Notes, News and Comments (ACD Journal vol. 2 No. 2)
Notes, News and Comments [Vol. 2 No. 2] is an article published in the A.C.D. - The Journal of The Arthur Conan Doyle Society (Vol. 2 No. 2, autumn 1991).
This article reports the Arthur Conan Doyle Society activities, including the launch of the facsimile of The Dying Detective, future events, publishing plans, and internal Society updates.
Article
Able to relax after a nail-biting evening. Westminster's Councillor Anthony Allford, ACD Society President Julian Symons, Christopher Roden and Catherine Cooke at the launch of the facsimile of The Dying Detective. (Picture: The Sherlock Holmes Gazette)
The Joint Facsimile Project: The Adventure of The Dying Detective
Friday the 13th? Well, all that talk about omens and superstitions could just be an old wives' tale after all.
After some months of preparation, the launch of the facsimile of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes story The Adventure of the Dying Detective was scheduled for the evening of Friday, 13 September 1991.
When I saw Catherine Cooke at 11.00 a.m. that morning, the vital ingredient for the evening's proceedings the books themselves — had not arrived at Marylebone Library. She had, however, been assured that they were on an overnight carrier from the binders in Plymouth and we confidently expected that they would arrive 'any time now.'
In mid-afternoon, a small group of Doyleans began to gather informally at the Sherlock Holmes Hotel in Baker Street: Chris Roden, Elizabeth Wiggins, Joe Cooper, Owen Dudley Edwards, David Stuart Davies, Bert Coules, Richard Lancelyn Green — and a very edgy Catherine Cooke. (The books had still not arrived. Catherine had heard, finally, that they were leaving Plymouth at 3.00 p.m. and, with Julian Symons arriving at 6.45 p.m. to sign the one hundred copies of the limited edition she was, understandably, a little nervous). However, there was little we could do now except sit back and enjoy things!
It was Owen Dudley Edwards who asked 'Are we presenting a reading of the story this evening?' and, having seen Owen's presentation of The Thirty Nine Steps at the Hay-on-Wye Literature Festival the previous year, I immediately agreed that the suggestion was a good one. As things turned out, the reading was to prove a life saver.
We all adjourned to Marylebone Library to find a rather glum-looking Julian Symons sitting alone (apart from thousands of books) and still awaiting the arrival of the limited editions he was to sign. Catherine Cooke, it was rumoured, had been seen, but we couldn't be too sure whether she had been seen inside the library, or outside hailing a cab heading in the opposite direction. Soon, however, she put in an appearance and we did our best to entertain guests including members of the Council of The Sherlock Holmes Society of London and the owner of the manuscript Mr. Keith Miller who was accompanied by his wife Sally.
The unrehearsed reading of the story perhaps surprised those not accustomed to the antics of Holmes enthusiasts and to some extent it surprised some of the cast. Owen Dudley Edwards gave a very dramatic performance of the dying Holmes (in fact, we lost count of just how many time Holmes did die during the reading), Christopher Roden read the part of Watson, Catherine Cooke played Mrs Hudson, Richard Lancelyn Green excelled as Culverton Smith and Roger Johnson brought his undoubted thespian talents to the roles of Staples and Inspector Morton.
The books arrived mid-way through the reading.
Those of you who have purchased the signed, limited edition may like to know that a production line was assembled in the darkened chamber of Marylebone Library which houses The Sherlock Holmes Collection. This consisted of Owen Dudley Edwards, Christopher Roden, Catherine Cooke and Julian Symons who finally got to sign his name. We are all grateful to Julian who attended the evening in considerable pain, and can only apologise for prolonging the agony!
The decision to involve the Society in the joint production of this facsimile has proved to be a wise one. As we go to press, Catherine Cooke has advised us that sales to date ensure that the project has reached its break-even point. This is better than we could have expected indeed, our best estimates suggested that we should break even by March 1992. We thank you for your support and, of course, would remind those who have not yet purchased a copy of this historic publication that copies are still available from Sherlock Holmes Facsimile, Charing Cross Library, 4 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H OHG.
We are also very pleased to advise members that Mr Keith Miller, the manuscript's owner, has accepted a membership of The Arthur Conan Doyle Society.
Arthur Conan Doyle Weekend Tunbridge Wells 22-24 May, 1992
Following the success of the weekend at Barnsley (which is reviewed by Elizabeth Wiggins elsewhere in this Journal), arrangements are being made with Periquito Hotels to hold the 1992 weekend at their Tunbridge Wells Hotel.
We shall be limited to around 70 places which are certain to be in high demand, and priority will be given to members of this Society and of The Northern Musgraves who will again be co-operating to make this a joint function.
Full details will be sent to British members early in the new year. Any overseas members who also wish to receive details should contact Christopher Roden as soon as possible.
The weekend coincides with the unveiling of the memorial to Arthur Conan Doyle in Crowborough, and most of the daytime activities on the Saturday will be centred around Crowborough and will include the unveiling ceremony.
The Society's Christmas Card for 1991
Many members may not be aware that Arthur Conan Doyle was, for many years, a Director of Raphael Tuck & Co. Ltd., the world famous manufacturers of greetings cards and postcards.
This year is the 125th anniversary of the founding of Raphael Tuck I am delighted to announce that, by way of acknowledgement of ACD's association with the Company, Raphael Tuck's present owners, Collisons Ltd. of Shipley, West Yorkshire have generously donated the Society's Christmas Card for members and friends of the Society.
On behalf of the Society's members, I should like to convey grateful thanks to Collisons Ltd. for their most generous gesture.
The Arthur Conan Doyle Society Collection
One of the aims of the Society is to ensure that Conan Doyle's works, particularly the lesser known works, are once more available. Naturally, one hopes that, as time goes by, publishers will become aware of the interest which exists, but this will take time.
By way of an initiative, therefore, the Society is to begin production of its own series, under the banner of 'The Arthur Conan Doyle Society Collection'. — the first in the series to three Each edition will be limited in number hundred and copies will be numbered.
Future editions, to be issued over a period of years, will be on a subscription basis and details will be available well in advance of each individual publication.
However, through the generosity of Kapp & Peterson Limited, Pipe Manufacturers of Dublin, Ireland, the manufacturers of 'The Sherlock Holmes Collection' of pipes, the first edition in the series will be sent free to all members in the early Spring of 1992.
The Silver Hatchet is the story which has been chosen to be the first in the series, and the Society's special edition of this story will have an introduction by Owen Dudley Edwards. First published in the 1883 Christmas edition of London Society, The Silver Hatchet was later collected in the rare Mysteries and Adventures (1889). It was not included in The Conan Doyle Stories and, as a consequence, is little known.
I feel sure that members will wish to join me in thanking Kapp & Peterson Limited for their very generous donation to enable this important project to be commenced.
Members' Questionnaire 1991
A very good response has been received to the questionnaire which was enclosed with the last edition of The Parish Magazine. A full analysis of comment will be published in the next newsletter but, as you might have gathered from the appearance of this Journal, there was an overwhelming demand that we return to perfect binding.
The decision to change the binding on the last issue of the Journal was taken for reasons of economy. The hard facts are that Journal production and postage costs, which alone already account for over 85% of subscription income, continue to rise as printing costs increase.
Several options are being considered, chiefly the possibility of changing the pattern of our publications. For example, if we were to increase the size of the two Parish Magazines, and double the size of the Journal, at the same time making the Journal an annual publication, it is feasible that we could go into 1992 with no increase in costs and a subscription at the same level as 1991.
There are other valid reasons for considering an annual Journal: such a publication would enable us to include lengthy articles without their being serialised, the impact of a sizeable annual production would make it easier to bring this publication to the notice of literary editors, and the stabilised publication date would lessen the editorial burden. This isn't whinging on the part of the editors but, quite simply, each issue of the Journal demands four weeks' solid work (all of which is given free of charge in leisure time). While we're engaged on this work, everything else goes by the board and, of course, this results in a backlog of correspondence and means that we're unable to get on with the business of promoting the Society and enabling it to grow.
A choice of options will be put to you with the next edition of The Parish Magazine but, meanwhile, we'd like to hear your views. Would you be happy with one authoritative 200-page Journal and two newsletters each year? Don't let yourself be disappointed. Write now with your views!
News from Crowborough
The Conan Doyle (Crowborough) Establishment Announcement
We are most pleased to announce that Christopher Roden has accepted our invitation to become a member of our constitution-limited number. It is always our intention to invite a certain few to join our numbers, which must never be more than twenty. This is only given to those who, in our remit, fit our ideals of membership. We are pleased to say that Christopher does so honourably.
On May 23rd 1992, there will be a ceremony of the unveiling of 'The Arthur Conan Doyle Memorial' at Terrace Montargis, Crowborough, at 2.15 p.m. All who wish to come and help us celebrate this long awaited memorial to Sir Arthur in Crowborough are welcome to join us. We are designing a Souvenir programme which will be available a little while before the event and will keep you updated on this.
Plans are afoot to make this a civic event, and we are to have talks with our local Town Council and Mayor to make arrangements for this. Air Cmdt. Dame Jean Conan Doyle has said she will attend, health permitting. We are already getting enquiries from interested Sherlockians and Doyleans. For more information and accommodation information pack, send s.a.e. or I.R.Cs to Malcolm Payne, The Conan Doyle Room, The Cross Hotel, Crowborough, East Sussex, UK.
The memorial will be a bronze bas-relief head of Sir Arthur, set on a bronze plaque, and set into surface-polished grey granite which has a natural edge finish. The bronze is by sculptor Christopher Howard, and cast by Livingstone Art Founders of Kent. A limited edition of ten of these bronzes will be cast from the master clay. They will be reserved on a first come, first served basis. Price: U.K. £455; other: US $1,000, or equivalent, or bankers' draft of £475 sterling. Cheque must accompany reserve order. They will be cast/founded in sequence after the original, and price includes shipping, insurance, and a certificate of authenticity with the purchaser's name and number of piece. Cheques should be sent to the above address and made payable to 'The ACD Memorial Fund'. Issuing of pieces will begin after the ceremony. Any orders received after all numbers have been issued will have cheques returned.
- Article courtesy Christopher Roden, founder of The Arthur Conan Doyle Society (1989-2003).
