SHERLOCK HOLMES 101
Below are listed several words, organizations, expressions, etc. which are commonly used throughout the Sherlockian community.
The Canon is the original collection 4 novels and 56 short stories about Sherlock Holmes.
The Master (aka The Great Detective) is Sherlock Holmes.
The Doctor is Dr. John H. Watson. He is credited by many as being the actual biographer and the greatest friend of Sherlock Holmes. Some believe that his war wounds as a serving British officer (in Afghanistan) were matched only by his number of marriages.
The Game (aka The Grand Game, The Great Game, The Sherlockian Game, The Holmesian Game) is, in reference to The Canon, the suggestion that Sherlock Holmes is a real person, that Dr. John Watson is the actual writer of the stories, and that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a literary agent. This approach was originally postulated by Monsignor Ronald Knox in his 1912 essay “Studies in the Literature of Sherlock Holmes.” Students of The Canon have not been the same since.
Mycroft Holmes is the older brother of Sherlock by seven years. His powers of observation are considered even greater than his younger brother’s, but he has chosen a profession as a civil servant. Mycroft is more comfortable behind a desk than being out and about…but he is a major influencer within the British government. He is a founding member of London’s highly private and exclusive Diogenes Club.
The Woman is used to describe Irene Adler who outfoxed The Master in A Scandal in Bohemia.
A Sherlockian is generally used to describe a student of The Canon in the USA.
A Holmesian is the same as a Sherlockian except that he or she resides in Great Britain.
The Baker Street Irregulars (BSI) is an American organization founded by Christopher Morley in 1934. It is the premier Sherlock Holmes society in the world. Since its founding, there have been approximately 700 total members (including well known writers, celebrities, and two U.S. Presidents). There are currently about 300 members and a traditional annual gathering is held in New York City each January to celebrate The Master’s birthday. Membership is by invitation-only. (https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/)
The Baker Street Journal (BSJ) was founded in 1946 and is the preeminent publication for Sherlockians throughout the world. It is the official publication of the Baker Street Irregulars, is published on a quarterly basis, and includes a bonus Christmas Annual each December. The annual USA subscription rate is currently $42. (https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/the-baker-street-journal/)
The Sherlock Holmes Society of London (SHSL) was founded in 1951 and is the main organization in Great Britain focused on Sherlock Holmes. It has an annual meeting and holds dinners throughout the year. Membership is open to all for a nominal fee. Annual Associate membership, the most common for non-residents of Britain, is a bit more than $20 (17 British pounds) and includes a subscription to the semi-annual Sherlock Holmes Journal. (https://www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk/)
Pastiche is a literary, artistic, musical, or architectural work which imitates the style of previous work. There are thousands of pastiches written about Sherlock Holmes such as The Seven Per-Cent Solution authored by Nicholas Meyer. There are also many parodies created about Holmes but, unlike a pastiche which generally respects The Canon, some parodies involve ridicule or irony in an attempt at humor.
Gasogene, Tantalus, and Commissionaire are terms freely borrowed from the Victorian era which are used by the BSI and its many scion societies to describe leadership positions. These are based on Article IV of the Constitution of the Baker Street Irregulars. The duties of the Gasogene are those normally performed by a President, the Tantalus is associated with duties performed by a Secretary, and the duties of Commissionaire “shall be to telephone down for ice, White Rock, and whatever else may be required.” (NOTE: White Rock refers to various mixers for alcohol such as club soda, tonic water, etc.)
17 is the number of steps from the entrance hall to the sitting room at 221B Baker Street (as described in A Scandal in Bohemia.) This is often the answer to a question which frequently appears on scion quizzes.
Scion has multiple definitions such as a young shoot or twig of a plant, especially one cut for grafting or rooting. After the success of the original Baker Street Irregulars (BSI), several local chapters were started throughout the USA and became know as scion societies. These groups grew to hundreds and spread internationally as well. Scion societies, such as The Shaka Sherlockians of Hawaii, can petition the BSI parent organization for official recognition as being part of the BSI family (or Ohana as we say in Hawaii). The Shaka Sherlockians of Hawaii received this coveted recognition in 2020.
Below are listed several words, organizations, expressions, etc. which are commonly used throughout the Sherlockian community.
The Canon is the original collection 4 novels and 56 short stories about Sherlock Holmes.
The Master (aka The Great Detective) is Sherlock Holmes.
The Doctor is Dr. John H. Watson. He is credited by many as being the actual biographer and the greatest friend of Sherlock Holmes. Some believe that his war wounds as a serving British officer (in Afghanistan) were matched only by his number of marriages.
The Game (aka The Grand Game, The Great Game, The Sherlockian Game, The Holmesian Game) is, in reference to The Canon, the suggestion that Sherlock Holmes is a real person, that Dr. John Watson is the actual writer of the stories, and that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a literary agent. This approach was originally postulated by Monsignor Ronald Knox in his 1912 essay “Studies in the Literature of Sherlock Holmes.” Students of The Canon have not been the same since.
Mycroft Holmes is the older brother of Sherlock by seven years. His powers of observation are considered even greater than his younger brother’s, but he has chosen a profession as a civil servant. Mycroft is more comfortable behind a desk than being out and about…but he is a major influencer within the British government. He is a founding member of London’s highly private and exclusive Diogenes Club.
The Woman is used to describe Irene Adler who outfoxed The Master in A Scandal in Bohemia.
A Sherlockian is generally used to describe a student of The Canon in the USA.
A Holmesian is the same as a Sherlockian except that he or she resides in Great Britain.
The Baker Street Irregulars (BSI) is an American organization founded by Christopher Morley in 1934. It is the premier Sherlock Holmes society in the world. Since its founding, there have been approximately 700 total members (including well known writers, celebrities, and two U.S. Presidents). There are currently about 300 members and a traditional annual gathering is held in New York City each January to celebrate The Master’s birthday. Membership is by invitation-only. (https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/)
The Baker Street Journal (BSJ) was founded in 1946 and is the preeminent publication for Sherlockians throughout the world. It is the official publication of the Baker Street Irregulars, is published on a quarterly basis, and includes a bonus Christmas Annual each December. The annual USA subscription rate is currently $42. (https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/the-baker-street-journal/)
The Sherlock Holmes Society of London (SHSL) was founded in 1951 and is the main organization in Great Britain focused on Sherlock Holmes. It has an annual meeting and holds dinners throughout the year. Membership is open to all for a nominal fee. Annual Associate membership, the most common for non-residents of Britain, is a bit more than $20 (17 British pounds) and includes a subscription to the semi-annual Sherlock Holmes Journal. (https://www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk/)
Pastiche is a literary, artistic, musical, or architectural work which imitates the style of previous work. There are thousands of pastiches written about Sherlock Holmes such as The Seven Per-Cent Solution authored by Nicholas Meyer. There are also many parodies created about Holmes but, unlike a pastiche which generally respects The Canon, some parodies involve ridicule or irony in an attempt at humor.
Gasogene, Tantalus, and Commissionaire are terms freely borrowed from the Victorian era which are used by the BSI and its many scion societies to describe leadership positions. These are based on Article IV of the Constitution of the Baker Street Irregulars. The duties of the Gasogene are those normally performed by a President, the Tantalus is associated with duties performed by a Secretary, and the duties of Commissionaire “shall be to telephone down for ice, White Rock, and whatever else may be required.” (NOTE: White Rock refers to various mixers for alcohol such as club soda, tonic water, etc.)
17 is the number of steps from the entrance hall to the sitting room at 221B Baker Street (as described in A Scandal in Bohemia.) This is often the answer to a question which frequently appears on scion quizzes.
Scion has multiple definitions such as a young shoot or twig of a plant, especially one cut for grafting or rooting. After the success of the original Baker Street Irregulars (BSI), several local chapters were started throughout the USA and became know as scion societies. These groups grew to hundreds and spread internationally as well. Scion societies, such as The Shaka Sherlockians of Hawaii, can petition the BSI parent organization for official recognition as being part of the BSI family (or Ohana as we say in Hawaii). The Shaka Sherlockians of Hawaii received this coveted recognition in 2020.