The Conan Doyle Establishment (U.K.)
The Conan Doyle Establishment (U.K.) is an article written by Malcolm Payne published in the A.C.D. - The Journal of The Arthur Conan Doyle Society (Vol. 1, No. 1) in september 1989.
The article describes the creation of The Conan Doyle (Crowborough) Establishment, founded to collect, preserve, and publicise local knowledge, documents, and memories connected with Arthur Conan Doyle's life. It presents the Establishment as a community-based archival and heritage project, rooted in family testimony and tourism, aimed at safeguarding Conan Doyle's Sussex legacy for researchers and visitors.
The Conan Doyle Establishment (U.K.)
It was a letter from Japan that sparked it all off. Back in 1985, an enquiry from a Japanese gentleman asking for information on the burial place of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle arrived at my address in Crowborough. As local historian of the town, this was not unusual: I would get around 15 such letters a year. Having sent my reply to Japan I quite forgot about it, until another letter arrived from this gentleman, thanking me for the information and suggesting that perhaps I could give more publicity to the fact that I could dispense such information. Could I not, he wrote, give my information archive some title that would be easily recognised, and then see that it was publicised in as many countries around the world as I could. It has taken the four years since then to organise a band of local enthusiasts, so that we now have photographers, interviewers, researchers and guides for local tours.
In 1987, the brewers Charrington were looking for a theme to compliment their refurbishment of some old rooms, and a bar, which had not been used by the public for around 40 years. A former landlord of the inn had committed suicide in the bar in 1947, and it had remained closed ever since. In fact, he is said to haunt the bar — but we have seen nothing of him.
My friend Anthony Yates who died suddenly on 4th May 1989, was landlord of the Crowborough Cross. He was also an enthusiast on the history and life of Arthur Conan Doyle and, together, we decided to try to get the brewers interested in making the rooms 'The Conan Doyle Rooms'. This would be an ideal place for our headquarters. Charringtons readily agreed, and gave us quite a free hand in making suggestions and additions to the decor. All of the old rooms have now been made into one long room, and to step inside is to step back into Victorian times. Photographs of Sir Arthur and his family and staff, many of which have never before been seen or published, adorn the walls. There is also framed memorabilia and some artefacts, but these latter are few.
Three members of my family were on the staff at Windlesham in Sir Arthur's time: My father, Roger Payne from 1919-1923; his sister, Kath Payne, from 1914-1919; her older brother, James Payne, from 1919-1924. Each one had his or her own memories, and a few pieces of memorabilia which have passed to me. I have typescripts of interviews with each of them, all now dead. Through my family, and having been born in the town in 1927, I also knew many of the other members of the staff.
The Conan Doyle Establishment concentrates mainly on Sir Arthur's time in Sussex but, of course, we take considerable interest in his whole life. At the present time, we are funded mainly by local businesses which benefit from any tourism which we attract. Regrettably, we have to make a small charge for the copies of documents which we are able to provide: a research fee of £5. plus 5p for every sheet of photocopied original typescripted interview. Our photographs, sent for record purposes only, are £2.50 a copy, and there is a fee of £15 for a one-publication-only photograph.
Something of the life of Arthur Conan Doyle appears in my book Crowborough — the growth of a Wealden Town published by Brewin Books in 1985, and in Bygone Crowborough published by Phillimore in 1987. A short illustrated book of Conan Doyle's life in Crowborough should be ready soon. At 50 pages, with 45 half-tones, it is aimed at tourists. I am working on a longer book on his life in the town and it is hoped that this will be ready by 1991.
Some interesting and, I believe, previously unknown points come out in my interviews with staff, and these have been of use to many researchers over the years. We have typescripts of interviews with Bill Latter, Sir Arthur's chauffeur from 1925, who stayed with the family until Lady Jean's death (or a little before), in 1940; also Alfred Bassett, gardener at Windlesham for a number of years; Amy Brunsdon, housemaid 1919-c.1930; and some photographs of these members of staff. We work mainly as a postal archive, but are happy to guide small parties or individuals to the various parts of Crowborough with which there is a connection with some part of Conan Doyle's life. We are also most pleased to welcome any interested persons to The Conan Doyle Rooms at the Crowborough Cross Hotel, an old listed coaching inn. If you let us know you are coming, we can arrange to be there to greet you.
The Conan Doyle Rooms were officially opened on 30th June 1989. Anthony Yates' Widow, Marian, has become President of The Conan Doyle Establishment (U.K.).
- Article courtesy Christopher Roden, founder of The Arthur Conan Doyle Society (1989-2003).
