The Cerebral Tentacle No. 1863
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.
The Cerebral Tentacle No. 1863
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
tell cone to GECFF 3U939 and ANDRESS LIESE, for »seinn the only members to have noticec that the answers to our tvo competition questions, set in our third issye, wore hiccen uncerneath the colour ohoteearaps of irs. Georcina Doyle anc Mr. Richard Coyle unveiline the FuHC olaque, on oace 15 of our last issue (#4), They have both cleimed the prizes that were oricinally on offer.
At the recent A.G.tl. on 6/12/97; of Ooylean interest to our memoership, will De the news thet Mrs Georgina Doyle has accepted the réle of being the Doyle family representative for the FiskC, and was elected as an Honorary Director. Malcolm Payne was also elected for inclusion on the Company Roll of Honour, for his services to DSoylean Scholarship.
b This is the 3rd Rupert 300ks Honograph, 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 568/59 Stonefield, 3er Hill, Cambridge, Cd? 8IE, England. We will carry a review of this ‘previously unrecorded pamphlet' in our next issue. :
Yours Conanically,
Mark Chadderton — Editor.
- Copyright remains to the individual authors.
