Sherlockian Sojourns #9: Manchester

This was a bit of a last-minute jaunt without the usual planning have gone on. I had been asked to attend a meeting in Manchester, with my travel paid, and so I had a quick look online for central Manchester locations from the Granada series featuring Jeremy Brett, the series having been made at the old Granada Studios in the city. (Having just completed my final University exams in 1999, I went for a day-trip from Sheffield to the Studios, walking down their Baker Street set which was still standing). I had identified Manchester Town Hall as featuring in several stories, and intended to make a brief detour to photograph it on my way back to Manchester Piccadilly Station.

My journey up went without a hitch (but did mean that I had to get up at 6am), and walking to the Crown Court with my manager, we passed the Town Hall, but there was not time to linger, as we were due at the conference facilities.

However, to my surprise the meeting finished an hour early, and having over two hours until my train home, I decided to set off first for another location, Chetham’s School of Music, which featured in “The Red-Headed League” and “The Final Problem”.

After a few wrong turns, I found it. Unfortunately due to building work going on, the imposing gates were locked shut, and I was only able to get a few shots through the arch at the top of them.

Retracing my steps, I made my way back to the law courts and up to Albert Square where the large Town Hall courtyard, recognisable from several episodes, was located. The Town Hall features in “The Golden Pince-Nez”, “The Cardboard Box”, “The Mazarin Stone”, “The Dying Detective” and “The Eligible Bachelor”

 

 

 

 

Having taken photos of the front and side, as both feature in episodes, I made my way inside, being aware that the inside was used for the inside of the Houses of Parliament in the Guy Richie film, “Sherlock Holmes”.

 

 

 

Making my way back to the Station, I was in plenty of time for my train. However, as it pulled into Rugby (not a scheduled stop) the train came to a halt. After around ten minutes, train crew came over the tannoy to state that due to fatality at Harrow, the train would be waiting there for some time. It eventually moved, before coming to another unscheduled stop at Milton Keynes Central. The train then stopped additionally at Watford Junction (where I had travelled to a few days before on my way to a Sherlockian book signing), before finally limping into London Euston 85 minutes late. It had been a very long day !!!!

Sherlockian Sojourns - Special #2: 'It would be a great pleasure if you could come on to the Continent with me'.

May 2016 represented the 125th anniversary of the infamous struggle between the most dangerous criminal and the foremost champion of the law of their generation at Switzerland's Reichenbach Falls, as outlined in 'The Final Problem'. To celebrate the anniversary and my 40th birthday from earlier in the year, I decided to be there exactly 125 years to the day. [I had made a previous pilgrimage to the Falls eight years before, but had not made it to the legendary ledge].

Tuesday 3rd May 2016

 "For a charming week we wandered up the Valley of the Rhone. We made our way over the Gemmi Pass, by way of Interlaken. It was on the 3rd of May [1891] that we reached the little village of Meiringen, where we put up at the Englischer Hof, then kept by Peter Steiler the elder. Our landlord was an intelligent man, and spoke excellent English, having served for three years as waiter at the Grosvenor Hotel in London". [FINA]

Having negotiated passport control, I made my way to the attached train station, catching a train to Interlaken. On arrival it had started raining, so sheltering under my umbrella, I made my way into the town centre, taking multiple photos of the tourist sites.

Returning to the station, I was able to catch a train directly to Meiringen. Alighting I pulled my suitcase across the square that led to the 'Sherlock Holmes Museum', passing a statue of a familiar deerstalkered figure, until I reached Parkhotel Du Sauvage, with a plaque declaring it to be the 'Englischer Hof'.

 

Making my way inside and checking in, I was directed to my room, 215 (unfortunately not 221b!). Having spent some time watching BBC World, I popped down into the centre of Meiringen (the rain having stopped) for a quick pizza. Returning to the 'Englischer Hof', I watched some old episodes of 'Spooks' before turning in.




Wednesday 4th May 2016       (Reichenbach Day)

"At [Herr Steiler]'s advice, on the afternoon of the 4th we set off together, with the intention of crossing the hills and spending the night at the hamlet of Rosenlaui. We had strict injunctions, however, on no account to pass the falls of Reichenbach, which are about half-way up the hill, without making a small detour to see them".   [FINA]

Going down for an early breakfast, the sky seemed clear, so I was decided to start off as soon as possible. The plan was to follow as closely as possible in Holmes and Watson's footsteps, based on notes from Bernard Davies, published in the 'Sherlock Holmes Society of London Journal'.  I therefore strode off towards the Falls, passing by my base on my previous visit, Sporthotel Sherlock Holmes. Unfortunately the Reichenbachfallbahn was not running, and due to construction work going on, I could not go up the flight of stairs indicated in my directions. However, moving along a short distance, I managed to find a way up, and back on track. Passing a sign to Rosenlaui, I continued until I reached the final path up to the ledge, which involved a steep climb, but was soon standing where Holmes and Watson had.

"It is indeed, a fearful place. The torrent, swollen by the melting snow, plunges into a tremendous abyss, from which the spray rolls up like the smoke from a burning house. The shaft into which the river hurls itself is a immense chasm, lined by glistening coal-black rock, and narrowing into a creaming, boiling pit of incalculable depth, which brims over and shoots the stream onward over its jagged lip. The long sweep of green water roaring forever down, and the thick flickering curtain of spray hissing forever upward, turn a man giddy with their constant whirl and clamour. We stood near the edge peering down at the gleam of the breaking water far below us against the black rocks, and listening to the half-human shout which came booming up with the spray out of the abyss. The path has been cut half-way round the fall to afford a complete view, but it ends abruptly, and the traveller has to return as he came".    [FINA]

  

Walking along the ledge, I looked down into the abyss, and the water plunging down. I had the ledge completely to myself, and found myself wanting to shout 'Holmes' into the spray as Watson had done 125 years before. Having taken multiple photos, including of various plaques and memorials to Holmes, and myself in front of the star that can be seen from the other side of the Falls (where the funicular railway runs to).

 

 

 

Retracing my steps, slightly slower than Watson rushing back to the 'Englischer Hof', I passed a final memorial plaque. Having had a brief rest in my room, I made my way to the Museum.

 

The Sherlock Holmes Museum was opened on 4th May 1991 on the 100th anniversary of Reichenbach  (so it was its 25th anniversary that day), by Dame Jean Conan Doyle, daughter of Sir Arthur, in the English church in Meiringen.The Museum was designed by English architect couple John and Silvia Reid, and contains carefully collected authentic exhibition pieces of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and the Victorian era. It also has a faithful reconstruction of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson's living room in 221B Baker Street, according to clues that are to be found in the stories. In the square outside is a statue of Holmes by John Doubleday who also created the statue of Holmes found outside Baker Street Underground Station.

 

Having walked around all the exhibits at least twice, I made my way back up to the entrance and gift shop, buying anything that I hadn't on my previous visit. My shopping was only getting started, as I moved into the centre of the town and a bookshop, where I purchased a French/English – Bilingual Edition of “The Final Problem” (as well as “The Empty House” and “The Five Orange Pips”, a couple of Meiringen postcards, a stamp and a book bag with the Sherlockian quote “Nichts ist trügerischer als eine offenkundige Tatsache" ("There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact."  [BOSC] )

Sitting at a bench outside the bookshop, I addressed one of the postcards to myself in pencil, added a brief message, then posted in it a nearby postbox, hoping to get the postmark dated 04/05/2016. [The postcard beat me back and had the right postmark. I then erased the pencil, readdressed it to Dr. J. Watson of Queen Anne Street, before copying out Holmes' note to Watson from the Falls on the left-hand side, dated 04/05/1891]

Moving on, I made my way into the Konditorei-Tea Room Frutiger. Meiringen is famous for its meringue, and some claim that it was invented there (hence the name). However, it was for a different treat that I popped in - a praline cream with a familiar silhouette on.

Having purchased two, I made my way back to the 'Englischer Hof' for a lazy evening.

Thursday 5th May 2016

 It was time to check-out and leave Meiringen. I made my way to the station, catching two trains, including a double-decker, until I reached Zurich, from where I was to be flying home that night.

Many of my plans for the day were scuppered by it being a religious holiday meaning that many of the museums were closed for the day. However, I managed to follow a walk around the town from my guidebook, and even managed to have a river cruise.

 
All too soon it was time to make my way to the airport, but not before visiting a bookshop in the main shopping centre to purchase a German language copy of "The Hound of the Baskervilles".

Sitting back in my plane seat, I mused on a hectic but enjoyable few days. 

Agatha Adventures #1 - Days Two and Three

DAY 2    (05/10/2017)

After the previous day’s hors d'oeuvre, it was time for the main course – namely Greenway, Agatha Christie’s holiday home, which also features under various guises in several of Christie's novels, namely “Dead Man’s Folly” (the David Suchet dramatisation was even filmed at Greenway), “Five Little Pigs” and “Towards Zero”. Greenway was bought by Christie and her second husband Max Mallowan in 1938. The house was occupied by Christie and Mallowan until their deaths in 1976 and 1978 respectively, and is currently owned by the National Trust.

Catching a bus from Torquay to Paignton, I made my way to the Dartmouth Steam Railway, which runs a train and bus service to Greenway. Taking a seat in one of the carriages being pulled by ‘Lydham Manor’, a locomotive built in December 1950 in Swindon for the Great Western Railway.

Alighting at Churston (the same station that Poirot and Hastings do in the novel “The ABC Murders” when investigating a murder at nearby Ellberry Cover), I made my way to the nearby courtesy bus, named ‘Miss Jane Marple’.

After a ten minute journey through winding country lanes, the bus arrived at the gates to the Greenway Estate. Following a winding path, and walking quickly to beat the rush, after about five minutes I found myself at the entrance to the National Trust site. Paying for entry and a guidebook, I made my way through a courtyard, stowing everything but my camera and spare batteries in a free locker, and entered the house.

Inside a steward gave me a guide to the house, from on top of a Zanzibar Chest, that inspired similar such chests in “The Adventure of the Baghdad Chest”, “The Body in the Library” and “The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding”.

Walking around the house, I saw a variety of Christieian mementoes, including her Damehood (which was hidden in a cupboard), a picture named ‘The Sad Dog’ which inspired the novel “Dumb Witness”, and large numbers of copies of her books in all languages.

Exiting the house, I made my way along a path to the two other parts of the estate featured in her books. The first was the Battery, with cannons, which was where the murder took place in “Five Little Pigs”, with a view across the Dart to the setting of “Towards Zero”.

 

Continuing along, I found myself at the Boathouse, another crime-scene, this time from “Dead Man’s Folly”. It was also here that Christie read her manuscripts, in a chair specially made for her.

 

 

Returning to the main courtyard, and retrieving my bag, I purchased some postcards and a book about all the characters in the Poirot stories, using a 10% off coupon.

Hurrying back down the winding path, I arrived at the gate just before the courtesy bus dropped off another set of passengers, and a few minutes later myself and two others go on for the journey back to Churston. The buses being timetabled in conjunction with the trains, I had only five minutes to wait before ‘Lydham Manor’ pulled back into the station. Around fifteen minutes later, I was exiting Paignton station, and catching a bus back to Torquay, after a brief stop for lunch.

Remaining on the bus past the stop where I had got on that morning, I found myself alighting outside the Torquay Museum, which features an Agatha Christie Gallery. Having paid for entry (again using a discount voucher), I made my way to the top floor, following signs for the ‘AC Gallery’. Walking through a mock-up of an Old Devon Farmhouse, I finally found the gallery. The main exhibits were two complete sets from the ‘Agatha Christie’s Poirot’ episode “Cards on the Table”, as well as complete costumes worn by Joan Hickson and David Suchet, as well as Christie’s own fur coat.

 

 

 The gallery also included leaflets with another version of the ‘Agatha Christie Mile’ with other locations noted that I had not visited the day before.

Having browsed the other galleries, which included ‘Explorers and Ancient Egypt’, ‘Local Studies’ and ‘Ancestors’, I made my way out of the museum, having stopped to buy a postcard and a leaflet about ‘Ashfield’, Christie’s childhood Torquay home, which also appears in fictional form in "Postern of Fate".

Walking back down a steep hill, I walked back along the front until just before the Grand Hotel, I turned up a side road, and made my way to Torre Abbey. Again using a discount voucher, I paid for entry, following the volunteer’s suggestion that I start at the top of the building and work my way down. Having learnt about the history of the Abbey, I made my way out into the gardens, heading for the ‘Agatha Christie’s Potent Plants’ garden, in which examples of all poisonous plants mentioned in Christie’s work could be found.

Having looked at a few more of the grounds, I made my way out of the Abbey, and after a minimum of wrong-turns found myself at All Saints Church, Torre, where Agatha was christened in 1890.

The next port of call, the former site of ‘Ashfield’, proved slightly more difficult to find, but finally after walking up a very steep hill, just before South Devon College, I found the plaque indicating that ‘Ashfield’ had been built on this site.

 

Walking back into central Torquay, I passed the site of the former dispensary that Agatha had worked in, the Town Hall where she had worked in a wartime dispensary, the site of the Athenaeum Rooms (now a Snappy Snaps) where the young Agatha regularly went dancing, and the Central Cinema which was formerly the Royal Theatre and Opera House.

However, of more interest was a business that seemed to be half barbers and half magic shop.

Reaching the main bus stops, I picked up some fish and chips, and caught a bus to just past the Grand Hotel, and Corbyn Head, which appears in “Postern of Fate” as Baldy’s Head, where I ate my fish and chips looking out to sea, before returning to my hotel for another ‘Elementary’ marathon.

DAY 3     (06/10/2017) 

Having breakfasted, I checked out, and walked to the bus stop of the previous day, catching a bus to the top of Torquay, Babbacombe, and the Bygones visitor attraction (using another discount voucher). This family-run attraction features a full-size Victorian street, with 15 shops and 9 period rooms. Having stowed my bag behind the counter, I made my way round the street, and the period rooms above, including a prison cell will an original HMP Dartmoor door, and Victorian handcuffs.

 

 

 

 

The top floor was given over to an old penny arcade, the Railways (including a 27-ton steam engine) and Wartime Britain (including a 'Trench Experience'). 

Retrieving my bag, I made my way to the bus-stop back, getting an open-topped bus back into Central Torquay. I then spent the time until my train home, browsing the shops, purchasing a German-language version of the 'Sherlock - Series 1' Blu Ray. Making my way to the station, I sat on the platform for around twenty minutes until my train arrived. Finding my reserved seat, I settled back to enjoy several 'Big Finish' audios via the app. Arriving back in London at 5.30pm, I made my way home, via the secondhand shops of Notting Hill.