Conan Doyle at Hindhead, 1895-1907
From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia
Conan Doyle at Hindhead, 1895-1907 is an article written by W. R. Trotter published in the A.C.D. - The Journal of The Arthur Conan Doyle Society (Vol. 6, 1995).
The article compiles contemporary newspaper reports documenting Arthur Conan Doyle's activities while living at Hindhead (1895–1907), including public events, social life, politics, sports, and local engagements. It reproduces verbatim press items that illustrate how Conan Doyle interacted with the local community during the Undershaw years.
Conan Doyle at Hindhead, 1895-1907
By the time that he settled at Hindhead, Conan Doyle was already well known to the general public, so it is not surprising to find that the local press soon took notice of his activities. At the time of his arrival, the two main local papers were the Surrey Times and the Surrey Advertiser, both of them weekly papers based at Guildford. It is unlikely that either paper had a representative living in the Haslemere area, but as it is only a short distance by train from Guildford they were sufficiently in touch to provide a section on Haslemere affairs in most issues. The library of the Haslemere Educational Museum is fortunate in possessing two scrapbooks in which are pasted what appears to be a systematic collection from 1876 of all local news items, made by two spinster ladies, Susanna and Kate Penfold. Dates of publication are meticulously recorded in a neat hand.
I found these scrapbooks (together with later ones compiled by William Sillick, a journalist based in Haslemere) invaluable when I was writing my recent book, The Hilltop Wiiters, about the Victorian authors who settled in the hill country round Haslemere. This saved all the wearisome work usually involved in searching for items in the local press, so when the editor of this journal approached me for a possible article, it seemed to me that the most useful service I could render readers of ACD would be to reproduce verbatim all contemporary items in the scrapbooks which concerned ACD.
The first notice of Conan Doyle's arrival in the Haslemere area appeared in the Surrey Times for 4 July 1896:
- Dr A. Conan Doyle has taken Grayswood Beeches, Hindhead, for the summer and autumn. This house was formerly occupied by Mr Humphrey Ward who there wrote 'David Wray'. The house had been let through Messrs Bridgers' agency.
The Surrey Times reporter was not well informed: Grayswood Beeches was at Haslemere, not Hindhead; the book written there was David Grieve, not David Wray, and it was written by Mrs, not Mr, Humphrey Ward.
In January 1897 the Doyles moved to Moorlands Hotel, on the Portsmouth Road at Hindhead, in order to keep a closer eye on the construction of Undershaw, which was not ready for occupation until October. Not long after settling in at Undershaw ACD gave a reading at a meeting of the Haslemere Microscope and Natural History Society, reported in the Surrey Times for 18 December 1897:
- The members of the Microscope and Natural History Society assembled in great force on Friday the 10th instant to hear Dr Doyle read extracts from his own works, and the most enthusiastic appreciation was displayed. Mr Grant Allen (President of the Society) introduced Dr Doyle who then read selections from 'Brigadier Gerard', 'Sherlock Holmes', 'Rodney Stone', 'The Refugees' and 'The Lord of Chateau Noir'. The most attractive feature of Dr. Doyle's reading is its unambitious, unobtrusive simplicity. There is none of the affectation of the reciter, and no attempt at characterisation. The story speaks for itself, and this, backed by the reader's fine voice and manly presence, is able to hold the audience in wrapt [sic] and breathless attention. The Rev G.H. Purdue (Vicar of Shottermill) expressed in appropriate and sympathetic terms the thanks of the audience, and of the Society, and this was re-echoed by the overfilled hall with acclamation.
ACD does not seem to have made any further public appearances until the end of 1898. The big event then was his Christmas Ball, held in the newly built Beacon Hotel and reported at length in the Surrey Advertiser for 31 December 1898:
- The fancy dress ball given by Dr Conan Doyle on Friday evening last week, and briefly reported in our last issue, was a brilliant success. With a few exceptions, all the invited guests were present, making a company which for variety of character, colour and beauty has not been equalled on the Hindhead. Some most bewitching costumes were worn by the ladies, and one or two features demand special mention. Characters taken from the author-host's works were very numerous. This may have been due to the fact that it had leaked out that Dr Conan Doyle did not favour the idea [sic]. These characters included Rodney Stone, Sir Gervase Jerome, Gaucho, Emir Abderrhaman (from The Tragedy of the Korosko), and Sibylle. There was also a 'Study in Scarlet', and Captain Trevor presented a grotesque travesty, described as 'Conan Doyle — a novel idea'. The host himself made the most striking personality present. His stalwart figure, clad in a russet coloured garb of a Viking, towered above prince and courtier, cardinal, Arab, mandarin and representatives of national defence. Richard Coeur de Leon's court was an extremely picturesque group including the Queen Berengaria, her ladies, Lady Eleanor of Brittany, whilst with the King were Sir Kenneth of the Leopard and a Crusader. 'Morning Star', 'Evening Star and 'Moonlight' were a charming trio. Amongst the most striking and novel were 'A Baggara survivor from Omdurman', Anglo-American Alliance', 'Joan of Arc', 'Margherite', Lady Edith Plantagenet, Portia, a graceful 'Barbarian BC 1000', 'Dresden China Shepherdess', 'Silver Blaze', cardinal, chef etc.
- Dr and Mrs Conan Doyle received their guests in the vestibule of the Hindhead Beacon Hotel (which they had engaged for the event), and were accompanied by Master Conan Doyle, Miss Conan Doyle, charmingly costumed as 'Forget-me-not', and Master Hornung as 'Little Boy Blue', who presented the programmes to the guests on their arrival. Dancing took place in the spacious reception rooms, which overlook Highcombe Bottom and the valley towards Crooksbury and the Hog's Back. The rooms had been prettily decorated with festoons of greenery, and an efficient band from Portsmouth was in attendance. Supper, which was served at midnight, was taken in another reception room adjoining, and reflected great credit upon the resources of the hotel and the manageress, Mrs Colley.
- The guests present, with their costumes as well as these could be obtained, were as follows: Mr Grant Allen (cardinal), Mrs Grant Allen (Japanese lady), Mr J. Grant Allen (a Japanese), Mr A.J.H. Baddeley (2nd Lieutenant, Royal Inniskillings), Mr R.J.H. Baddeley (2nd Lieutenant, Royal Inniskillings), Mr H. Vale Bagshawe (Moorish peasant), Miss Balchristie (Heart of Midlothian), Mr S.C. Bartlay (Sir Walter Raleigh), Mr E. Barwell (carnival pierrot), Mr D.N. Bethune (Highland dress), Mr C.M. Bruce (Cambridge undergraduate), Mr Halford Burdeth (Richard Coeur de Leon), Mr Stratton Boulnois (gent. of Queen Elizabeth's court), Mrs Stratton Boulnois ((poudre),2 Louis XIV), Dr Conan Doyle (Viking), Mrs Conan Doyle (poudre), Miss Doyle (Marguerite), Mr J. Doyle (Sir Gervas Jerome), Mrs Walter Colvin (poudre), Miss Colvin (Gainsboro'), Miss Dorothy Colvin (Puritan), Miss Joan Colvin (Geisha), Dr Coleclough (Joseph Surface), Mrs Coleclough (Julia), Miss Croucher (poudre), Mr Cruikshank (Royal Artillery), Mr Dobell (Richard Coeur de Leon), Mr L. Driver (Study in Scarlet), Miss Driver (little maid of Aready), Mr H.G. Dakyns (Moor), Mr H.G. Dakyns jnr (a Catalan), Miss Dakyns (Albanian), Mr Dawson (Windsor uniform), Mrs J.H. Dawson (poudre), Miss de Pury (white witch), Mr H. Evans (Chinese mandarin), Mrs H. Evans (Duchess of Devonshire), Mr Fraser (Lieutenant RN), Mr A. Vernon Ford (QC), Mrs Vernon Ford (Silver Blaze), Mr John Gray (Highland dress), Mrs John Gray (early Victorian, 1837), Mr F.E. Gray (George III period), Miss Gooch (Venetian lady, 16th century), Miss Gremont (poudre), Mr Axel Haig (Viking), Mrs Axel Haig (Watteau costume), Mr Harold Haig (Neapolitan fisherman), Dr R. Hanson (Louis Seize period), Mr O.W.H. Hanson (cavalier, Charles I), Mr George Harcourt (The Schipman, Chaucer), Mrs George Harcourt (lady in the '60s), Miss Florence Harrison (fishwife), Mrs Holland (witch), Miss Holland (Joan of Arc), Mrs E.W. Hornung (Charlotte Corday), Mr Henslowe (court dress), Mrs Henslowe (poudre), Miss Henslowe (Sibylle), Miss Dorothy Henslowe (Dresden china shepherdess), Miss M.K Jackson (Morning star), Miss Edith Jackson (Evening star), Miss E.M. Jackson (Moonlight), Mr G. Jackson ('Gaucho'), Miss Johnson (Italian peasant), Miss Julius (Portia), Miss Edie Julius (pierrette), Miss Kirk (Roumanian peasant), Mr Y.H. Knowles (musketeer), Mrs Y.H. Knowles (Elizabethan costume), Miss Leekie (one of the Queens Maries), Mr B.L. Leesmith (court dress, George IV, Mrs B.L. Leesmith (Marjorie), Mrs Langley (poudre), Mrs A.E. Leuchars (Madame Pompa- dour), Miss Leuchars (Christmas rose), Miss Legal (Catherine Morland), Mr H. Lloyd (Sir Kenneth of the Leopard), Miss Lloyd (lady of the Directoire), Miss E. Lloyd (Queen Berengaria), Mrs C. Petrie Lovell (Carmen), Mr A.L. Longman (Lieutenant, Middlesex Yeomanry), Mr W. Maxwell Lyte (Eton boat costume), Mr C. Maclaren MP (court dress), Miss Moir (Swedish peasant), Mr O. Mowatt (Cinque man), Mr R. Mowatt (Hollandais de VII century), Dr Nettleship, Mrs Nettleship (Vandyke lady), Mr H.C. Pember (Vine Hunt), Miss Pattinson (poudre), Mr Towney Phillips (Arab chief), Mrs Towney Phillips (Gainsboro'), Sir Frederick Pollock (LLD robes of Dublin University), Lady Pollock (Spanish lady), Miss Pollock (lady of 18th century), Mr Jack Pollock (Eton house colours), Dr Rideal (Sir Walter Raleigh), Mrs Rideal (Greek costume), Mrs Rushbrooke (poudre), Mr M. Robb (a Baggara survivor from Omdurman), Mrs M. Robb (old Dutch peasant), Mr E.A. Shepherd (cavalier, Charles I), Mr H.S. Stabb (old Roman dress), Captain Trevor (as Conan Doyle - a novel idea), Mrs Phillips Trevor (geisha girl), Mr C. Terry (court dress), Mrs Turle (La Vivandiere), Mr R. Williams (Woolwich cadet), Mr J.H. Winn (Indian mess uniform), Mr W.J.G. Winn (Rodney Stone), Dr R.W. Winstanley (uniform), Mrs Winstanley (poudre), Mrs Watson (poudre), Miss Marjorie Watson (Norwegian peasant), Mr Anderson Wells (Emir Abderrhaman), Mrs Anderson Wells (Rouge et Noir), Mrs Whitaker (period of Marie Antoinette), Mr H.T.G. Watkins (barbarian BC 1000), Mrs H.T.G. Watkins (girl graduate), Mrs R. S. Whiteway (Venetian lady, 16th century), Miss Whiteway (Lady Edith Plantagenet), Miss Logie Whiteway (Lady Eleanor of Brittany), Miss Whyte (Armenian), Mr A.H. Wood (Arab sheik), Mr Oliver Yorke (Caw Hay).
Another feature of that Christmas season was the social tea at nearby Grayshott, where ACD did some more readings, also reported in the Surrey Advertiser for 31 December 1898:
- Great success attended the second annual social tea, which was held on Wednesday and Thursday evenings in the Grayshott Institute. It was found necessary to devote two evenings to the event in consequence of the extensive demand for tickets. A committee consisting of the Rev and Mrs J.M. Jeakes, Dr and Mrs Lyndon, Miss E. Lloyd and Miss Williams made all the arrangements. About 120 attended on Wednesday, and 100 the next night A capital programme followed the tea each evening, consisting of games, dances, songs etc. Dr Conan Doyle gave pleasure by reading two of his own pieces, 'The Groom's Story', and the coach ride from 'Rodney Stone'.
Finally, the same edition of the Surrey Advertiser reported a Boxing Day meet at Hindhead:
- The Chiddingfold Hounds on Boxing Day met at The Royal Huts, Hindhead, when there was a large assembly to witness the meet, the company present being estimated at between 3000 and 4000. Amongst those on horseback were... Dr Conan Doyle...
Soon afterwards, the Surrey Advertiser for 28 January 1899 reported a public meeting on behalf of what it called 'The Peace Crusade':
- This (Saturday) evening Dr A. Conan Doyle will preside at a meeting to be held in the Hindhead Hall to 'assure the Government of support in making the forthcoming international peace conference effective.' Among those who are announced to take part in the proceedings are Mr Charles McLaren MP, Mr Grant Allen, Sir Robert Hunter, Mr Bernard Shaw, Rev G.H. Aitken, Rev J.M. Jeakes, Mr Corrie Grant etc. The circular calling the meeting bears the name of some 30 gentlemen who are in hearty sympathy with the object of the meeting, including Mr Justice Wright, Sir Frederick Pollock, Hon Rollo Russell etc.
There is no further comment on this meeting, which was probably called to encourage attempts to settle disputes between Russia, Japan and European powers over territory on China's borders.
The Surrey Times for 11 March 1899 reported that Dr Conan Doyle had again attended a meet of the Chiddingfold Hunt, and on 18 March that he had supported a successful application for a drinks licence for the Beacon Hotel.
It might have been expected that more would be heard of ACD's activities during the build-up to the Boer War, but in fact the only reference to him during 1899 was to his presence once more at the Boxing Day (1898) meet of the Chiddingfold Hunt at Hindhead. There is no comment on Conan Doyle's departure for South Africa early in 1900, nor on his return later that year. The first indication that he was back at Hindhead was in the Surrey Advertiser for 1 September 1900, when we find him playing cricket for Haslemere against Northchapel:
- Dr A. Conan Doyle, who, by the bye, had the satisfaction of bringing about the dismissal of the Grand Old Man of cricket the other day when assisting the MCC, was responsible for a fine innings of 78 not out.
In the 1 December 1900 issue of the Surrey Times we get the first mention of what came to be known as the 'Undershaw Commando':
- A Rifle Club for Hindhead is now an accomplished fact, thanks to the initiative taken by Dr Conan Doyle. A goodly number of residents of the district have been enrolled as members, and practice has commenced in earnest in the grounds of Undershaw, the popular novelist's residence. The Daily Mail says: 'Dr Conan Doyle stays for Christmas at Hindhead, Haslemere, as he is rather tied by the interest which he takes in the corps of riflemen-a real commando of burghers-which he is forming there. He has already enrolled sixty members, and hopes to get a hundred. This spirited step of Dr Doyle's should be the initial part of a great movement; it is sure to find imitators directly it is widely known.'
On 16 March 1901, the Surrey Times gave an account of a ceremony at which Conan Doyle was presented with gifts in acknowledgement of his service in South Africa, and then gave an address on his views about the war:
- At Hindhead, on Saturday, Dr Conan Doyle was presented with gifts subscribed for by his friends as a proof of their admiration of his conduct in going to South Africa. Among the subscribers were Mr Bernard Hamilton, Sir Henry Irving, Mr Henry Arthur Jones, and Professor Williamson. Sir Frederick Pollock, who made the presentation, spoke of the various phases of warfare and of the part played by Dr Conan Doyle.
- Dr Conan Doyle said he could understand there being two opinions of the justice of the war, but not so in regard to the conduct of their troops. It was hard that men enduring hardships and risking their lives for the sake of the Empire should be slandered and dishonoured. Their soldiers were men to be proud of a better disciplined or finer body of men had not been seen. There had been instances of farm burning, but they were inevitable. The condition of the men was often pitiful. One Guardsman wore out his trousers and fixed in a tin plate, the only thing he could find, but was obliged to take it out, for when the sun shone upon him he was mistaken for a heliograph. The only charge against us was for leniency. We gave back the Orange Colony farmers their horses, and now they were being used against us by De Wet in his raiding. He counselled hesitation in believing tales both English and Boers. British prisoners were as a rule well treated. When De Wet captured young Mr Langman, the Boer leader sent to his father, 30 miles away, to tell him he was well. He trusted the war would now soon be over, but, rather than the Boers should not give a complete submission, he would have it continued for another year.
- The gifts presented to Dr Conan Doyle were a silver bowl, bearing the inscription: 'To A.C.D., who, at a crisis, served his country in word and deed', a folding writing table, and framed illuminated memoir of names of donors.
On 8 March 1902, the Surrey Advertiser reported that ACD had supported another application for a drinks licence, this time for the Moorlands Hotel, where he had stayed in 1897, while Undershaw was under construction:
- Dr Conan Doyle, in a letter, said he well remembered, when staying for some months there, how inconvenient it was to have to send out for refreshments.
By the next entry, in the Surrey Advertiser for 19 July 1902, he had been knighted:
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle assisted the MCC against London County at the Crystal Palace in the early part of the week. In the first innings he scored 43, but in the second venture he was dismissed for a 'duck'.
On 20 September of the same year, the Surrey Advertiser reported a re-organisation of the Undershaw Rifle Club:
- This club, it will be recollected, was established some two years ago by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. At a meeting held on Tuesday, the promoter expressed the wish that a committee should be appointed to manage the Club previously carried on under his general direction, and stated that he would hand over any funds there might be to be disposed of in such a manner as they considered best. He desired that in future the range should be open on all hours on every day of the week. The members would commence their future work by qualifying for the certificate granted by the NRA, and every member who secured it would receive in addition a special Undershaw medal. Then he had obtained a handsome silver statue, representing a civilian rifleman standing on a pedestal, and he wanted the committee to draw up a set of rules under which that statue should be competed for by teams of all clubs in Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire. The only stipulations were that the shooting should take place on their range and under their conditions, and that the statue should come back to them every year to be re-competed for, the winning teams for each year receiving a medal to commemorate their success. By these means they hoped to infuse new life into their club, and make it the source of more interest and practical utility-The following were unanimously elected the new committee of management: Messrs B. Chandler, J.B. Reader, P. Robinson, G. Holden (secretary), Boxall and Charles Benge-The club has a balance in hand of about £10.
In the same issue, a rifle competition at Grayshott is reported, in which teams from Grayshott, Churt, Haslemere, Godalming, Hindhead and Liphook all competed. The Undershaw (Hindhead) team came second from bottom.
The remaining entry in 1902, in the Surrey Advertiser for 22 November, recorded the return of ACD's younger brother, Captain (later Brigadier-General) Innes Hay Doyle, from South Africa:
- Capt. Hay Doyle, son of the late Mr Charles Doyle and of Mrs Doyle, and brother of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, had an enthusiastic reception on his return home on Saturday evening, after four years service abroad. Capt. Doyle was a lieutenant when he left England in April 1897, for India; from that country, after being promoted to the rank of captain, he proceeded with the 12th Battery of the Royal Artillery with the Chinese expedition, returning to India in the latter part of 1901. He left for South Africa in January, 1902, remaining on active service to the end of the war, and taking part in the great drives in the Free State and Eastern Transvaal. He landed at Southampton on Saturday morning, and arrived at Haslemere by the 6.19 train. He had a cordial welcome at the station, where he was met by his mother, Sir A. Conan Doyle, and Master Kingsley Conan Doyle, the Haslemere town Band greeting him with the strains of 'Home Sweet Home'. At Hindhead House, a large crowd had assembled, and here the horses were taken out of the carriage, which was pulled by willing hands for the remainder of the journey to Undershaw, the Grayshott Brass Band heading the procession. Capt. Doyle briefly expressed his thanks for his hearty reception.
In 1903, the Surrey Advertiser's only comment on Conan Doyle's activities was in its 7 February edition:
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle appeared in the role of a footballer on Wednesday afternoon, in a match on the Royal Huts ground. Undershaw v Old Crocks was the fixture, the latter being the well known author's team, and they somewhat belied their name, for the result was Old Crocks 5, Undershaw 2.
In 1904 there was again only one entry in the Surrey Advertiser concerning ACD, on 22 October. This time he features in yet another, and rather unexpected role, delivering an address at a ceremony to mark the laying of the foundation stone of a new Wesleyan church, in Churt road, Hindhead:
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, having declared the first stone to have been well and truly laid, delivered a short address. He said when he was first asked to come and lay this foundation stone he hesitated for a moment, because he was afraid he was placing himself in a false position in the minds of many people, since he had not the honour of belonging to the Wesleyan Community. But he was told that if he came it would show his breadth of mind in religious matters. He thought, however, on the other hand, that it showed the breadth of mind of the Wesleyan Community, since they had so many distinguished members within their own ranks, far more fitted to do this than an outsider like himself. Wesleyanism had many sides to it which appealed most strongly to him, and none more, he thought, than that peculiar position which it held in English religious life between the Church of England on the one side and the English Nonconformist bodies on the other. If they took a broad view of the religious question in this country they would find on one side those great activities which looked back upon traditions, those bodies organised by the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England, bodies which one associated with ideas of episcopacy, while on the other side they had the independent Nonconformist churches, differing very little in fundamental points of faith, but differing very peculiarly in church policy, encouraging individualism and independence of thought. The Wesleyan body always seemed to him to hold a central position between those two great bodies, being allied with that freedom of the independent bodies, and having a connection with the Church in the sense that it was the latest oak from that old tree, and that the brothers Wesley were both members of it, and one at least, he believed, died within its communion. He held that the 16th century idea that each religion must be antagonistic to every other was rapidly dying away, and that they were getting into a brighter and broader era, in which Christians would all recognise that they were brothers, and that they should not look too keenly at the points in which they differed, but rather fix their eyes on that broad basis of ethics on which they were all absolutely united (applause). They wanted to learn a little more the lesson of the evangelical spirit and charity inspired by the founder of the Christian faith, and to think a little less of theological points of difference. And if this feeling was to grow it would be a central body between these two great wings who would be the peacemakers and unite them together, and that central body would be the Wesleyan Methodist Communion all over the world. In conclusion, he trusted that the church would grow and become a centre of religious life, and would never be a centre of hate (applause).
On 2 September 1905, the Surrey Advertiser reported that Conan Doyle had been fined for speeding:
- At Folkestone, on Saturday, Sir Conan Doyle, who was not present, pleaded guilty through his solicitor, to driving a motor car at a speed of 26 miles per hour on Cheriton Road. The Chief Constable handed in a previous conviction for a similar offence, which took place at Guildford, and Sir Conan was now fined £10 and costs.
Towards the end of 1905, Conan Doyle became involved in a public debate on Tariff Reform versus Free Trade. On 11 November, there had been a meeting in the School Hall to discuss this issue, at which ACD was not present The debate, which had been held on the initiative of the Free Trade party, was resumed three weeks later, and reported in the Surrey Advertiser for 2 December (I have transcribed only the passages relating to ACD from this very lengthy report). This time Conan Doyle, though not invited on to the platform, which was occupied by free-traders, took up a prominent position in a front-row seat, and prepared for battle:
- The hall was crowded. Mr A. M. S. Methuen presided, and his supporters were Miss Dorothy Hunter, the Hon Rollo Russell, the Rector (the Rev G.H. Aitken), Messrs C. Roberts, A.D. Leon, A. Williams, H.G. Dakyns and G. Unwin. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle occupied a seat in the front row in the body of the hall. Apologies for unavoidable absence were received from Sir Charles Follett, who took the chair at the Tariff Reform meeting, Mr Ratcliffe Cousins (the secretary of the League) and Mr Newman.
- The Chairman said that the meeting was not a political meeting in the ordinary sense of the word, though in the higher sense it was; but it was not a party meeting... There were two classes of Tariff Reformers. The first, the Protectionists, they could respect; the second they could not. To the rich manufacturer, who wanted to fill his pockets at their expense, they imputed a selfish and corrupt motive. Sir Charles Follett and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle belonged to the first class, and their controversy with them. was of a friendly nature....
- Mr Roberts then moved: 'That this meeting, having heard the Tariff Reformers, is of opinion that the objects of the League are inimical to the best interests of the country... Miss Hunter seconded, and also spoke at considerable length.....
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was invited to say a few words, and, responding, was received with tremendous enthusiasm. He wished to bear witness, he said, to the great good humour with which his opponents had stated their case. He also complimented Miss Hunter on her most brilliant speech, and added lightly that under some more reformed legislature they would see her in the House yet pleading the cause (the remainder of the sentence was lost in laughter). As the speakers began, he jotted down points on which he differed, but he soon ran short of paper (laughter). A point had been made about the low prices and the low scale of wages in Germany. That was one of the arguments of his side. If the Germans, on a lower scale of wages, kept on sending stuff into this country, the result must be to lower the standard of civilisation and to lower the rate of pay among our own people or to shut up our factories (applause). One delusion had run through all the speeches that night. That was that there was anybody on his side who was in favour of taxing raw material. There was absolutely none at all. When Mr Roberts agreed that there was great suffering in 1846, the cause of that was that at that time the people were blind and foolish enough to tax raw material. Everybody on his side was agreed it was an excellent thing to let raw materials free into the country. It was only when they came to manufactured articles that they entirely disagreed with everything that had been said (laughter). No words or columns of figures would ever make him believe that an injustice was not done when a British working man-a carpenter for instance-found himself standing in the street and saw load after load of Norwegian or American doors and frames passing him which had come free into the country (cheers). If we could put our stuff free into their country then it would be all right-then, of course, the best man would win (loud applause). The chairman said something about the eternal justice of things. That was what he (Sir Arthur) wanted to appeal for. Was it just all these people should put up walls against us and at the same time have a right to come perfectly free into our country? ('No'). If it was in our interest to do it he would be with them. But it could not be in our interest. Another error all through the speeches was that his side necessarily wanted protection for protection's sake. That was not so, they wanted it as an instrument for getting better terms (cheers). It had been said that protection always tended to go up. What a strong argument that was in its favour, because it could only go up by the whole society or community. They had got the votes and they could say whether it was good or bad. If the tendency in other countries had always been election after election to push it a little up surely that was a proof that they did not find it a very great hardship. They had heard from Mr Roberts of the case in days gone by of the man who earned 7s. a week. The reason was that there was very little money in the place. Shortly afterwards great goldfields were discovered, and money became more plentiful. If Mr Roberts took the 7s. a week men on what protection did, he could show him thousands of nothing-a-week men in London at the present time (cheers). He had a right to say that the nothing-a-week man was the product of Free Trade as Mr Roberts said the 7s. a week man came from protection (loud cheers). The chairman made him unhappy by drawing a melancholy picture of our prospects. If the whole cost of the 2s. duty fell upon us, and if it was divided over the 120 quartern loaves which a quarter of wheat would produce, it worked out at less than a farthing a loaf. In some neighbouring towns now they would find a difference of a halfpenny or a penny in the price, caused by bakers' rings and differences of that kind. He did not think a farthing was ever going to hurt us. The great thing to do was to see that the British working man had got the money in his pocket to buy the loaf (loud cheers). So long as the proportion of work which might be done in this country was done abroad the English working man was not fairly treated (applause). These articles came into the country, and our poor men were standing without, and the flower of our manhood was leaving the country (A voice: 'How about America?'). Sir Arthur said that was also a strong argument for his side (applause). The Moseley Commission reported that the average American working man received more than double the wage of the average British working man, and the cost of living was very little different. He did not see why we should not raise the standard of our workmen, as had been done in America (applause). He wanted to see them enjoy the same advantages (loud cheers).
- Other addresses followed, and the resolution had not been put to the meeting when our representative left to catch the last train.
The report was concluded in the next week's issue (9 December 1905):
- In the third edition of our last Saturday's issue we gave a report of some interesting speeches at the meeting organised at Haslemere by local supporters of the present Free Trade policy, but the proceedings were not over in time to enable us to complete the report.... The resolution was put, and declared to be carried, but many did not vote.
The death of ACD's first wife was reported in the Surrey Advertiser of 7 July 1906:
- We deeply regret to have to announce the death of Lady Conan Doyle, wife of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which took place at Undershaw, Hindhead, early on Wednesday morning. The deceased lady, who had been in a delicate state of health for some years, was the youngest daughter of Mr J. Hawkins, of Minsterworth, Gloucestershire. She was 49 years of age, and was married in 1886. She leaves two children, Miss Mary Doyle and Mr Kingsley Doyle, and to Sir Arthur and the family the sympathy of not only the people of Hindhead and the neighbourhood, but of the vast numbers of admirers of the distinguished novelist, will be extended in the sorrow that has overtaken them.
- The funeral took place yesterday (Friday) morning at eleven o'clock, and was of a quiet character. The remains, enclosed in an elm shell and a polished oak coffin, with brass furniture, was conveyed from Undershaw to Grayshott Church in a glass-panelled hearse, which was followed by several mourning carriages. The principal mourners were Sir A. Conan Doyle, Miss Hawkins (sister), Captain Doyle, Mr E. W. Hornung (brother-in-law), Mr A. W. Woods [sic], and the servants. Mr A. Ingham Whitaker sent his carriage, and amongst those who awaited the arrival of the cortege in church were Dr Arnold Lyndon, Mr and Mrs Henslowe and Mrs E. Turle. Closed blinds and other signs of mourning were displayed throughout the district. The burial service was conducted by the Rev C. C. Angell (brother-in-law) of St Augustine's Victoria Park, who was assisted by the Rev J. M. Jeakes, the incumbent, the latter reading the lesson. The coffin, which bore a plate inscribed 'Mary Louise Conan Doyle. Died 4th July, 1906, Aged 49 years,' was interred near the trees in a corner of the pretty churchyard. There were several wreaths, including a large one of choice white flowers from the bereaved husband. The others were from C.L.W., Miss Marian James, Mr and Mrs Marshall Bulley, Kingsley and Amy Milbourne, Mr A. Hugh Harman and Miss M. Hilda Knobel Harman. Messrs Shewing and Green, of Grayshott, carried out the funeral arrangements.
On 21 September 1907, the Surrey Advertiser gave an account of ACD's second marriage:
- The marriage of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, son of Mr Charles Altamount Doyle, of Edinburgh, with Miss Jean Leckie, daughter of Mr and Mrs James Blyth Leckie, of Glebe House, Blackheath, took place very quietly on Wednesday afternoon in St Margaret's Church, Westininster, only near relatives and a few intimate friends of both families witnessing the ceremony. The chancel was decorated for the occasion with tall palms, at the foot of which were arranged groups of white flowers. The rite was performed by the Rev Cyril Angell, of St Augustine's Church, Victoria Park, brother-in-law of the bridegroom, and the hymns used in the service, which was fully choral, were 'Praise the Lord, ye Heavens adore him', and 'O Perfect Love, all human thought transcending'.
- Punctually at a quarter to two o'clock, the hour fixed for the ceremony, the bride, who was accompanied by her father, arrived at the church, and was met at the porch by her two bridesmaids, Miss Lily Loder-Symonds and Miss Leslie Rose, and her page, Master Branford Angell (nephew of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), who was attired in a blue and cream silk court suit. The bride wore a semi-Empire robe of silk, embroidered Spanish lace, the design richly outlined in pearls. The court train, bordered with heavily-embroidered crepe-de-chine, was suspended from both shoulders, the edges softened with chiffon drawn through heavy rings of pearls in graduated sizes, while in the centre was diamonte net, looped with strings of pearls, bordered with a handsome lace design. Both train and gown had a lining of silver tissue. The bride also wore a tulle veil over a coronet of orange blossoms, and carried a bouquet of choice white exotics. Her maids' dresses were also of the semi-Empire type, and were composed of ivory filet net over white silk, interlined with pale blue accordion-pleated chiffon, with a deep hem of pale blue silk at the foot of the skirt, which was arranged with trails of roses and foliage in pale blue chiffon tied with embroidered lovers' knots and ribbons in pale blue silk. The over-drapery of the bodice and sleeves was of filet, trimmed with chiffon roses and ribbons to correspond with the skirt, and the costumes were completed with becoming hats to match. Each bridesmaid carried a bouquet of pink carnations and lilies of the valley, tied with blue silk ribbons, which, with jewelled bracelets, were the gifts of the bridegroom. Capt. Hay Doyle RA, brother of the bridegroom, acted as best man
- After the ceremony the bridal party went to the Whitehall Rooms, Hotel Metropole, where Mrs Leekie held a reception in the Grand Hall. The room was tastefully decorated with lofty palms, banked at the base with ferns and foliage, from which arose clusters of Lilium Harrisii and other choice white flowers, while bowls of similar blooms were placed on small tables about the room. At one end of the room the wedding presents were displayed, and refreshments were dispensed at a buffet arranged down the side. The Metropole Orchestra performed a selection of music during the afternoon.
- Among those present were: Sir Robert Cranston, Sir Edward Brabrook, Sir John Langman, Mrs Doyle, the Rev C.C. and Mrs Angell, Capt. Wilmer White, Mr R. Durant Leckie, Major and Mrs Arthur Griffiths, the Rev C. Wilson, Miss J. Leckie, Mr Harvey Leckie, Miss Conan Doyle, Mr Conan Doyle, Mr and Mrs Max Pemberton, Mr Coulson Kernahan, Mr Frank Bullen, Mr Edalji, Mr Hunter, Mr Hornung, Mr and Mrs W.B. Claxton, Mr Ernest Tye, Mr and Mrs Stratton-Boulnois, Mr and Mrs Twidle, Mr and Mrs D. Henderson, Mrs Nimmo, Mr Jerome and Miss Jerome, Mrs and Miss Stewart, Mr Sholto Wood, Major Guggleberg, Miss Haywood, Miss Tenniel, Mr C.K.Milboume, Mr and Mrs Lacon-Watson, Mr and Mrs Martineau, Mr and Mrs Kiddle, Mrs Guglsberg and Miss Henslowe, Mr and Mrs Mabey, Mr and Mrs Frank Verrall, Mr and Mrs Langman, Mr and Mrs Felgate, Dr and Mrs Thompson, Mr Thompson jnr, Mr and Mrs Ernest Taylor, Dr Edward Musgrave, Mr Frankfort Moore, Mrs Aspinall, Mr and Mrs Ratcfiffe-Hoare, Mrs Barry, Mr J.H.Ball, Miss Pocock, Miss Scott, Mr and Mrs Herbert Dent, Mrs Robert Barr and Miss Barr, Mr Williams, Mr and Mrs Whittaker, Mr Parsons, Mrs Turle, Mr and Mrs Roger Hutchinson, Mr Watt, Brigadier-Surgeon and Mrs Oldham, Mr Gibson, Mr and Mrs Worsfold, Mr and Mrs Percy White, and Mr Harman and Miss Harman.
- Later in the afternoon Sir Arthur and Lady Doyle left for Paris, en route to Dresden and Venice, the bride travelling in a costume of ivory faced cloth, handsomely trimmed with military braid, softened with fine lace, and hat ensuite.
There is no record of ACD's final departure from Undershaw. The only indication that he had left Hindhead is in the following note in the Surrey Advertiser for 29 August 1908:
- At the annual meeting at the Royal Huts, Hindhead, on Monday evening, with Mr B. Chandler in the chair, Mr J.A. Coe was elected president in place of Sir A. Conan Doyle, who has left the district.
I conclude with a report of an interview with ACD. This is to be found in a literary scrapbook, kept by Williain Sillick, who came to Haslemere in 1898 as the representative of the newly-founded Farnham and Haslemere Herald. Although there are many retrospective entries about Conan Doyle in this scrapbook, this is the only one published during his residence at Hindhead, and the only one I shall quote from. The quotation itself is reproduced from another journal, which I have not seen. It is not possible to give a precise date of publication, because Sillick was far less orderly than the Miss Penfolds, and his items are frequently undated. An unkown hand has written 'Feb 1902' on this entry; but all that can be said with confidence is that, as Conan Doyle had not then been knighted, the interview must have taken place at the beginning of 1902, or earlier (though not before his 42nd birthday on 22 May 1901, as that was his age at the time of the interview).
In this interview, ACD reviews his career, as he sees it during the middle of his time at Hindhead, and we also get glimpses of the impression he made on his interviewer:
- The current number of the 'Surrey Magazine' is quite up to the usually high standard of that excellent periodical. Among articles of great interest it contains the following, which we take the liberty of reproducing:
- The career of Dr Conan Doyle, the famous novelist, whose pretty house at Hindhead, in Surrey, is invariably pointed out to visitors to the charming Haslemere district, is full of interest. The reason is evident from the nature of the man. Having spent a full life, he can claim at the age of forty-two, to have seen as much of the world, and experienced as many varied sensations, as most people. His disposition is adventurous and restless, and the variety of his pursuits, and the multiplicity of his travels, account for some of his versatility as an author. He comes of a distinguished artistic family. His father was an artist, his grandfather a well-known caricaturist, and his uncle was Richard Doyle, the famous 'Punch' cartoonist. 'Dicky Doyle' has won immortality on the cover of 'Punch', which he designed, and which bears his characteristic autograph-a capital 'D' with a bird on top.
- Though born and educated in Edinburgh, Dr Conan Doyle is an Irishman; yet he is something of a cosmopolitan, for he went to school at Stonyhurst and in Germany, travelled the Arctic seas, practised as a doctor at Southsea, and knows South and East Africa almost as well as he does the county of Surrey, in which he takes such a keen delight. There are few excitements that he has not sampled. He is an ardent golfer, a smart boxer, a crack shot, a clever amateur photographer, and a first-rate cricketer. To his divers other experiences, he has added the sensations of ballooning. He knows the joys and anxieties of a political election, for he stood as a Liberal Unionist candidate for Edinburgh last year. He has seen the horrors of war as Secretary of the Langman Field Hospital, and he has acted as correspondent in the Soudan campaign. Probably, too, he is the only man in England who is at the same time a member of the 'Authors', the 'Reform', the MCC and the National Sporting Club.
- Dr Conan Doyle has a distinct recollection of his earliest literary achievements. He was only six years old when he wrote his first story, on foolscap paper, in a fine bold hand, four words to the line, and illustrated by marginal pen-and-ink stretches. There was a man in it, and there was a tiger. He forgets which was the hero, but that does not matter, for about the time the tiger met the man they became blended into one. The end of that traveller was described in some detail, both verbally and pictorially, but, when the man had been absorbed by the tiger, the author found himself in difficuties-he could not see how his story was to go on. Thus it is that the primitive manuscript reposes in an old family bureau, the tiger still enveloping the hapless stranger whom he had taken in. The author's first book was a much more ambitious effort, but it was not attempted till some years afterwards, in which time Conan Doyle did a considerable amount of reading, which had the effect of making him know the Rocky Mountains as well as he did his own back garden. While at a public school he developed great powers as a story-teller, and his schoolfellows gave him little rest. They were in the habit of bribing him with pastry to continue the habit, and he remembers that he always stipulated for tarts down and strict business, which shows, as he quaintly remarked, that he was born to be a member of the Authors Society. When he had reached early manhood, Conan Doyle was taken by the hand by that good old harsh schoolmistress, Hard Times. He then found with some amazement that he could write, and that his writings were accepted. 'Chambers's Journal' first rose to his bait, and he has consequently had a kindly feeling for it ever since; but he had numerous disappointments. During the next eight years he sent out about fifty packets of manuscripts, which described irregular orbits among publishers, and usually came back like paper boomerangs to the place from which they started. Yet in time they all found lodging somewhere or other. Among others, the late Mr James Payn was always encouraging him to persevere, but in the course of ten years of hard work he averaged less than £50 a year from his pen. He won his way, however, into some of the best journals, and was thereby induced to write a book, which, being very sensational, interested him greatly, although he never heard that it had had the same effect on other people. He continued to write in the intervals of his professional work as a doctor, and by the time he had taken unto himself a wife he had succeeded in publishing 'A Study in Scarlet' and 'Micah Clarke'. In 1888 he gave to the world 'The Sign of Four', and a year later 'The White Company'. The success of the last-mentioned book was so great that the author was induced to abandon his practice, and in 1891 he sprang into fame as the creator of 'Sherlock Holmes', to which 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes' formed a sequel in 1893. The author's next works were 'The Refugees', 'Round the Red Lamp', 'The Stark-Munro Letters', 'The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard', 'Rodney Stone', 'Uncle Bernac', and 'The Tragedy of the Korosko'. In 1894, Dr Conan Doyle achieved a further great success as a playwright, with his delightful story of Waterloo, which was produced by Sir Henry Irving at the Lyceum, and now forms part of that great actor's repertoire.
- Perhaps Dr. Doyle's greatest work is his history of 'The Great Boer War'. When that war broke out the author confesses that he found it impossible to do any kind of literary work. He tried again and again to write on ordinary subjects, but his mind was so full of the war that his endeavours were in vain. Then he began to ask himself, 'Why not write a book on the war? At that time, however, he had no idea of going himself to South Africa. Then came the black week-the second week of December, 1899-and everybody was volunteering for the seat of war. Dr Conan Doyle offered himself for the Imperial Yeomanry, but, as he had not previously held a commission in the Yeomanry or Volunteers, he was told that he had no chance, and he was unable to go as a trooper because he was over age. Then it was that he volunteered to go out with his friend, Mr Langman, who was fitting out a hospital, and he went. Before reaching Bloemfontein, at the end of March, he had obtained first-hand impressions from officers and men who had actually taken part in the scenes they described, and he began his work on the war. Then came the terrible typhoid epidemic, and for three months it was difficult to do anything more to his history, but before the end of it he managed to see a little of the warlike operations for himself. He spent two days with Ian Hamilton's force, and afterwards went up with Lord Roberts' army, and was present at the taking of Brandfort and the action at Vet River. He would have been delighted to have gone on with the army, but they were short-handed at the hospital, and he had to go back to his medical work at Bloemfontein. The next month, however, he was able to go up to Pretoria, where he had the opportunity of discussing the various operations with officers and men who had taken part in them. Thus he was soon in a position to compile his narrative, and the care he exercised in selecting reliable information is shown by the fact that, although his book was published before the official despatches, not a single error of any consequence has been exposed in the story, nor have any of the criticisms been seriously shaken.
- A pleasing little incident should here be related in connection with Dr Conan Doyle's book. Feeling that he had stated the Boer case as fully as he could, he sent six copies to the prisoners at St Helena, and six to those in Ceylon. In reply he received a very graceful letter of thanks from the Boer officers in Ceylon. He had endeavoured throughout the work to speak the truth fearlessly as to the war, with a bias on the side of charity, and it cannot be shown that he was far wrong in any instance. There was one injustice, however, which he perpetrated in common with other people. It was reported, after the battle of Magersfontein, that Lord Methuen upbraided the Highlanders. This story, for some reason, gained universal belief, and was never contradicted; therefore he included it in his book. There is, however, no truth whatever in the statement; Lord Methuen's only remarks to the men being of a complimentary kind.
- Taken as a whole, Dr Conan Doyle's history of the war is undoubtedly the finest that has been written, and whether it was compiled in his pretty house at Haslemere, or during his work as doctor in the hospitals in South Africa, it will be generally admired. It is a book in which he has excelled himself as a word painter, and it is not surprising to find that it had, and is still having, a large circulation.
- Strange to say, although Dr Conan Doyle has made himself famous with 'Sherlock Holmes', who now holds the stage as well as the library, he is not particularly proud of his creation. He would much rather be known as the author of 'The White Company', 'Micah Clarke', and 'The Refugees', but as long as he receives large royalties from the famous detective he is too philosophical to regret that he indulges the taste of the British public.... [text indecipherable]... readers are not aware of the fact that he met the man who suggested Sherlock Holmes to him when he went to Edinburgh to study medicine. That man's name is Dr Joseph Bell.
- Personally, Dr Doyle is a fine specimen of a man, with a frame so broad and strong as to indicate the possession of great strength and endurance. As he wears no beard, only a moustache, he looks even younger than he is, and no one can be long in his company without acknowledging his great gifts as a conversationalist and raconteur, and that he is a much travelled man. 'Undershaw', his residence, is delightfully situated in the midst of exquisite Surrey scenery, and it presents an ideal retreat for a busy man of letters like Dr Conan Doyle.
By way of postscript, I append a description of ACD by Flora Thompson, author of Lark Rise to Candleford. She came to the Hindhead area at about the same time as Conan Doyle, as assistant to the postmaster at the adjacent village of Grayshott. As Hindhead then had no post-office, it was to Grayshott that all the literary folk who had settled there came to send their telegrams. In her later (posthumous) book Heatherley, she describes her experiences, with sketches of some of the wefl-known authors then living at Hindhead. She has this to say about ACD:
- He had then recently scored a big success which had made a great impression on the villagers, not so much as literature as by the big fancy-dress ball he had given at the new hotel on the hill to celebrate it. Scarcely a day passed without his bursting like a breeze into the post office, almost filling it with his fine presence and the deep tones of his jovial voice. As he went about the village he had a kindly greeting for all, rich and poor, known and unknown alike. He was probably the most popular man in the neighbourhood. Practically everyone had read at least one of his books and many of the local readers fully believed him to be the greatest of living authors.
1. The Haslemere Microscope and Natural History Society originated in 1888 as a class for instructing working men in the use of the microscope, but rapidly evolved into a society for the study of natural history. But when the intelligentsia invaded the area in strength in the eighteen-nineties they quickly broadened its scope to include all the sciences and arts. After their departure in the early years of the next century, the Society dropped the term 'Microscope' from its clumsy title, and reverted to the unadulterated study of natural history.
2. Poudré must be what was intended, i.e., the elaborate powdered hair-style in vogue in the eighteenth century, the Surrey Advertiser's printing press was evidently not equipped to deal with French accents.
- Article courtesy Christopher Roden, founder of The Arthur Conan Doyle Society (1989-2003).
