The Baker Street Irregulars Trust

The 1961 BSI Dinner

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYS4bios0qm8AiP5onjKmI4R7nI8N1XDXXVqh7IRAhOyDrLEtCYROLodEm4-wGNDetj4lA1Mj9hNhHVpsCbcfVLpbHKPzc3Gr1VoYVneaXTCXAhKqvSJ_O9JCidDbGp96cQt6nFA8LXyI/s1600/bsi-dinner-1961-v1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The 1961 BSI Dinner group photo" border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYS4bios0qm8AiP5onjKmI4R7nI8N1XDXXVqh7IRAhOyDrLEtCYROLodEm4-wGNDetj4lA1Mj9hNhHVpsCbcfVLpbHKPzc3Gr1VoYVneaXTCXAhKqvSJ_O9JCidDbGp96cQt6nFA8LXyI/s640/bsi-dinner-1961-v1.jpg" title="Click this 1961 BSI Dinner photo to see a larger version" width="640" /></a></div>
 
Seventy one Irregulars celebrated Sherlock Holmes’ 107th Birthday, under the oversight of Rex Stout. The first two toasts were offered to women—Julian Wolff toasted “A Certain Gracious Lady,” Mrs. Edgar.W. Smith, and Carl Anderson toasted Mrs. James Montgomery, “The Woman.” After the traditional recital of the BSI Constitution and Buy-Laws and the other canonical toasts, William S. Hall delivered a tribute to Edgar W. Smith, who had passed away the previous year, with Howard Haycraft and James Buchholtz adding appropriate remarks. 
 
Ten individuals received their Irregular Shilling. Two Toms then delivered compelling analyses: Tom Stix (Sr. - per Dorothy Stix, BSI) presented a new perspective on the Abbey Grange affair, and Tom McDade discussed the phrenological Holmes. Missives from the Sherlock Holmes Society of London and from Scions around the globe were read aloud. Earle Walbridge delivered the closing toast to the Great Man, and the assembled guests did their utmost to live up to the words of Vincent Starrett, as quoted by James Buchholtz: “Edgar would have wanted us to have a good time tonight.” 
 
Dinner Details: January 6, 1961 
Cavanagh’s Restaurant, 258 West 23rd Street, New York 
 
<h4>
Dinner Photo Information</h4>
Click on the above photo to see a larger version of it, and maximize your browser window to see the most detail. 
 
<a href="http://files.bsitrust.org/pdf/dinner/bsi-dinner-1961-photo-key.pdf">Key to People in the 1961 BSI Dinner photo</a> (PDF) 
 
 
<h4>
BSI Honours List</h4>
Investitures: 
Herbert Brean as The Ferrers Documents 
Thomas L. Daniels as The Giant Rat of Sumatra 
Cornelis Helling as The Reigning Family of Holland* 
Henry Lauritzen as The Royal Family of Scandinavia* 
Douglas Lawson as The Grosvenor Square Furniture Van 
George McCormack as The Woman at Margate, changed to Hosmer Angel 
R. Irving Paxton as Mr. Sandeford, of Reading* 
Colin G. Prestige as Captain Jack Crocker* 
Alexander M. Robb as The Addleton Tragedy 
Theodore G. Schulz as The Amateur Mendicant Society 
Robert H. Schutz as The Arnsworth Castle Business 
Edgar P. Smith as The Smith-Mortimer Succession Case 
Kenneth Souser as Vigor, the Hammersmith Wonder 
Thomas L. Stix Jr. as The Case of Bert Stevens, changed to The Norwood Builder 
* received Investiture at another event during the year 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">What is an Investiture?</a> 
 
 
Two-Shilling Award: 
Not awarded until 1962. 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">What is a Two-Shilling Award?</a> 
 
The Woman: 
Constance (Mrs. James) Montgomery 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">What is The Woman honour?</a> 
 
"Stand with me here upon the terrace..." 
(as named at this Dinner, not their year of passing) 
Edgar W. Smith 
John V.L. Hogan 
Robert Pattrick 
Otis Rice 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">What is the origin of “standing on the terrace?”</a> 
 
Morley-Montgomery Award: 
Jerry Neal Williamson, "The Adventure of the Bugged Bird: A Christmas Story Like Without Slush" 
The Baker Street Journal (Christmas 1960) pp. 261-264.  (available in the eBSJ) 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">What is the Morley-Montgomery Award?</a> 
 
 
<h4>
Reports on the Dinner</h4>
The Baker Street Journal v11 n1 (March 1961) pp. 53-54.  (available in the eBSJ) 
 
<a href="http://files.bsitrust.org/pdf/dinner/bsi-dinner-1961-attendees.pdf">List of 1961 BSI Dinner Attendees</a> (PDF) 
 
<a href="http://files.bsitrust.org/pdf/dinner/bsi-dinner-1961-photo-key.pdf">Key to People in the 1961 BSI Dinner photo</a> (PDF) 
 
 
<h4>
Recordings</h4>
None available online at this time. 
 
 
<h4>
Related Material</h4>
<a href="http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL.HOUGH:16162476">1961 BSI Dinner Menu </a>(digitized image at Harvard) 
Cover and interior. Sequence 1-2 
 
Previous dinner: the <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/07/the-1960-bsi-dinner.html">1960 BSI Dinner</a> 
 
Next dinner: the <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/08/the-1962-bsi-dinner.html">1962 BSI Dinner</a> 
 
For an index to all BSI Dinners and photos, see our<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/dinner-summary.html"> BSI Dinner Summary list.</a> 
 
 
The BSI Archive is located at the Houghton Library at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Archival material may be used by any qualified scholar, subject to the normal rules and regulations of the Library. For links to a detailed finding aid and related information, see our <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/archive.html">BSI Archive at Harvard </a>page. 
 
Page composed on 2/24/15 by Tamar Zeffren. 
Page updated 7/26/15 by Andrew Solberg. 
This page last updated 1/9/19 by Randall Stock. 
 
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The 1961 BSI Dinner

Seventy one Irregulars celebrated Sherlock Holmes’ 107th Birthday, under the oversight of Rex Stout. The first two toasts were offered to...

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The 1960 BSI Dinner

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiizfilAYazLInBFDS5xV4Z8A1-XJ90ciRFnTCiw4A9ryUdN00SsX0Ahpn6w7xnlkMF_pNTyCJb4pcFmK7_dDI0OWkDmtyTJHyZdesgB933pegMt8Ye0FgOdFLFSDydNO2NiEip_b2wo2H/s1600/bsi-dinner-1960-v1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The 1960 BSI Dinner group photo" border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiizfilAYazLInBFDS5xV4Z8A1-XJ90ciRFnTCiw4A9ryUdN00SsX0Ahpn6w7xnlkMF_pNTyCJb4pcFmK7_dDI0OWkDmtyTJHyZdesgB933pegMt8Ye0FgOdFLFSDydNO2NiEip_b2wo2H/s640/bsi-dinner-1960-v1.jpg" title="Click this 1960 BSI Dinner photo to see a larger version" width="640" /></a></div>
 
Under the oversight of Rex Stout, who served as Gasogene-cum-Tantalus pro tempore, the 106th anniversary of the Master’s birthday was acknowledged with 69 Irregulars in attendance. The festivities opened with the public reading of the Society’s “Constitution and Buy-laws,” as per tradition, assorted canonical toasts, anthems, and readings. Homages were then paid by Edgar W. Smith (Buttons-cum-Commissionaire), to “that other great and wise man,” Christopher Morley, the founder of the Irregulars, and by Carl Anderson to the memory of Jim Montgomery. 
 
The Buttons read off several announcements, including the forthcoming publication in March 1960 of the second edition of Vincent Starrett’s The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. Judges Rex Stout, Edgar W. Smith, and Earle Walbridge awarded the 1959 Morley-Montgomery Award to the cunningly-monikered Daniel L. Moriarty for his Baker Street Journal article “The Woman Who Beat Sherlock Holmes.” 
 
Ten members received their Irregular Shilling. The Buttons read dispatches from Scion Societies, from Indianapolis to Denmark to Lowry Air Force Base in Colorado, who were not represented at the meeting by delegations.  Subsequently, representatives from Scions present at the meeting reported on their activities, including The Marquis of Donegall representing the BSI’s sister society in England, the Sherlock Holmes Society of London. 
 
At the stroke of midnight, Samuel F. Howard offered the toast to “To the Best and Wisest Man Whom We Have Ever Known.” 
 
Dinner Details: January 8, 1960 
Cavanagh’s Restaurant, New York, NY 
 
<h4>
Dinner Photo Information</h4>
Click on the above photo to see a larger version of it, and maximize your browser window to see the most detail. 
 
<a href="http://files.bsitrust.org/pdf/dinner/bsi-dinner-1960-photo-key.pdf">Key to People in the 1960 BSI Dinner photo</a> (PDF) 
 
 
<h4>
BSI Honours List</h4>
Investitures: 
Poul Anderson as The Dreadful Abernetty Business 
John Ball Jr. as The Oxford Flier 
James Buchholtz as James Stanger of the Herald 
Robert B. Frier as Colonel Upwood 
Thomas Hart as The Abergavenny Murders 
Philip R. Mather as The Case of Fairdale Hobbs 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/04/russell-merritt-interview-oral-history.html">Russell L. Merritt</a> as The Trepoff Murder 
Robert S. Morgan as A Simple Case 
Daniel L. Moriarty as The Napoleon of Crime 
Léo Sauvage as Victor Savage 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">What is an Investiture?</a> 
 
 
Two-Shilling Award: 
Not awarded until 1962. 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">What is a Two-Shilling Award?</a> 
 
The Woman: 
Not identified; possibly none 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">What is The Woman honour?</a> 
 
"Stand with me here upon the terrace..." 
(as named at this Dinner, not their year of passing) 
None listed in the 1960 Minutes or BSJ report. 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">What is the origin of “standing on the terrace?”</a> 
 
Morley-Montgomery Award: 
Daniel L. Moriarty, "The Woman Who Beat Sherlock Holmes" 
The Baker Street Journal v9 n2 (April 1959) pp. 69-82.  (available in the eBSJ) 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">What is the Morley-Montgomery Award?</a> 
 
 
<h4>
Reports on the Dinner</h4>
<a href="http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL.HOUGH:11354171?n=184">1960 BSI Dinner Minutes</a> (digitized images at Harvard) 
 
The Baker Street Journal v10 n2 (April 1960) pp. 105-107.  (available in the eBSJ) 
 
<a href="http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL.HOUGH:11354171?n=184">List of 1960 BSI Dinner Attendees</a> (digitized image at Harvard) 
 
<a href="http://files.bsitrust.org/pdf/dinner/bsi-dinner-1960-photo-key.pdf">Key to People in the 1960 BSI Dinner photo</a> (PDF) 
 
 
<h4>
Recordings</h4>
None available online at this time. 
 
 
<h4>
Related Material</h4>
<a href="http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL.HOUGH:11354173?n=76">1960 BSI Dinner Invitation</a> (digitized image at Harvard) 
 
<a href="http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL.Hough:11370682">1960 BSI Dinner Menu</a> (digitized image at Harvard) 
Cover and interior. Sequence 74-75 
 
<a href="http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL.HOUGH:11354173?n=77">Membership Roster Souvenir Distributed at the 1960 BSI Dinner</a> (digitized image at Harvard) 
Cover, interior, and back. Sequence 77-80 
 
<a href="http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL.HOUGH:11354173?n=81">Supplement to the 1960 Membership Roster</a> (digitized image at Harvard) 
 
Previous dinner: the <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/07/the-1959-bsi-dinner.html">1959 BSI Dinner</a> 
 
Next dinner: the <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/07/the-1961-bsi-dinner.html">1961 BSI Dinner</a> 
 
For an index to all BSI Dinners and photos, see our <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/dinner-summary.html">BSI Dinner Summary</a> list. 
 
 
The BSI Archive is located at the Houghton Library at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Archival material may be used by any qualified scholar, subject to the normal rules and regulations of the Library. For links to a detailed finding aid and related information, see our<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/archive.html"> BSI Archive at Harvard</a> page. 
 
Page composed on 2/24/15 by Tamar Zeffren. 
Page updated 7/19/15 by Andrew Solberg. 
This page last updated 10/8/19 by Randall Stock.

The 1960 BSI Dinner

Under the oversight of Rex Stout, who served as Gasogene-cum-Tantalus pro tempore, the 106th anniversary of the Master’s birthday was ack...

+ Read more »

The 1959 BSI Dinner

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvCr0-cUi1lxVzDCy4CfOdN7QRZwutNCRTA-21l22Nn-glLziepWL2DOW6O6Fwl0BZXM5_KzqlMw_5i-0R8ZJF4BLUF2YR187E9YfnQjQXugUCioufSONHwi5Ja2c41EkYb2_6_vZMawm/s1600/bsi-dinner-1959-v1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The 1959 BSI Dinner group photo" border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvCr0-cUi1lxVzDCy4CfOdN7QRZwutNCRTA-21l22Nn-glLziepWL2DOW6O6Fwl0BZXM5_KzqlMw_5i-0R8ZJF4BLUF2YR187E9YfnQjQXugUCioufSONHwi5Ja2c41EkYb2_6_vZMawm/s640/bsi-dinner-1959-v1.jpg" title="Click this 1959 BSI Dinner photo to see a larger version" width="640" /></a></div>
 
Sixty eight Irregulars and guests gathered to commemorate the Master’s 105th birthday. John MacVane, a leading radio correspondent for more than three decades, stood in for an ill Rex Stout and reported on the profound influence exercised by Mycroft over the United Nations through his intermediary, Cartwright, who makes an appearance as a young boy in The Hound of the Baskervilles. The assemblage was, of course, sworn to secrecy on this account. There was a tribute to Earle P. Walbridge, who attended all BSI meetings from the beginning. The inaugural winner of the Morley-Montgomery Award was announced as (noted science fiction author) Poul Anderson, of the Scowrers of San Francisco, for his “Irregular Poetics.” To commemorate the award’s namesakes, William Baring-Gould proposed a toast to the memory of the towering Christopher Morley, and Carl Anderson suggested likewise for Jim Montgomery, a professional opera singer and a founding member of the Gilbert & Sullivan Players of Philadelphia. [Please see the <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">Explanation of BSI Honours & Terms</a> for background on this award.] 
 
Six members received their Irregular Shilling. After worldwide reports from Scion Societies were read, Mr. C. R. Andrew of the Scandalous Bohemians of Akron, Ohio proposed a round-table challenge, wherein each member was called upon to address a query propounded to him, or, if stumped, to throw the question open to the assemblage. The minutes evidence that the “erudition manifested surpassed all expectations, and the Challenges proceeded, in natural course, to the Canonical point of whole-hearted Disputation.” At 11:54pm, James C. Iraldi offered the toast to “To the Best and Wisest Man Whom We Have Ever Known.” 
 
Dinner Details: January 9, 1959 
Cavanagh’s Restaurant, New York, NY 
 
<h4>
Dinner Photo Information</h4>
Click on the above photo to see a larger version of it, and maximize your browser window to see the most detail. 
 
<a href="http://files.bsitrust.org/pdf/dinner/bsi-dinner-1959-photo-key.pdf">Key to People in the 1959 BSI Dinner photo</a> (PDF) 
 
 
<h4>
BSI Honours List</h4>
Investitures: 
S. Tupper Bigelow as The Five Orange Pips 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/10/peter-blau-interview-oral-history.html">Peter E. Blau</a> as Black Peter 
Robert C. Clyne as The Opal Tiara 
A. D. Henriksen as A Case of Identity 
Edward Starr as The Bogus Laundry Affair 
Robert H. Steele as The Scowrers* 
Allison Stern as Silver Blaze 
* received Investiture at another event during the year 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">What is an Investiture?</a> 
 
 
Two-Shilling Award: 
Not awarded until 1962. 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">What is a Two-Shilling Award?</a> 
 
The Woman: 
Maria von Krebs ("the Lady of the Evening") 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">What is The Woman honour?</a> 
 
"Stand with me here upon the terrace..." 
(as named at this Dinner, not their year of passing) 
None listed in the 1959 Minutes or BSJ report. 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">What is the origin of “standing on the terrace?”</a> 
 
Morley-Montgomery Award: 
Poul Anderson, "Irregular Poetics" 
The Baker Street Journal (Christmas 1958) pp. 17-22.  (available in the eBSJ) 
<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">What is the Morley-Montgomery Award?</a> 
 
 
<h4>
Reports on the Dinner</h4>
<a href="http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL.HOUGH:11354171?n=181">1959 BSI Dinner Minutes</a> (digitized images at Harvard) 
 
The Baker Street Journal v9 n2 (April 1959) pp. 111-113.  (available in the eBSJ) 
See also pp. 125-126 for details on a BSI match caddy souvenir from the Dinner. 
 
<a href="http://files.bsitrust.org/pdf/dinner/bsi-dinner-1959-attendees.pdf">List of 1959 BSI Dinner Attendees</a> (PDF) 
 
<a href="http://files.bsitrust.org/pdf/dinner/bsi-dinner-1959-photo-key.pdf">Key to People in the 1959 BSI Dinner photo</a> (PDF) 
 
 
<h4>
Recordings</h4>
None available online at this time. 
 
 
<h4>
Related Material</h4>
<a href="http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL.Hough:11370681">1959 BSI Dinner Invitation</a> (digitized image at Harvard) 
 
<a href="http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL.HOUGH:11354173?n=72">1959 BSI Dinner Menu </a>(digitized image at Harvard) 
Cover and interior. Sequence 72-73. 
 
Previous dinner: the <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/06/the-1958-bsi-dinner.html">1958 BSI Dinner</a> 
 
Next dinner: the <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/07/the-1960-bsi-dinner.html">1960 BSI Dinner</a> 
 
For an index to all BSI Dinners and photos, see our<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/dinner-summary.html"> BSI Dinner Summary</a> list. 
 
 
The BSI Archive is located at the Houghton Library at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Archival material may be used by any qualified scholar, subject to the normal rules and regulations of the Library. For links to a detailed finding aid and related information, see our <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/archive.html">BSI Archive at Harvard</a> page. 
 
Page composed on 2/24/15 by Tamar Zeffren. 
Page updated 7/6/15 by Andrew Solberg. 
This page last updated 2/10/19 by Randall Stock.

The 1959 BSI Dinner

Sixty eight Irregulars and guests gathered to commemorate the Master’s 105th birthday. John MacVane, a leading radio correspondent for mo...

+ Read more »