Next Meeting

Our meetings have been temporarily suspended due to the Shelter in Place order. We are considering having a meeting online. Watch this space for additional details.
 

Meetings Temporarily Suspended Due to Shelter in Place Order

Our next meeting will be Saturday, December 1, 2018, at 2 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
 
This is our annual holiday party and potluck.

Visitors and new members are always welcome. For any further information, contact: reloha@gmail.com

Our next meeting will be Saturday, May 19, 2018, at 2:21 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
 
For our annual non-Sherlock Holmes Conan Doyle meeting, we will be discussing The White Company.

Visitors and new members are always welcome. For any further information, contact: reloha@gmail.com

Our next meeting will be Saturday, April 7, 2018, at 2:21 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
 
We will be discussing "The Musgrave Ritual" and watching the loose adaptation of the story, Sherlock Holmes Faces Death, starring Basil Rathbone and the much-maligned Nigel Bruce.

Visitors and new members are always welcome. For any further information, contact: reloha@gmail.com

Our next meeting will be Saturday, March 3, 2018, at 2:21 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
 
We will be comparing and contrasting "The Speckled Band" and "The Solitary Cyclist."

Visitors and new members are always welcome. For any further information, contact: reloha@gmail.com

0092: THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE / THE COPPER BEECHES

THE ORIGINAL TREE WORSHIPPERS OF ROCK COUNTY MEETING MINUTES

DATE

Saturday, February 3, 2018

2:21 p.m.

LOCATION

Hedberg Public Library Public Meeting Room

MEMBERS PRESENT

Resa Haile, Dawn Kabor, Elaine Khan, Dale Lucht, Bryan Pike, Gayle Lange Puhl, Linda Robinson

CHARTER MEMBER

James Haile

DISCUSSION: The Red-Headed League / The Copper Beeches

Dawn felt the two cases were very unusual. Sherlock Holmes wasn't interested in the Copper Beeches case at first but was interested in the Red-Headed League case.

Resa wondered how they would do the Red-Headed League nowadays. Gayle thought something with AI. Dawn thought typing something in or recording it rather than copying by hand.

Gayle observed that she has always thought of “The Copper Beeches” as a retelling of Rapunzel. She said it had some historical precedence and thought that Adam Worth had done something similar.

Bryan noted that Copper and League are both stories about deception.

Dawn thought it was fun reading both stories because she hadn't read “The Red-Headed League” for years but “The Copper Beeches” was the story discussed at her first meeting and she remembered all of it.

Gayle focused on the young girl in the house in “The Red-Headed League.” She noted that fourteen was old to be apprenticed but too young to be involved in intrigue. There was a discussion of artificial kneecaps.

Unlike “The Red-Headed League,” there are several women in “The Copper Beeches.” Gayle wondered what kind of woman Mrs. Rucastle was.

Resa noted that Watson was written out of the silent version of “The Copper Beeches” and Holmes and Watson were both written out of the short film, “Violet,” but she felt that Holmes had a huge impact in “The Red-Headed League.”

MISCELLANY

Gayle’s Sherlock Holmes story will be in TheMX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories – Part VII edited by David Marcum

Resa showed her prizes from the Well-Read Sherlockian blog: the game, Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective: The Thames Murder & other cases and a William Gillette autograph, along with some Christmas presents, including Detectives by Julian Symons and Sherlock Holmes paper dolls.

Gayle reported on her trip to New York for the Baker Street Weekend.

NEXT MEETING

“The Speckled Band” / “The Solitary Cyclist”

Minutes prepared by Resa Haile.

Our next meeting will be Saturday, August 12, 2017, at 2:21 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
 
We will be listening to the second part of "The Speckled Band" radio play, and also, as time permits:

• Discussing the play "The Crown Diamond" (which was adapted into the short story "The Mazarin Stone")
• Discussing Julia Gordon-Bramer's article, " 'The Detective': Sylvia Plath's Tribute to Sherlock Holmes and the 'Whodunit' "

Visitors and new members are always welcome. For any further information, contact: reloha@gmail.com

0085: The Speckled Band (radio play)

THE ORIGINAL TREE WORSHIPPERS OF ROCK COUNTY MEETING MINUTES

DATE
Saturday, July 8, 2017
2:21 p.m.

LOCATION
Hedberg Public Library Public Meeting Room

MEMBERS PRESENT
Resa Haile, Dawn Kabor, Elaine Khan, Dale Lucht, Bryan Pike, Gayle Lange Puhl, Linda Robinson

CHARTER MEMBER

James Haile

DISCUSSION

Dawn: Comparison of play vs. story: In the play, Watson is a friend of Enid’s (Helen in the story) rather than coming into it with Sherlock Holmes. Mr. Armitage is a juror in the play/fiancé in the story. Dawn liked Armitage’s persistence in the play. Then he suggests Holmes be brought in. Wouldn't a snake bite leave holes? The doctor doesn't examine and find them.

Several people said “The Speckled Band” was their favorite story.

Linda said there was very little Sherlock in the play. It’s driven by other characters. It seemed like a setup for a spinoff with Mr. Armitage.

Dawn noted it was a whistle in the story and a flute in the play. Resa added that another character was brought in to play the flute.

Linda said the ending was abrupt. Resa suggested that Holmes seemed like a bad pastiche of himself or Gillette’s Holmes in the play version. Julie thought they developed the female character and gave her more emotional substance than in the typical story.

Dawn asked what set off Grimesby Roylott/Rylott? Julie noted they talked about his family having mental issues.

Linda pointed out that if it’s a production where you can’t see the setting very well, it wouldn't be clear it’s a snake. Dawn said that in the original play, they used a small boa constrictor and a critic said it was fake.

A discussion of snakes’ inability to hear, drink milk, and climb ropes followed.

Resa noted that in the story, Helen goes to Holmes for help on her own, while in the play, Armitage has to convince Enid, and she does so more to save him than to save herself. She has more agency in the original story.

MISCELLANY
Resa showed the iDoyle app on her phone, which tells “A Scandal in Bohemia” interactively with music and movement. The reader can pull open a drawer and move a light close to study the stationery, among other things.

NEXT MEETING

Part 2 of “The Speckled Band” radio play.

Minutes prepared by Resa Haile.

Our next meeting will be Saturday, July 8, 2017, at 2:21 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
 
We will be discussing "The Speckled Band," the play (which appears in Sherlock Holmes: The Published Apocrypha edited by Jack Tracy) and watching the 1931 version of the story starring Raymond Massey.

Visitors and new members are always welcome. For any further information, contact: reloha@gmail.com

Our next meeting will be Saturday, June 3, 2017, at 2:30 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
 
We will be having our annual meeting in honor of Conan Doyle, featuring the short story, "Lot 249."

Visitors and new members are always welcome. For any further information, contact: reloha@gmail.com

Our next meeting will be Saturday, May 6, 2017, at 2:30 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
 
We will be watching the conclusion of Sherlock Holmes, the silent film with William Gillette.

Visitors and new members are always welcome. For any further information, contact: reloha@gmail.com

Our next meeting will be Saturday, April 8, 2017, at 2:30 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
 
We will be watching the recently rediscovered William Gillette silent film, Sherlock Holmes.

Visitors and new members are always welcome. For any further information, contact: reloha@gmail.com

Author Talk: Brittany Cavallaro

Brittany Cavallaro, author of the Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson mystery books, featuring Holmes' and Watson's teenage descendants, gives an entertaining Sherlockian talk at the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.

Members of the Original Tree Worshippers were in attendance for the event on Thursday, February 23, 2017.

Author Visit at Hedberg: Brittany Cavallero

Brittany Cavallaro, the author of the YA series about Charlotte Holmes and James Watson, will be at the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin. 

Ms. Cavallaro will have both of her books, A Study in Charlotte and The Last of August available. 

She also recently wrote one of the more interesting articles about BBC's Sherlock, which you can find here.

Hansom Wheels: A short film by Linda Robinson

We are lucky to have Linda Robinson, a professor of film studies at UW-Whitewater, as one of the wonderful members of the Original Tree Worshippers. Linda made this documentary about the Hansom Wheels of Columbia, South Carolina, as a love letter to her parents, Robert and Myrtle Robinson, and as an introduction to Sherlockian fun for those who have yet to discover the Great Detective. 

Bob Robinson, who passed away in 2012,  was one of the founding members of the Hansom Wheels. This documentary was filmed at the February 2003 meeting of the Hansom Wheels and at Bob and Myrtle's home, and it features artifacts from Bob's collection of Sherlockiana.

Next Meeting

Our next meeting will be Saturday, March 4, 2017, at 2:30 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
 
We will be continuing the Sherlockian apocrypha, discussing the parodies, "The Field Bazaar," "How Watson Learned the Trick," and "The Adventure of the Two Collaborators." 

Visitors and new members are always welcome. For any further information, contact: reloha@gmail.com

NEXT MEETING

Our next meeting will be Saturday, February 4, 2017, at 2:30 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
 
We will be continuing the Sherlockian apocrypha, discussing "The Man with the Watches." 

Our next meeting will be Saturday, January 14, 2017, at 2:30 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
 
We will begin a cycle from the Sherlockian apocrypha, with our first discussion story being "The Lost Special," the tale of a missing train. Is the "amateur reasoner of some celebrity" Sherlock Holmes?

Our next meeting will be Saturday, November 5, 2016, at 2:30 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
We will be discussing "The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place."

Note: This is a change from the previously announced time of 2:00.

Our next meeting will be Saturday, October 1, 2016, at 2:00 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
We will be discussing "The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger."


Other Upcoming Meetings (tentative)


Saturday, November 5 @ 2:00 p.m.
       "The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place"


Saturday, December 3 @ 2:00 p.m.
       Annual Sherlockian Holiday Party
       This year, we celebrate our first complete run through
       Canon.

Our next meeting will be Saturday, August 27, 2016, at 2:00 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
We will be discussing "The Adventure of the Retired Colourman."


Other Upcoming Meetings (tentative)

Saturday, October 1 @2:00 p.m.
       "The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger"


Saturday, November 5 @ 2:00 p.m.
       "The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place"


Saturday, December 3 @ 2:00 p.m.
       Annual Sherlockian Holiday Party
       This year, we celebrate our first complete run through
       Canon.

Our next meeting will be Saturday, July 30, 2016, at 2:00 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
We will be discussing "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane," one of two stories in the Canon that are narrated by Holmes (without a framing narrative by Watson). 


Other Upcoming Meetings (tentative)
Saturday, August 27 @2:00 p.m.
      "The Adventure of the Retired Colourman"


Saturday, October 1 @2:00 p.m.
       "The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger"


Saturday, November 5 @ 2:00 p.m.
       "The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place"


Saturday, December 3 @ 2:00 p.m.
       Annual Sherlockian Holiday Party
       This year, we celebrate our first complete run through
       Canon.

Our next meeting will be Saturday, July 9 at 2:00 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
We will be discussing "The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier," one of two stories in the Canon that are narrated by Holmes (without a framing narrative by Watson). 


Other Upcoming Meetings (tentative)
Saturday, July 30 @2:00 p.m.      "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane"


Saturday, August 27 @2:00 p.m.
      "The Adventure of the Retired Colourman"


Saturday, October 1 @2:00 p.m.
       "The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger"


Saturday, November 5 @ 2:00 p.m.
       "The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place"


Saturday, December 3 @ 2:00 p.m.
       Annual Sherlockian Holiday Party
       This year, we celebrate our first complete run through
       Canon.

Our next meeting will be Sunday, May 8, 2016 at 1:30 p.m., in the Public Meeting Room of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.

This is our special non-Sherlock Holmes meeting, in honor of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's birth month, and we will be discussing "How the Brigadier Slew the Fox," found in the collection, The Adventures of Gerard. 

E-mail reloha@gmail.com for more information.

New members and visitors are always welcome.


Upcoming Meeting:
Sunday, June 5: "The Adventure of the Three Gables"