meeting by Dana Cameron.

Finally, as always, came the traditional Haiku for the story delivered by Tom Fahres. Tom pointed out that this haiku was appropriate as a utility haiku for multiple Sherlock stories:

Which story is this?

A young woman named Violet

Gets help from Sherlock.

We then moved on to Announcements - 

• If you're looking for things to do - you can keep track of all Sherlockian events at.... www.sherlockiancalendar.com 
• 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. Time for some last-minute inspiration!
• I previously posted on the 46th Annual 'Sherlock Holmes at the Pratt Free Library' event on my blog here.
• The Red Circle of Washtington DC held its 75th Anniversary celebrations on November 15. Many WTB members were in attendance. There were 180 people at the screening (!!!) and of the three Eille Norwood restored films, two had never been released in the US before! The screening was followed by dinner and those who attended received a commemorative Red Circle 75th Anniversary pin! If you are looking for a blog review, our guest speaker Art Taylor wrote a post about the evening.

• Megan Homme reported on the recent meeting of The Naval Treaty of Annapolis, at St. Paul Church in Crownsville, MD. They have a neat strategy for story discussion - the winner of each month's quiz gets to choose the story for the next month!
• 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.

 

Next, we are lucky enough to have our speaker Art Taylor present on his experience as a literature professor teaching Sherlock Holmes, and student reactions to the canon. Art also spoke to the story for the evening - the Solitary Cyclist. The story centers around a case of unwanted attention, stalking, and violence against Violet Smith. Art spoke about modern statistics on stalking, the reality of the 'problem' Violet Smith faces, but also the agency Smith has in seeking help from Holmes, and withdrawing from employment. Art was then barraged with questions, and the entire group is about to begin auditing his amazing classes.

Thank you Art for making the long drive from Virginia to share your perspectives with us.

To the story of the evening - 'The Solitary Cyclist'. Art's presentation was the perfect segue into a conversation about the story. One comment raised during Art's talk is that Violet never gets to complete her story - we don't directly from hear from her after the assault - but the Bert Coules BBC radio dramatization does give Violet a voice at the end, which was a nice variation. The story reminds me of Doyle's non-Sherlock story The Winning Shot, in which the Swedish Dr. Octavius Gaster infiltrates a family and violently insists that a woman marry him. In this story, 'trouble' again comes from across the seas - in this case South Africans. Sherlock's acceptance, or passive understanding of the scenario, is revealed in his (to modern ears, very unsettling) comment "it is part of the settled order of nature that such a girl should have followers". I also noted that the village of Farnham is where - coincidentally of course - Eille Norwood lived and was buried! Small world.

Some themes discussed by the group included: who was the solitary cyclist? Violet or her follower? We discussed the recent Trifles episode on Andy Peck's analysis of Doyle's manuscript that proved it was her follower. Language did not help us solve it - it was pointed out that 'cyclist' is a gender-neutral term unlike many others at the time, for example aviator/aviatrix. Violet was an incredible person - she had the wisdom and agency to immediately act herself on her concerns, and to quit and ride away (or attempt to) when she became uncomfortable. The age-old rule applies - and it's a warning sign in the story - if a job looks too good to be true, it probably is!

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?

Debbie shared that the tooth was sourced by Paul from his local dentist! 

The pistol is of course imitation.

There was no bicycle in the box (but there used to be when Paul Churchill created them!), so Michelle March created a collapsable bicycle for the box!

We ended with with traditional quiz, set by Olivia Millunzi. For the second month in a row we needed a tie-breaker, and for the second month in a row we also had an amazing prize from Michelle (I'll try and get a photo to add to the blog later).

And so, the end to another fun evening - our largest yet!

The Humorous and the Terrible - Charles Altamont Doyle exhibition

In 1924, Arthur Conan Doyle held an exhibition of his father's art. I've made a separate post where I've referenced his notebook discovered and published in the 1970s.

In Memories & Adventures ACD wrote of his father:

"His painting was done spasmodically and the family did not always reap the benefit, for Edinburgh is full of water-colours which he had given away. It is one of my unfulfilled schemes to collect as many as possible and to have a Charles Doyle exhibition in London, for the critics would be surprised to find what a great and original artist he was—far the greatest, in my opinion, of the family. His brush was concerned not only with fairies and delicate themes of the kind, but with wild and fearsome subjects, so that his work had a very peculiar style of its own, mitigated by great natural humour."

And it very quickly came to pass, for ACD was a man of action. In February of 1924, ACD exhibited a collection of his father's artworks at the Brook-Street Galleries, titled "The Humorous and the Terrible". Below I've compiled the relatively small number of newspaper notices I've found regarding the exhibition.

For some articles the repetitive/common backstory elements have been excluded, focusing on comments regarding the pictures in the exhibition.

Liverpool Daily Post - Saturday 26 January 1924
An Art Surprise.

It is thirty years since the death of Charles Doyle, the father of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and we are now to have the first opportunity of seeing a collection of his artistic work. It will be news indeed to many to know that the youngest of the five brilliant sons of John Doyle, himself famous as a caricaturist in the first half of the last century, is said to have been the greatest artist of them all. His life was spent in a Government office in Edinburgh, and his work never had a chance of challenging the verdict of London, but his famous literary son, realising an ambition he has long entertained, has succeeded at last in bringing together over a hundred exampes, which will shortly be shown in the Brook street Galleries.

Charles Doyle was influenced by his contemporary George Cruikshank, and his genius found expression not only in the humorous, but in the dainty and the terrible. A comparison of his work with that of his brother "Dicky" Doyle, of "Punch" should be interesting.

Belfast Telegraph - Saturday 26 January 1924

One of Charles Doyle's pictures, "The Death Coach," depicts a windy heath with two figures crouching in terror, while the ghostly coach carrying a row of corpses in shrouds passes along. In topical studies, such as "The Rogue's Progress," and "Curling," the study of a fat woman with billowy skirts at play on the ice, he expressed his sense of humour.

Daily Express - Saturday 26 January 1924

AN UNDISCOVERED GENIUS?

Painter-Father of a Famous Author

"The Sun Worshippers" one of the paintings by the late Mr. Charles Doyle, father of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which will be exhibited at the Brook-street Galleries. Daily Express exclusive.

Daily News (London) - Thursday 31 January 1924
HUMOROUS & TERRIBLE. 
Exhibition of Drawings by Conan Doyle's Father. 

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle called in at the Brook-street Galleries yesterday afternoon to see the collection of drawings and studies, "The Humorous and the Terrible," the work of his father, the late Mr. Charles Doyle. "I like the terrible ones best." said Sir Arthur to a "Daily News" reporter. "I was very keen to arrange this exhibition. My father had real genius, but it was never recognised. He lived all his life in Edinburgh." Sir Arthur explained that many of the drawings now on view have been rescued from scrap-books and albums. The "terrible" drawings, which Sir Arthur likes, are remarkable. One, "The Drowning Seaman's Vision" is full of a bleak, cold light, such as is found only in the Dore drawings; others, "The Ghost House," "Hell's Blast," "The Death Coach," are full of the jolliest swinging frescoes of ghosts, imps, hobgoblins and fairies. They would do splendidly as illustrations for the Ingoldsby Legends. 

There is at least one excellent joke— No. 5, "Explaining the Horse Chestnut to a Horse." 

Newcastle Daily Chronicle - Thursday 31 January 1924

CHARLES DOYLE’S ART.

The value of the interesting exhibition of Charles Doyle’s works at the Brook Street Galleries is probably not greatly lessened through failure of the organisers to get into touch with owners of his larger pictures. Of the 125 drawings and studies which have been collected for this show, the biggest are not always best. In the technical employment of colour, the artist did not rank high, although his colour itself  was often enough.

In a work like “Duddingstone Loch,” with its crowd of skaters, it goes hand in hand with clever characterisation. In line alone on the other hand he had more mastery. “Cricket,” and “Football” for instance are drawings of spirit and charm. The show does not confirm  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's estimate of his father as the greatest and most original artist of his artistic family, but certainly Charles Doyle had a large share of its talent.

Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser - Friday 01 February 1924
In his memoirs in the "Strand Magazine," Sir Arthur Conan Doyle said of his father, "It is one of my unfulfilled schemes to collect as many as possible of his pictures and to have a Charles Doyle exhibition in London, for the critics would be surprised to find what a great and original artist he was - far the greatest, in my opinion, of the family.
The realisation of his laudable ambition was seen on Thursday at a private view at the Brook-street Galleries, W., of a collection of drawings, humorous and terrible, by the late Charles Doyle, who was the son of John Doyle ("H.B."), and brother of Richard Doyle, of "Punch," the delightful cover of which was drawn by him.

Westminster Gazette - Friday 01 February 1924

WAITED 30 YEARS FOR FAME

AUTHOR'S TRIBUTE TO FATHER'S WORK

The exhibition of drawings and studies, including a remarkable series from the "humorous to the terrible" by the late Mr. Charles Doyle, provides something absolutely unique in the London art world. The exhibition was opened at a private view yesterday at the Brook Street Galleries, W.1.

The painter was the father of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and the present exhibition is the realisation of one of the ambitions of the son to collect as many as possible of his father's pictures in London.

The collection numbers more than a hundred examples of Charles Doyle's work, furnishing evidence of great imagination and originality.

Humorous and Terrible.

There are many examples in the exhibition of the humorous - a series of seven watercolours, entitled "Three little pigs went to market." There are fine examples of the dainty revealed in a number of various fairy scenes. Finally, there is the terrible, exemplified by such pictures as "The Ghost Coach," "The Saving Cross," and "The Hell Blast."

Charles Doyle's life was spent in a Government office in Edinburgh, and his work has never before had a chance of challenging the verdict of London. Now, thirty years after his death, the son has essayed an attempt to get that verdict - in the hope that his father's "remarkable and original genius may meet ith recognition."

Time & Tide - Friday 01 February 1924

TIME TABLE

Friday, February 1, 10-5. Sats. 10-1.0

Exhibition of Drawings "The Humorous and the Terrible," by the late Charles Doyle (father of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) Brook Street Galleries, 14, Brook Street, W.1.

 

Western Morning News - Friday 01 February 1924

The Art of Charles Doyle. 

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's ambition, expressed in his memoirs, to get together a collection of the pictures of his father, Charles Doyle, has been partly fulfilled. I saw to-day in the Brook-street Galleries evidence about 120 pictures of the genius of that remarkable and little-known man.

Son of John Doyle, the famous caricaturist, and brother of Richard Doyle, famed of "Punch," Charles Doyle's creations were the hobby a man whose life was spent in an Edinburgh Government office. They were never exhibited, and his art now being recognized for the first time. It includes some wonderful fancies, both humorous and terrible. Some of his nightmare conceptions are both wonderful and fearful. Many of his sketches have a vivacious and an artistic wit. 

The best of the exhibitions are the water-colour pictures, some which are a revelation in the wealth of impression end effect. Quite on of the best is a blue wash picture, vivid with detail, "The Drowning Seaman's Vision." The sinking man, in his last delusion on the lonely sea, sees myriads of angels shining through the mists. A similar and perhaps more ingenious suggestion is conveyed in "The Breaking Wave," the crest of which, falling over the man, spar-clinging in the trough of it, cascades in a host of mermaid forms.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle speaks of his father as far the greatest artist of the family. 

The Irish Freeman's Journal recognized the Irish Catholic angle of the story:

Freeman's Journal - Thursday 07 February 1924

It is interesting to note that amongst the many art exhibitions at present attracting attention is one at the Brook street Gallery, London, consisting of water colours and sketches by the father of Sir A. Conan Doyle. In the Press references to the collection the fact is naturally noted that they creator of Sherlock Holmes comes of an artistic stock. But that they were "Irish" is conveniently ignored. Thus, the famous Richard Doyle, "clarum et veserabile nomen," was Irish and Catholic to the backbone, a fact quite overlooked. He it was who, in a sense at least, made the reputation of "Punch." He it was whose sketches of the adventures of "Brown, Jones, and Robinson," added to the gaiety of the nations, and whose cartoons lent such enormous value to the publication in the early Victorian days.

Portsmouth Evening News - Saturday 09 February 1924

All the pictures, however, are not of this more or less uncanny order, though all show a wide range of imagination. There are faces to be seen in the bindings of sheaves of corn: in the boughs of trees, clouds become animals chasing one another, and so on! "The Roaring Game" is a boisterous picture of curling on a frozen loch, and there is a football scene, as well as others full of vigorous movement, of which Charles Doyle was a master, as was his brother "Dickey" - vide again the cover of "Punch." He could not paint faces so as to be convincing, but neither could that master of crowds and grouping, Gustave Dore. 

The Sphere - Saturday 16 February 1924

"A Fairy Meeting" One of the Weird and Clever Drawings by the late Charles Doyle Exhibited at the Brook Street Galleries. 

The late Charles Doyle (1832-1893) was the father of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. For years the latter has been collecting examples of his father's remarkable drawings in order to hold an exhibition of them in London The recent collection on view at the Brook Street Galleries is the result of this filial devotion. Charles Doyle was a regular exhibitor at the Royal Scottish Academy, and in his fantasy and humour he was representative of his age, the age of his own brother, Richard Doyle, "Phiz," and other distinguished men. The drawing reproduced here is one of the many examples of Charles Doyle's art shown in the exhibition 

Truth - Wednesday 20 February 1924

A word must be given to the drawings and studies, "The Humorous and the Terrible," the late Charles Doyle—father of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and brother of "Dicky" Doyle, of Punch—at the Brook Street Galleries. They may be said to belong to the "Ingoldsby" period, and to represent the corresponding attitude to the supernatural world—whether of spooks or fairies. "Terrible" is certainly not the word for the delightful drawing of " The Ghost House," with its tenants making holiday in the moonlight, and even "The Death Coach" and "A Hell-Blast" produce only a comfortable thrill. Whimsicality, in fact, is the note of the exhibition—best . expressed in "Fairies Envying the Family Going to Church" — and one or two drawings of everyday subjects, "Windy Day," for example, show high technical powers. 

The works. I have not identified a catalog for this exhibition. A significant number of items are held by the Huntington Art Museum in San Marino, California, acquired from Princess Nina Mdivani Conan Doyle (the widow of Denis Conan Doyle). One challenge with tracing artworks in the exhibition may be that their titling was arbitrary - ACD may have titled those he gathered.

Let's see what we can identify from those mentioned above:

• The Death Coach - depicts a windy heath with two figures crouching in terror, while the ghostly coach carrying a row of corpses in shrouds passes along
• The Rogue's Progress
• Curling (the study of a fat woman with billowy skirts at play on the ice)
• The Sun Worshippers 
• Three little pigs went to market - a series of seven watercolours
• The Drowning Seaman's Vision - full of a bleak, cold light, such as is found only in the Dore drawings. The sinking man, in his last delusion on the lonely sea, sees myriads of angels shining through the mists.
• The Ghost House - full of the jolliest swinging frescoes of ghosts, imps, hobgoblins and fairies
• Hell's Blast/The Hell Blast - full of the jolliest swinging frescoes of ghosts, imps, hobgoblins and fairies
• Explaining the Horse Chestnut to a Horse - No. 5, an excellent joke—
• The Breaking Wave - the crest of which, falling over the man, spar-clinging in the trough of it, cascades in a host of mermaid forms
• Duddingstone Loch - with its crowd of skaters
• Cricket - 
• Football - 
• The Saving Cross
• A Fairy Meeting
• Fairies Envying the Family Going to Church
• Windy Day

Huntington Museum. 

Charles Altamont Doyle and his Sunnyside angels

I've been super interest in Bryan Charles Waller and his role in the Doyle family, and as a result I've been going back over everything about Charles Altamont Doyle. CAD was a severe alcoholic, and from 1885 onwards was in permanent care till his death in 1893. CAD was a draughtsman by trade and an artist, and he executed illustrations for both 'A Study in Scarlet' and 'The Mystery of Cloomber' while in Montrose Royal Lunatic Asylum (Sunnyside).

While in Montrose, CAD also created what is believed to be a series of artistic notebook. It is suggested these were partly created to demonstrate that he was not insane. One of these notebooks, covering about three months in 1889, was discovered in the 1970s. Sherlock enthusiast Michael Baker published the notebook.... I'm assuming it was then broken up to sell. individual leaves (I might be wrong). Baker's introduction mentions that the Foley family owned two other notebooks, so others may some day be available for inspection and analysis.

Two things ; CAD regularly draws angels over people (including himself) and regularly expresses the feeling or with that he'll be free / dead soon. So sad.

One little sketch along this line intrigued me, with a note next to it:

'Come home'

NOTE: That Book he has got is the "Ursuline Manual", and has been his best friend. The Ursulines are a community of Nuns in Ireland where this valuable book was compiled. 7th June 1889.

And when we look at the Ursuline Manual (1855) what do we see? 

Where is home? A house in Edinburgh that he may not know no longer contains a family? Heaven? Ireland? To wherever his wife is? 

There is also an opportunity to examine names in CAD's book and see whether they were in the real world, or CAD's imagination.

Here's a wonderful example:

Mrs Brewster in our hour of care

Well, I'll take another cup if you please

For when a headache wrings the brow

A ministering Angel - thou

Was Mrs Brewster working at Montrose? The sketch was made in 1889, and Charles Doyle was still at that asylum in early 1891 when the census for Scotland (and the wider UK) was conducted.

In the 1891 census there were 527 resident patients in the asylum, and about 58 attendants and house servants living there (some with families). C A Doyle was one of those patients.

There is indeed a Mrs Brewster at the asylum: 

Jessie Brewster, Officer, Widow, aged 54, Head Female Attendant, Born Montrose, Forfarshire (now Angus)

So Mrs Brewster was indeed  a member of staff, possibly the most senior female member of staff, at Montrose, and we see her reflected in a coffee pot in CAD's sketchbook.

Here's a third connection.