Sherlockian Sojourns #6: Windsor & Eton.

Windsor is a historic market town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire. Having successfully regained the Bruce-Partington (Submarine) Plans (in the story of the same name), Watson tells us that Holmes 'spent a day at Windsor, whence he returned with a remarkably fine emerald tie-pin'. It seems likely that his destination was Windsor Castle, then the official residence of the reigning English monarch. Queen Victoria, who reigned from 1837 to 1901, must have been the queen who presented Holmes with his emerald tie-pin, since the story takes place in 1895. (Holmes himself clearly felt patriotic sentiments towards her, due to the "VR" for Victoria Regina that he inscribed on Mrs. Hudson's wall in bullet-holes). The first castle on the site was built by William the Conqueror nearly a thousand years ago. Under Queen Victoria's reign, an extensive renovation was completed, and parts of the castle were opened to the public. Victoria spent the greatest portion of each year at Windsor, Albert preferring it to smoky London. It was also here that she proposed to Albert (you can't propose to a Queen!).

However, the castle also has another Sherlockian link. In 1910, Victoria's grandson ascended to the throne as George V, succeeding his father Edward VII. His queen was Queen Mary, whose cousin, Princess Marie Louise, came up with the idea of a doll's house for the castle. It was to be created as a gift to Queen Mary from the people, and to serve as an historical document on how a royal family might have lived during that period in England. She discussed her idea with one of the top architects of the time, Sir Edwin Lutyens, at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition of 1921. Sir Edwin agreed to construct the dolls' house and began preparations, with the house being completed in 1924. Princess Marie Louise had many connections in the arts and arranged for the top artists and craftsmen of the time to contribute their special abilities to the house. As a result, the dolls' house had an amazing collection of miniature items that actually work, many of which are 1/12 replicas of items in the Castle. The carpets, curtains and furnishings were all copies of the real thing, and even the light fittings worked. The bathrooms were fully plumbed, with a flushable toilet and miniature lavatory paper. In addition, well-known writers wrote special books for the house's library, which were bound in scale size by Sangorski & Sutcliffe. These included Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who contributed a new short story “How Watson Learned The Trick”. Conan Doyle was provided with a book approximately into which he wrote the 503-word story by hand, taking up 34 pages. The original manuscript is still part of the Dolls' House library, and in 2014, a facsimile edition was released of the tiny book. The Doll House Library also includes a facsimile scale 'Strand Magazine'. Other authors involved in providing books included M. R. James, A. A. Milne, J. M. Barrie, Thomas Hardy, Rudyard Kipling and W. Somerset Maugham. Each book had a book-plate designed by Ernest Shepard, famous for the original illustrations for 'Winnie the Pooh' and 'The Wind in the Willows'.

 

 

 

I therefore decided to spend a day in Windsor myself, and not unsurprisingly having arrived at Windsor and Eton Riverside, my first port of call was the Castle. 

Having negotiated the airport style metal-detectors which were certainly not there when Holmes visited, and picked up an audio-guide, I started my visit by visiting St. George's Chapel where Henry VII, Charles I and the present Queen's parents are buried. It is also the spiritual home of the Knights of the Garter. As a place of regular worship, photography was prohibited inside.

Next up was a Changing of the Guard. The soldiers on sentry duty within the castle precincts are drawn from the five regiments of Foot Guards - Coldstream, Grenadier, Scots, Irish, Welsh - with one battalion always stationed at Windsor. The daily changeover takes place at 11am on the parade ground in the Lower Ward, and includes a military band (whose repertoire seemed to include The Beatles).

I then made my way to the State Apartments, visiting the Queen Mary Dolls House first (where as in the rest of the Apartments photography was prohibited). Peering into the Library, which occupies the full width of the west side at ground level, I was unable to pick out HWLTT. Moving into the Apartments proper, up the Grand Staircase, through a large number of gigantic halls full of artworks (including Bruegel the Elder's 'The Massacre of the Innocents'), I finally found myself in the Queen's Audience Chamber, made for Catherine of Braganza (Charles II's consort), which would have been the location of Holmes' audience with Victoria.

Having browsed the gift shop which had no emerald tie-pins (but I did purchase a golden crown pin and two guidebooks), I made my way back into the centre of Windsor to get a bite to eat.

For my afternoon's entertainment, I crossed the River Thames using Windsor Bridge, to find myself in Eton, a town and civil parish in the ceremonial county of Berkshire, but within the historic boundaries of Buckinghamshire. The point of Sherlockian interest was Eton College, founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor", making it the 18th oldest Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC) school. Eton is one of the original seven public schools as defined by the Public Schools Act 1868. Following the public school tradition, Eton is a full boarding school, which means all pupils live at the school, and it is one of four such remaining single-sex boys' public schools in the United Kingdom (the others being Harrow, Radley, and Winchester) to continue this practice. Eton has educated 19 British prime ministers (including possibly 'Lord Bellinger' from “The Second Stain”) and generations of the aristocracy and has been referred to as the chief nurse of England's statesmen. It was also the school attended by Jeremy Huggins, who under his stage name Jeremy Brett played a certain detective on TV. However, it was for its appearance in a non-canonical story that I wished to visit, as in 1985 it became one of the main locations used for the fictional Brompton School in “Young Sherlock Holmes” (the others being Brasenose College and Radley College, both in Oxford). There are several scenes of the College Chapel, and the main courtyard with its statue of Henry VI in the background. (The college also appeared in an iconic scene in “Chariots of Fire”).

I had therefore booked for one of the college's Friday tours, and was ready at the gate to the College Chapel graveyard at the appointed time. 

The tour covered the School Yard, College Chapel, Upper School, Lower School, Verey Gallery and the Museum of Eton Life. Having taken multiple photos of the School Yard, photography was rightly banned in the Chapel, so I concentrated on the well-informed guide outlining the history of this august institution. 

Having visited the historic classrooms and an exhibition by Norman Ackroyd of etchings of the most remote parts of the British Isles in the Gallery, we ended in the Museum. I was pleased to see Brett on the wall of famous Old Etonians. 

Having completed a feedback form, I handed back my visitors pass, and exited the College.

To round off my day in Windsor, I was intending to take in a production of 'Trespass' an Emlyn Williams thriller at the Theatre Royal Windsor, starring Rebecca Wheatley ('Casualty'), Judy Buxton ('On The Up'), Michelle Morris (school secretary in DW story 'Into The Dalek') and David Callister ('The Bill'). However, just over a week before I was phoned by the theatre to state that the production had been cancelled. Therefore earlier than originally planned, I wended my way home, ready for another non-Sherlockian pilgrimage the next day.

Sherlockian Sojourns #5: Lewisham & Blackheath

"You should go to Blackheath first” - Sherlock Holmes    [NORW]

The area of Lewisham and Blackheath features multiple times in the canon. In fact in 'The Sussex Vampire' it is revealed that Watson used to play rugby for Blackheath. It is also where Holmes goes to meet with the parents of 'the unhappy John Hector McFarlane' in 'The Norwood Builder'. However, its main appearance is in one of the last adventures to be published - 'The Retired Colourman'.

I therefore followed Holmes' earlier suggestion to Lestrade, arriving at Blackheath Station, as did Watson when sent by Holmes, who was engaged on another case, to meet with Josiah Amberley, the titular retired colourman  (he used to manufacture painting supplies). It is also Blackheath Station where Watson finds that a lounger in the street outside Amberley's home with a very military appearance has followed him, jumping on the same train.

Exiting the station I then walked into Blackheath Village, before taking a right into The Glebe. In March 1897, Conan Doyle met Miss Jean Leckie, a woman in her twenties who lived at 10 The Glebe with her parents. Their love became romantic, but Conan Doyle was clear that he would not divorce his wife, Louisa ('Touie') who was slowly dying of Tuberculosis. They therefore kept a platonic relationship for nine years. His wife died in July 1906, and two months later, he and Jean wed.

Retracing my steps into Lee Terrace, I continued on Brandham Road and then Cedars Close. It was here that 'The Cedars', the home of Neville St. Clair and his family was located in 'The Man With The Twisted Lip'. Holmes and Watson attended here to meet with Mrs. St. Clair, after Watson had stumbled across Holmes in an opium den.

Returning to Brandham Road, I continued onto Lee High Road where after just under a mile, I reached 317 Lee High Road, formerly known as 'Park Cottage', the true name of the building which Watson called 'The Haven'  (according to Sherlockian topologist, Bernard Davies). It was here that Josiah Amberley lived, and from where his wife and neighbour had apparently run off together, taking Amberley's savings with them.

Catching a bus back to Blackheath Station, I got back on a train, looking out for loungers with military appearances.

Sherlockian Sojourns #4: Esher, Oakshott & Stoke D'Arbernon

"The lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside".- Sherlock Holmes   [COPP]

Having visited Hindhead I decided to visit a few Sherlockian sites closer to home, which feature in 'Wisteria Lodge' and 'The Adventure of the Speckled Band'. I therefore made my way to Kingston by bus, catching a bus to nearby Esher. Alighting in the High Street, I made my way a short distance to my first port of call. 

'Wisteria Lodge' involves the murder of a Spanish-speaking foreigner, named Garcia that took place on a woodland path between his home (the aforementioned Wisteria Lodge') and the north-west Surrey village of Oxshott. Holmes and Watson are called in by Mr. John Scott Eccles, who was present at the Lodge at the time of the crime, and in order to investigate the crime in situ, Holmes and Watson base themselves in Esher in a comfortable suite at 'The Bull' Public House. This is a transparent alias for the famous old coaching house, 'The Bear', which was the start of my ramble.

 

Taking Claremont Lane, I passed 'Curchods', seemingly the modern incarnation of 'Allan Brothers', to whom Holmes sent a telegram prior to leaving Baker Street, requesting a list of the principal country mansions within a mile of the centre of Oxshott. Six properties were identified.

After a walk of around three miles, I reached the site where a private residence named Copseham had stood in the 1890s when the adventure took place. This had been identified by Bernard Davies, the expert on Sherlockian topography (see below) as the only possible candidate for Wisteria Lodge. I therefore took a photo of a suitable property on about the right sight.

Continuing on I reached Oxshott Station, and took a left to make my way to Oxshott Warren (called Oxshott Common in Watson's account), where the body of Garcia was found. Unfortunately a housing estate seems to have been built in the meantime, but I managed to get a photo of a woodland path that remained, as well as nearby scrubland.

My plan was then to walk to my final destination, but my legs were feeling a little tired, so I caught a train to Cobham & Stoke D'Arbenon station. Stoke D'Arbenon is believed by many commentators to be the true identity of Stoke Moran, the area of Surrey where the evil Dr. Grimesby Roylott held sway.

"I am living with my stepfather, who is the last survivor of one of the oldest Saxon families in England, the Roylotts of Stoke Moran, on the western border of Surrey." - Helen Stoner  [SPEC]

Travelling down to 'Stoke Moran' to investigate the murder of Julia Stoner in a seemingly sealed room, Holmes and Watson put up at 'The Crown' (identified as 'The Old Plough') Public House.

From their suite they could see across the open land to Stoke Moran Mansion House. However there has been a lot of building since 1893. I did, however, managed to get a photo of the view, which may feature the scene of the crime.

Returning to the station, I made my way back to New Malden by train, where a browse of the charity shops led to my obtaining a copy of a Sherlock Holmes Puzzle Book before returning home.

[In preparing my walk I was indebted to the article 'Three Distressed Gentlewomen' by Bernard Davies in 'A Gaggle of Governesses'  published by the Sherlock Holmes Society of London. ]

Forgotten Musicals: 'Curtains' (2006)

Forgotten Musicals: 'Curtains' (2006)

Music: John Kander

Lyrics: Fred Ebb

Book: Rupert Holmes

History:

Curtains was a Kander & Ebb (Cabaret and Chicago) musical based on an original book and concept by Peter Stone  (best remembered for the screenplays he wrote or co-wrote in the mid-1960s, Charade, Father Goose, and Mirage). Stone died in April 2003, leaving the book unfinished, and Rupert Holmes was hired to rewrite it. Lyricist, Fred Ebb also died before the musical was completed. It had its world premiere on 25th July 2006 at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. Local reviews were mixed but not discouraging, and the producers decided to transfer the show to Broadway with minor alterations. The production, directed by Scott Ellis and choreographed by Rob Ashford, opened on Broadway on 22nd March 2007 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. The cast included David Hyde Pierce  (Frasier) and  Debra Monk.

Plot:

The musical is a send-up of backstage murder mystery plots, set in 1959 Boston, Massachusetts and follows the fallout when Jessica Cranshaw, the supremely untalented star of Robbin' Hood of the Old West is murdered during her opening night curtain call. It is up to Lt. Frank Cioffi, a police detective who moonlights as a musical theatre fan to save the show, solve the case, and maybe even find love before the show reopens, without getting killed himself. Cioffi also dreams of being in musical theatre, and spends as much time helping rewrite the show as looking for the killer.

In a Nutshell: 

Will anyone make it to the Broadway transfer ?

Production:

I saw the show at 'The Landor Theatre' situated above the Landor Pub in Landor Road in South London in August 2012. Unfortunately this excellent pub theatre closed in 2016 following a dispute between the landlord and the operating company. Settling in the small space, which had seats on three sides, I had an enjoyable evening guessing whodunnit  (the culprit was in my final two), whilst laughing at the backstage shennanigans of an off-Broadway musical. There was a lovely beer garden for the interval, and all the cast were superb, with Jeremy Legat  (Lieutenant Cioffi), Bronwyn Andrews (the Lieutenant's love interest, Niki Harris) and Daniella Bowen (the super-ambitious chorus member, Bambi) particularly good. Definitely recommended.

A couple of years later I saw a local theatre company do 'Curtains' in an even smaller space. But I feel that I should draw a veil (or curtain) over this.

'Curtains' ran at 'The Landor Theatre' in Clapham, South London from 25th July to 1st September 2012.

Signature Song:

Definitely 'What Kind of Man ?' which comments on first night reviews by critics who don't seem to even like theatre.

Links:

'Curtains' At The Tonys (YouTube)

 

Sherlockian Sojourns #3: Hindhead

 After a day spent in the footsteps of Peter Cushing, I decided to make another sojourn, but not quite so far this time. Despite it being only around an hour from my home address, I had never visited Undershaw, the house was built for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle at his order in Hindhead, Surrey, to accommodate his wife's health requirements. Undershaw is where Conan Doyle lived with his family from 1897 to 1907, and from where he published many of his works, including his most famous, 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'. The final decision was made on learning that as part of the 'Haslemere Hogs' event, in which painted pigs were distributed at venues around the area, there was a 'Sherlock Hams' pig at the nearby Cookie Bar cafe.

All seemed to be going well, and I made my way via train to Farnham (and the station which Violet Hunter rode to and from each week in 'The Solitary Cyclist'), catching a bus to the Hindhead Crossroads. 

However, on exiting the bus, as soon as 'Undershaw' came into sight, it turned out that I had bought the wrong type of ticket, needing a Gold Dayrider, rather than the standard version. The driver advised me that I would need to request a single to Frensham on the way back.

Crossing the road, I stood at the top of Undershaw's long drive. After Conan Doyle sold the house, Undershaw served as a hotel, which closed in 2004. The property was then vacant, falling into ruin until 2014 when the house and grounds were purchased by the DFN Charitable Foundation for Stepping Stones School, a school for children with special needs. In 2016, having built a new extension to Undershaw (which purposely does not match the original building), the school opened. Not wishing to wander around on school grounds (even on a weekend), I took photos from the top of the drive, attempting to focus on the 'old-part' of the building.

I then walked the five minutes to the cafe, finding it dark and locked up. A sign in the window indicated that they were unable to open today, and peering it through the window I could not see the pig. As if to add insult to injury, it then began raining, after over a week of good weather. I, therefore, took the decision to catch the next bus back to Farnham, rather than go into Haslemere to search for more pigs (which would not be covered by my wrong bus ticket). When the bus arrived, it was the same driver, who sold me the single to Frensham (making a total £1 more than the Gold Dayrider).

On arrival, I sat down on a bench on the platform, to wait the 10 minutes until my train home. However, the fates had not finished with me. A member of railway staff appeared to state that due to signalling problems there would not be a train for another hour. Therefore, as the rain had stopped, I walked into central Farnham to browse charity shops for an hour, whilst checking on my phone whether the trains were now running. Back at the station, I finally got a train home.

Sherlockian Sojourns #2: Whitstable

Whitstable, a seaside town on the north coast of Kent, does not feature in the Sherlock Holmes canon (unless it was this part of the Kent coast that ‘the famous observer’, J. G. Wood was swimming off when he encountered Cyanea Capillata, recording the encounter in his book 'Out of Doors', the reading of which inspired Holmes to the true solution of “The Lion’s Mane”). So why is it forming the second of this year’s ‘Sherlockian Sojourns’ ?

The answer is provided by the first place of interest encountered by myself on arrival, namely ‘The Peter Cushing Public House’.

Cushing played Holmes on both film and TV (including starring in two versions of the legendary ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’), as well as being Grand Moff Tarkin in ‘Star Wars’, the Movie Dr. Who, and a Hammer Films regular. In 1959 (the year, he first appeared as Holmes, in the Hammer HOUND), he bought a seafront home in Whitstable, where he had been a regular visitor for many years. He lived there with his wife until her death in 1971. Cushing then continued living there until his death in August 1994 at the age of 81, pursuing his hobby of bird-watching whilst in retirement and writing his two autobiographies. However, it being too early for a drink (or even lunch), I crossed the road to the Whitstable Museum & Gallery. 

The Museum features a permanent exhibit on Cushing, instigated following his death in 1994. The display (where photos were not allowed) included a number of his personal effects, such as a suit jacket, his make-up bag, a Sherlock Holmes business card, and his personal headed notepaper (but unfortunately not the slippers that he wore as Grand Moff Tarkin when his feet were not in shot, which had been part of the original exhibit). I then listened to audio memories of Cashing, and on my way out I purchased 'Peter Cushing's Whitstable: An Illustrated Tour' (adding a few extra stops to those on one I had downloaded) and 'Peter Cushing: A Celebration', an illustrated guide to Cushing's career.

Leaving the museum, I set out on my tour, listening to Cushing reading stories from ‘The Return of Sherlock Holmes’.

First port of call was the former site of 'Keeler's', the newsagent who delivered Cushing's Daily Telegraph, now named the 'Windy Corner General Store'. One day, Cushing bought a box of Black Magic chocolates, asking that the price tag be removed. The owner, Steve Keeler, rightly guessed that they were intended as a gift, observing that nobody buys chocolates for themselves. Cushing's instant retort was 'Elementary, my dear Watson!'

Moving along Island Walk, I encountered 'Journey's End' (named for the play), a bungalow which was built in what was once the Cushing's garden.

Walking down a gravel path to the sea-wall, next was the main attraction, Cushing’s home for thirty-five years, 3 Seaway Cottages. This house unusually features high windows on the top floor, which provided both perfect light and perfect views for Cushing's other great passion, painting. It was also close to the sea, providing his ill wife, Helen, with fresh sea air (it was for a similar reason that ACD moved to Hindhead in Surrey in an attempt to improve the ill health of his wife, ‘Touie’). The house is pretty much as it would have been in Cushing’s time, and has a blue plaque commemorating its former owner on its front wall.

Moving along the seafront, alongside the beach where Cushing enjoyed swimming and painting, I made a slight detour to Oyster Cottage, where the Cushings had stayed in the early 1950’s before moving to Whitstable permanently.

Returning to the seafront, I reached ‘Cushing’s View’, the spot where Cushing could often be found in the later years of his life, sitting on the harbour wall, looking out to sea and the activities of the harbour. In the 1990’s , the spot was officially renamed in his honour, and a locally-made groynes bench was installed, which had previously been sited in the Cushings’ garden and donated to the town in 1992. The bench is a two-seater rather than the more common four-seater, as Cushing had thought that two lovers should always have a place to sit together. Due to there being an ice-cream van close by, I had to bide my time to sit on the bench, as family after family sat down to eat their '99s.

It was time for lunch, and so I returned via Horsebridge Road and the High Street, to ‘The Peter Cushing Public House’. Opening in 1912, the building was originally ‘The Oxford Picture Hall’, being extended in 1936 as ‘The Oxford Cinema’. Cushing attended the cinema with his wife and secretary several times. It later became a bingo hall, before falling into disrepair, then being refurbished and reopening as ‘The Peter Cushing’ in July 2011. Inside I was surrounded by photos of Cushing (including one in a Deerstalker), movie posters and some of his watercolours, as I chomped away on a gammon steak.

Retracing my steps, I walked down Harbour Street, passing 'Herbert's Cycles' which Cushing a keen cyclist often frequented, and the butchers which Helen always used, now renamed 'Jim's', from 'GH Theobald'. Next was St. Alphege Church, one of the churches attended by Cushing. Further along was 'The Black Dog' (which doesn't have a Cushing connection, but reminded me of HOUND).

 

Passing 'Woolleys' where Cushing bought his Grand Moff slippers, and finding that 'Hatchards' where he bought his clothes was now a 'Costa Coffee', I reached 'The Tudor Tea Rooms’. It was here that Cushing ate lunch every day (save Wednesdays when to his annoyance it was closed) after the death of his wife, having a favoured table behind a pillar. Even when too ill to attend in person, his secretary would pick up his lunch (his favourite being roast potatoes). He also spent time there sketching and painting.

Moving on, I reached 'John Kemp Funeral Directors' which organised Cushing's funeral, and two other establishments frequented by Cushing, 'VC Jones Fish & Chips' and 'Geoff Laurens Antiques', before popping back to 'Cushing's View' to look out to sea, and watching the RNLI lifeboat being launched..

Retracing my steps. I returned to 'The Tudor Tea Rooms', where I sat at the table with a tribute plaque on the infamous pillar, having a scone with cream and jam.

I then slowly made my way back to Whitstable Station, catching a train back to London Victoria, and then on home to plan a further expedition for the next day.