Happy Birthday to Sherlock Holmes creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on May 22, 1859.
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Portland’s Sherlock Holmes Society, known as “The Noble and Most Singular Order of the Blue Carbuncle” was founded around 1971 by Dr. James Covert, growing out of an evening class taught by the long-time history professor. The students taking “Baker Street Revisited” determined to continue their association after the term ended. And so was born a Sherlockian club complete with charter and ‘canonical’ name. Dr. Covert ran the course for several years, and as the group grew larger it moved beyond the University. The Noble and Most Singular Order of the Blue Carbuncle of Portland and Vancouver continues today as one of the nation’s more active Sherlock Holmes societies.
In Dr. Covert’s words: “In the early 1970s I was looking to teach Victorian England in a novel way (pun intended) and came to this—a study of Victorian England through the Holmes stories. In the 1980s and 90s I occasionally taught the same course under the title of “Mystery as History: The Study of Sherlock Holmes’ England”. Finally it was put into the Honors Program and has the distinction of being my very last class taught at UP in the fall of 1997.” (Private e-mail communication, March 1, 2011)
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The items pictured are located in the University Museum and are associated with the original charter members of “The Noble and Most Singular Order of the Blue Carbuncle.” The name being associated with one of the popular stories of the Sherlock Holmes saga, referred to by devoted followers of the Master Detective as “The Canon,” or “The Sacred Writings.”
I had the distinct pleasure of being a student in Mystery as History in the Spring of 1994. I still remember various facts we learned about Britain through Conan Doyle’s eyes, such as the fact that a letter could make its way back and forth across London four times in one day (back and forth twice between writers). We complain about having to answer emails right away now; imagine writing several handwritten letters to one person in a single day! My major paper for that course was “The Danger of Knowledge,” a murder mystery set in Vienna. Readers of this blog are almost certainly familiar with it, though it was tragically panned by the international and domestic critics. Careful readers of the mystery would note details that relate to my time as a Salzburger just a few years prior. Good memories. May Dr. Covert rest in peace!
Thanks for this memory. I recall with great fondness Dr. Covert’s class on Conan Doyle–well that is what it was supposed to be, but devolved to a class about Holmes. The class itself became the “Baker Street Dozen” (there were 13 of us). We had a set of rules which stated: “There shall be no rules”. We met monthly and had a ball. Dr. Covert never officially joined but was given a title which was and is secret to this day. The group continues to meet and have their own Facebook page.
That is me in the first photo with my back to the camera and to my right is my late wife, Sue. In the second photo, you will see Dr. Coveert with a leg in a cast; I think he tripped down a stair, and to his left curled on the sofa is his son Marcus a true scion of UP.
Thanks, Carolyn! I was never part of that group, but always love photos and stories involving my incredible teacher and friend, Jim Covert. We were at Mt Calvary just last weekend, and left flowers for Jim & Sally. We couldn’t have had better mentors, and miss them dearly.
Keep up the great work on the bluff!