New SHSL Annual Dinner post + commentary

This post features the odd new photo and commentary

The Sherlock Holmes Society of London's Annual Dinner 2013 shared one thing in common with that of 2010. That thing was snow. On both occasions it was snowing and the good old British public transport system was creaking under the weight of the disruption. The snow in some places was a good inch deep – how could civilization cope?

As in 2010 the snow failed to prevent all but a handful of people making the event and it was a success as per usual.

Drinks Reception

After the usual, but necessary, trek through House of Commons Security we made it to the drinks reception. It was here that the troops gathered for the hour or so before we could all be seated. Some faces were familiar and others were clearly there for the first time. It was a pleasure for me to finally meet Katherine Davies (the wife of David Stuart Davies) after a good deal of Twitter correspondence. Her good husband was, I fear, responsible for leaving me with a cold that troubles me as I write.

After conversations with, amongst others, Tony Lee and Georgina Doyle, we finally made our way to the main dining room and tucked into an excellent meal. Because I am a total philistine when it comes to food I am not able to identify the fish that I had for my main but it was excellent and my wife assures me that the lamb was first rate.

Your humble blog author

At the conclusion of the meal our Chairman, Bob Ellis, introduced the speaker – Kim Newman. Mr Newman gave us a speech that, he informed us, he had given to the BSI but that he had put back in some of the long words that he had felt it necessary to remove for the American audience. This drew good natured laughter from Mike “Wiggins” Whelan and caused everyone else to draw sharp breaths and laugh nervously. In fact I think everyone present looked at the nearest American to see how the joke went down.

Following Mr Newman’s excellent speech on the continued presence of Moriarty, our Treasurer Calvert Markham gave an excellent speech which culminated in the toast to Doctor Watson.

Following this and the many other items of note – including the awarding of the Tony Howlett Award to membership secretary David Jones (alas not present) – people began to drift away.

The speaker - Kim Newman

I spoke to a number of people that I’d only known through Twitter and was relieved to find that they were all normal (joking). I only hope, after a bottle of excellent Merlot, that I came across in the same way.

See you all next year (fingers crossed).

For more information on Arthur Conan Doyle and his time at Undershaw please refer to my book, An Entirely New Country which is available through all good bookstores including Amazon USA, Amazon UK, Classic Specialities, and in all electronic formats including iTunes, Kobo, Nook and Kindle .

The Norwood Author is available from all good bookstores, in many formats worldwide including Waterstones UK, Amazon UK,  Amazon USA, Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, iBooks for the iPad/iPhone, Kobo Books, Nook.

Close to Holmes is available from all good bookstores, in many formats worldwide including Amazon USA,  Barnes and Noble,  Amazon UK,  Waterstones UK,  Amazon Kindle,  Kobo,  Nook  and iBooks for the iPad/iPhone.

Eliminate the Impossible is available from all good bookstores, in many formats worldwide including Amazon USA, Barnes and Noble, Amazon UK, Waterstones UK, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Nook and iBooks for the iPad/iPhone.