The Cerebral Tentacle No. 1863

The Cerebral Tentacle No. 1863 (december 1997, p. 1)

The Cerebral Tentacle No. 1863 is the fifth and last issue of the magazine of The Arthur Conan Doyle Study Group, published in december 1997 by Mark Chadderton.

The cover is illustrated with an article from the Nash's Pall Mall Magazine (1914) co-signed by Arthur Conan Doyle.

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Introduction

This 5th issue of the the ACDSG newsletter marks our first year in operation, having been initially set up to provide additional Doylean study and news for those members of our parent company — The Franco-Midland Hardware Company. It was thought that a lot of members would be interested in finding out more about ACD, aside from their enjoyment of the Sherlock Holmes Stories, but unfortunately, this has not been the case — and membership of this particular Branch Office has remained, throughout our first year, disappointingly low. It is becoming increasingly hard to find contributions for each issue, and this may lead to your newsletter not coming out on it's current Quarterly Basis ?

However, we shouldn't get too downdbeat just yet, because the reaction we have had, has all been very positive, and this serves as necessary encouragement to continue against what appears to be a lack of interest in ACD compared to SH ; again — perhaps this should serve to inspire us all to spread the Doylean word even more amongst the exclusively Holmesian.

To finish off this introduction on a positive note — A huge thank you to those members who have put in time, effort and encouragement throughout our first year — you know who you are...

Newsletter Covers

The cover to this newsletter is slightly different from the 4 previous issues, in that it incorporates 2 different pages, instead of the single page reproduction that usually covers both back and front. The 2 page appeal from 1914 appeared in the 1st amalgamated issue of NASH'S & PALL MALL MAGAZINE (See cutting opposite), it is not listed in the GREEN & GIBSON Bibliography, so it is not clear to what extent ACD's involvement in this particular cause was, beyond giving his name in support. Maybe an ACD Study Group member can supply further details ? Of additional interest is the suggestion that this particular appeal would hopefully appear "in every magazine published in the Kingdom." Again, does anyone have a similar item from a different magazine ?

Newsletter Synopsis

Unfortunately, we have to mark this issue with the news of another sad loss to the Doylean world — that of Dame Jean Conan Doyle. Brian Pugh, curator of the Conan Doyle (Crowborough) Establishment has kindly written a few words upon this sad event, and it is he also, who has agreed to supply a new column for this newsletter — News from Crowborough, which will be welcomed by the majority of our own membership, in that most of you are members of the CD(C)E too. As requested in our last issue, we also have a review of the recent film; "Photographing Fairies", although no one took the offer up to supply their thoughts on the recent Booth Biography... the production of our separate publication, containing articles on SGUAR, has had to have been put back as some promised articles haven't been submitted; but don't forget, if you still wish to send in some thoughts upon this first story from our "CONAN DOYLE STORIES" course of study, you still have time... Our two main features this issue have been gratefully received from Syd Goldberg and Richard Stacpoole-Ryding. From Syd's Doylean collection, we are reproducing an interview with ACD, which is not listed in GREEN & GI3SCN'S 8ibliography, and Richard has kindly submitted the text of a talk he gave on his ancestor Henry de Vere Stacpoole, at Undershew for the FMHC ACD Day on 19/5/96 (*NBSPB#27/p.8*)... also between these pages you will find a reproduction of one of the latest adverts for a popular alcoholic beverage, recently seen in the monthly magazine "FHM" (October 1997, pp. 126-137.) Where is the quote from?... answers on a postcard etc. etc...

'Budd-Ing' Detectives

Well done to GEOFF BUDD and ANDREAS LIESE, for being the only members to have noticed that the answers to our two competition questions, set in our third issue, were hidden underneath the colour photograph of Mrs. Georgina Doyle and Mr. Richard Doyle unveiling the FMHC plaque, on page 15 of our last issue (#4). They have both claimed the prizes that were originally on offer.

FMHC A.G.M.

At the recent A.G.M. on 6/12/97; of Doylean interest to our membership, will be the news that Mrs Georgina Doyle has accepted the rôle of being the Doyle family representative for the FMHC, and was elected as an Honorary Director. Malcolm Payne was also elected for inclusion on the Company Roll of Honour, for his services to Doylean Scholarship.

"The New Revelation"

This is the 3rd Rupert Books Monograph, and is 'The London Spiritualist Alliance speech of 1917', pre-dating the book of the same name that came out in 1918. The price is £10 plus postage and can be ordered from 58/59 Stonefield, Bar Hill, Cambridge, CB3 8IE, England. We will carry a review of this 'previously unrecorded pamphlet' in our next issue.

Doyle Was The Finest Man I Have Ever Met

By Richard Stacpoole-Ryding.

"Doyle was the finest man I have ever met, taking him by and large." (1) This was Henry de Vere Stacpoole's opinion of Arthur Conan Doyle. The two men had quite a lot in common, being born within 4 years of each other — ACD, 1859 & Stacpoole, 1863; both were of Irish extraction. Both also had dominant mothers and lacked a strong father figure. Stacpoole's father died early and ACD's became an alcoholic and died in a mental hospital.

Like ACD, Henry de Vere Stacooole had a profession more or less forced on him. Neither of them had any particular desire to become a Doctor. The mother was the force behind the entry into the medical profession in each case and neither of the two were successful in it. ACD had a better medical degree than Stacpoole but, once having become a physician, Stacpoole was prouder of his profession. At the beginning of "MICE AND MEN", his first autobiography published in 1942, he described himself as 'Writer, Physician and Justice of the Peace for the County of Essex.'

What is it about medicine that causes it's practitioners to turn to literature? Perhaps it may be a retreat to a controllable world from a world where disease is often not to be controlled. In the case of ACD and Stacpoole it was probably the result of having too much time on their hands when patients refused to come!

Both men tried the sea as an opening for their professional talents. ACD sailed on a whaling ship and later on passenger/cargo ships. Characteristically he was frank about his ships. We know their names, where they sailed and the events of their voyages. Equally characteristically Stacpoole tells us nothing except that he had 'a time of voyages.' (2) Evidence in his work suggests that the 'voyages' were to the Eastern Pacific and that they may have been in cable layer, but there is no direct proof of this. What is certain, is that Stacpoole resided in the Southampton area for a while before and after his voyages and set up a practise there.

They shared the frustration of achieving success by a route which each despised. ACD invented Sherlock Holmes and then found that he was famous as SH's creator, not as the serious historical writer he yearned to be. Stacpoole wrote "THE BLUE LAGOON" and was a best seller after years of painful effort. How he regretted the means of his triumph! An acqaintance of his once recalled Stacpoole called the book 'this piece of rubbish.' No doubt he would have liked to have been famous as the translator of Villon and Sappho, which he did very well, but he was stuck with Dick and Emmeline, the main characters from "THE BLUE LAGOON". Even poisoning them failed to rid him of them; they were resurrected in edition after lucrative edition, in a play and 4 films to date. we can certainly see the parallel with ACD here, although obviously on a smaller scale.

Big, handsome men, they seen to have been attractive to women. Both married twice, although in marrying the sister of his dead wife, Stacpoole may possibly have been considered a little eccentric. He is said to have believed that in some way the spirit of his 1st wife Margaret was incarnated in his 2nd, an unorthodox belief for a loyal Church of England man to hold. ACD, son of a staunch Catholic family, abandoned his faith in the course of his medical training, to find a different one later — Spiritualism. Both men had minds which roved beyond the bounds of orthodox religion. The paranormal fascinated them, whether it was Stacpoole's belief that the spirit of a dog left behind in Essex showed itself on a photograph taken on the Isle of Wight, or the Firm faith both had in the famous Cottingley Beck fairy photographs.

ACD became involved in the public dispute about the authenticity of these photographs and gave his endorsement — initially in "The Strand Magazine" and later in his book "THE COMING OF THE FAIRIES." His endorsement was also approved of by Stacpoole : 'There is an extraordinary thing called truth', he wrote, 'which has ten million faces and forms, it is God's currency, and the cleverest coiner or forcer can't imitate it.' (4) At this time Stacpoole had only seen the photographs and read of the controversy — but he stood by ACD, who by now had become a friend following a close liaison exposing the Congo scandal in 1909.

In his 2nd autobiography (5) published in 1945 he wrote, 'Several years ago I was the guest of the Rotarian Club of Shanklin and seated behind me at luncheon was a gentleman who is a very keen amateur photographer... he said to me 'Did you ever hear of the Cottingley Beck Fairies?... I was the man who helped Doyle. I got the plates for the great test from the Ilford people straight from the factory in sealed packets, we loaded up the camera and the girls took the photos. You perhaps saw the results in The Strand Magazine? I have the original negatives and some evening I'll come over to your home and show you them.' He did so. Stacpoole held them up to the electric light and — declared that the negatives were more striking than the photographs — 'Here indeed are fairies,' he exclaimed. It is unfortunate that the identity of this photographer is unknown, or was it Stacpoole protectina his identity? We will probably never now know.

ACD seems to have been more the public man than Stacpoole, who appears to have been more private in his habits, only making a public statement when strongly roused. The Congo debate of 1989 was one case where both men were roused. ACD seems to have done more public speaking, but both wrote of the Congo. Stacpoole became interested in the Congo Reform Association chaired by E. D. Morel (6), which was formed to bring public pressure on the Belgian Government. In his 1st autobiography "MEN AND MICE", he wrote, 'The things (Morel) told me about the Congo raised the hair on my head with horrors.'

On the subject of ACD he also wrote, 'There was about this time, a young doctor, just fledged and beginning to practise medicine somewhere or another — Southsea I think by the name of Conan Doyle... Doyle was more than a doctor and much more than a literary man. He was a bulldog to attack and hold on with his teeth to oppression and injustice wherever found and regardless of consequences... I had the honour of putting him on to that old ruffian Leopold, King of the Belgiums and the delight of seeing him bite several satisfactory chunks out of that old beast's behind. Doyle was the finest man I have ever met taking him by and large.'

Stacpoole wrote a book "THE POOLS OF SILENCE" — a novel of the Congo atrocities, and as already suggested, he interested ACD on the matter. Indeed, both men shared a platform at St. James's Hall in London during 1909 at a meeting called by ACD to debate the matter in public. However, Stacpoole's statement and memory may be incorrect as both "THE POOLS OF SILENCE" and "THE CRIME OF THE CONGO", which ACD wrote on the subject both came out in 1909 and within a short time of each other. Neither book had any effect on Leopold's government of the Congo Free State which he owned as his personal property, since he had already sold it to the Belgian Government for a considerable sum of money. The fact that he died in 1909 made the two books appear in poor taste. Stacpoole's book came out subsequently in 5 different editions however, so that he, at least, found moral outrage not unprofitable!!!

In comparing the tastes of these two men, we can see that ACD is much more the conventional 'John Bull'. Stacpoole was perhaps more of an aesthete — not for him the interest in boxing, football or cricket which his contemporary showed. Stacpoole would have been incapable of writing "RODNEY STONE" as ACD would have been of writing "THE BLUE LAGOON"; ACD does not show any of Stacpoole's ability to evoke the erotic — or the interest in it that can be seen in his "THE BLUE LAGOON", "THE GARDEN OF GOD" and "THE NAKED SOUL".

ACD died in 1930 and Henry de Vere Stacpoole outlived him by 21 years and 26 books. Neither was better than the other — they were both expert craftsmen. ACD, however was more capable of creating memorable characters — SH and Dr Watson are the two literary immortals — Stacpoole was better at painting the sharp picture of a cloud of birds over a tropical island or the 'white, white road! of Southern France. Character is the main-spring of fiction, however, so perhaps this is why ACD's name is remembered today whilst Stacpoole has to be introduced as the man who wrote "THE BLUE LAGOON".

Henry de Vere Stacpoole's recollection of his contact and friendship with ACD was written when he was in his late seventies — his memory may de a little suspect! But given all this, I am proud to know that my ancestor knew and counted amongst his literary friends such a great man as ACD — 'taking him by and large.'

REFERENCES:

• (1) Henry de Vere Stacpoole — "Men and Mice" (Hutchinson, 1942).
• (2) Ibid.
• (3) Correspondence with Mr. Brian Wood; research and craft biography of Henry de Vere Stacpoole.
• (4) Press cutting, The Saily Telegraph 15th April 1990.
• (5) Henry de Vere Stacpoole — "More Men and Mice" (Hutchinson, 1945).
• (6) E. D. Morel was a close friend of both men.

News from The Crowborough Establishment

By Brian W. Pugh

The Crowborough Town Council have now obtained planning permission to site the life sized bronze Statue of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle at Clokes Corner, Crowborough and the funds for this are proceeding, but many more donations and sponsors are required. Donations may be sent to Mr. David Harris, Town Clerk, Crowborough Town Council, The Town Hall, The Broadway, Crowborough, East Sussex, England. TN6 1DA. (Tel. 01892 652907) or to The Curator, CD(C)E, Mr. B. W. Pugh address below, or directly to The National Westminster Bank plc, 7 High Street, Crowborough, East Sussex, TN6 2PU, Sort Code: 60-06-27, A/c No: 51597055; All cheques payable to The Conan Doyle Statue Fund.

The Council has undertaken to record the names of all financial supporters in a memorial book which will be permanently displayed at the Town Hall.

The main contractors are now on site and the development at Clokes Corner has started.

It has been proposed by The Establishment that in the memory of our late Curator Malcolm Payne that we will sponsor an cast iron bench to be located at Clokes Corner next to the new statue of ACD. Once again all donations towards the cost of this would be gratefully received, cheques made payable to The ACD Memorial Fund and send to the Curator.

The Sherlock Holmes Society of London will be sponsoring a bench on the same site dedicated to Dame Jean.

I am proposing to put together a book of memories and reminiscences of Malcolm Payne by people who knew or had contact with him, I would appreciate any articles for consideration.

Groombridge Place gardens and environs are now fully open to the public, unfortunately not the house, "the gardens are well worth a visit after viewing our ACD collection.

In 1996 a committee was set up with the view of holding a Sherlock Holmes Festival in Crowborough, the first Festival being held in July 1996. This was basically no more than a fun event with little or no connection with Holmes let alone Sir Arthur. 1997 seemed to be well attended but apart from some good Doyle/Holmes book dealers and A Feast Of Crime Writing with among others H.R.F. Keating and Martin Booth held at Windlesham there was nothing much to encourage the Doyleans or Holmesian to attend. I am now representing the Establishment on the festival committee, but I can see no way of changing their way of running this festival in 1998 or renaming it. The 1998 Festival will be held on 3rd, 4th and 5th July, with attractions be held during the weekend and the following week.

The Establishment have arranged the following events during the 1998 Festival;

• Friday 3rd July. A slide and video illustrated talk by Philip Weller at The Winston Manor Hotel, Crowborough. The talk is entitled "The World of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle", entrance is free and will commencing at 07.30pm.
• Saturday 4th. We will have a stall in the street market.
• Sunday 5th. The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Memorial Ceremony at Terrace Montargis, Croft Road, 4 Crowborough. At 10.30am.
• Sunday 5th. "A Walk With Sir Arthur", this will be a five mile walk in and around Crowborough 4, taking in points of interest connected with Sir Arthur. This is a joint venture between the Establishment and The High Wealden Walkers.

The sale of our ACD lapel badge/pin has been very successful, with the sale of these and some books from my own collection, we have recently donated £92.00 towards the Statue Fund.

That is all the news from Crowborough, may I take this opportunity wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

All correspondence to The Curator, The Conan Doyle (Crowborough) Establishment, 20, Clare Road, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1PN, England. Please enclose 2 x first class stamps or IRC's if a reply is required.

Obituary. Air Commandant Dame Jean Conan Doyle

Dame Jean Lena Annette Conan Doyle, the last surviving member of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's family, died in London on Tuesday 18th November 1997, aged 84.

Dame Jean was born in Crowborough, Sussex, on Dec. 21st 1912 the daughter of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his second wife Jean Leckie. Jean, or "Billy" as she was known when young was educated at Granville House, Eastbourne, she accompanied her father on his spiritualist tours to Australia, America (twice) and South Africa and was devoted to him.

In 1938 she joined the Auxiliary Service of the RAF. Two years later she was commissioned into the Woman's Auxiliary Air Force (later to become the Woman's Royal Air Force), she saw wartime service at Hawkinge, Preston and in Northern Ireland. After the war she served in Germany with the British Air Forces of Occupation, for which she was appointed OBE. In 1963 she was created DBE after rising through the ranks to become Air Commandant of the Woman's Royal Air Force.

She was an Honorary ADC to the Queen from 1963 until 1966.

In 1965 she married Air Vice-Marshal Sir Geoffrey Bromet, they had a very happy life together until his death in 1983.

Dame Jean maintained an active interest in the town of Crowborough, mainly through her friendship with the late Malcolm Payne, founder and curator of the Conan Doyle (Crowborough) Establishment. It was Dame Jean that actually suggested the title of the Establishment in 1989.

Visiting the town to open the Whitehill Centre in 1994, Dame Jean recalled how her father had taken her to join the local Brownies back in 1919.

She last visited the area in 1995 for the formal opening of the Conan Doyle Collection at Groombridge Place.

A gravestone in Minstead churchyard in the New Forest, near the cross which marks the grave of her father and mother is a gravestone which already bears her name with that of her husband.

As she had no children the Conan Doyle line dies with her.

The cremation of Dame Jean will be entirely private.

Brian W. Pugh. Dec. 1997

In Memory of Malcolm Payne

As mentioned elsewhere in this newsletter, the CD(C)Establishment, are sponsoring a cast iron bench in memory of Malcolm, and his successor as Curator; Brian Pugh has asked for some space to advertise some spare FMHC publications that are available from him, all proceeds going towards Malcolm's memorial bench. There are some real bargains here.

• AR & IR for 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 & 1996 ; £5.60 per set.
• BSPB #'s 9, 10, 11 & 12 ; £1.25 each.
• NBSPB #'s 13 to 28 inclusive ; £3.00.
• The best & worst survey 1991 ; £1.25.

(Brian also has The Sherlock Holmes Gazette, #18x2 & #19x2 ; £2.00 each).

Post & Packing not included in these very reasonable prices.

"Photographing Fairies," The Film

Reviewed by Brian Pugh.

This fascinating film is an adaptation of the book of the sae name by Steve Szilagyi (pronounced Sil-ah-jec). It is based very loosely on this novel and even more loosely on the Cottingley Fairy incident. Starring Toby Stephens, who is the son of Maggie Smith and Robert Stephens, he taxes the lead role as photographer Charles Castle. We also have a fine performance from Ben Kingsley, as well as a cameo role to Clive Merrison (the latest Radio Holmes) as Edward L. Gardner. But the main reason for this review, is the portrayal of ACD by Edward Hardwicke. The overall acting is very good, it is, however, a great shame that Mr. Hardwicke did not adopt a scottish accent for greater accuracy. The special effects in the fairy scenes are excellent and some of the scenery is beautifully shot. The film is a fine fantasy film, but it has to be stressed that it has very little to do with ACD's book "The Coming of the Fairies". In some places too, there is a large deviation from the Szilagyi book, introducing new characters and dropping some from the book — Charles Castle, for instance is not married in the novel and Switzerland isn't even mentioned, however, this is the nature of film. I would highly recommend this film, as well as the novel, published in 1992 in paperback by Ballantine Books, ISBN 0-345-38323-0. The film was partly sponsored by the BBC, and I have been informed that it is due to be shown on network T.V. in the new year.

The Final Reminder

Please do not forget that this Study Group depends upon your active participation, so we look forward to your next contribution — be it some item of Doylean news that you wish to pass on to your fellow members of this Branch Office via 'The Cerebral Tentacle', a few thoughts upon anything that you have read in the 5 issues of this newsletter or an article on ACD's life and/or work. Thank you for remaining with us for our first year.

Yours Conanically,

Mark Chadderton — Editor.

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