Plugs and Dottles Page

Plugs and Dottles, redesigned since 2017, is sent out digitally and published quarterly. Previous issues of Plugs and Dottles are available in the list below, with the most current at the top of the list. Click on the Year and the Quarter to download.

(Note: At bottom of this page we run a feature about other scion societies’ newsletters: Guest Newsletters.)

2024 - 1st Quarter (Gael and SuSun Stahl Issue)
edited by Jim Hawkins and Dean Richardson

Highlights
As the Stahl’s move to Indianapolis in May, we say farewell in this issue with notes of appreciation
from members of the Nashville Scholars. Dean posts an article on the Holmes, Doyle, and Friends Symposium
that was held in Dayton, OH, in late March. The issue includes lots of images of Gael and Susan from the beginnings of the Scion Society
in 1979 right up to the present as we celebrate 45 years in 2024.

2023 - 4th Quarter (Fresh Rashers Issue)
edited by Jim Hawkins and Dean Richardson
Highlights:
Essays from members of the Fresh Rashers of Nashville
David Hayes contemplates Holmes as Knight-Errant.
Bill Mason shares the original petition for the Scion Society.
Drew Thomas tells about the Sherlettes, an all-female singing group—plus one.
Dean Richardson talks about the (almost) supernatural side of Conan Doyle.
Jim Hawkins writes about his most valuable rare book, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1960),
and the Baker Street Journal Christmas Annual for 2023.

2023 - 1st Quarter (Winter Issue)
Highlights:
Review of 2023 BSI Weekend in New York City
A Report on our December meeting at Dave Price’s home
Remembering Ronald Lies - My Brother-in-Shaw
Dean Richardson reviews Bonnie MacBird’s What Child Is This?
Notes on Sherlockian Events in March and May
Welcome to new Nashville Scholar Theresa Dyer

2022 - 2nd Quarter (Summer Issue)
Highlights:
New and First-ever Nashville Scholars scion society pin
MARCH 2022 Holmes, Doyle, and Friends Conference Review by Dean Richardson
Some Early Nashville Scholars:
Remembering Mary-Margarette Jordon (1936-2015)
Jim Hawkins’ Impact on N Scholars’ web presence
Billy Fields Awarded Life-Time Achievement by Nashville Metro Government
Passing the Pin - the Triple J scion society pin of the Brothers Three of Moriarty
Precursors of Sherlock: A Review of Two Books - by Dean Richardson

2022 - 1st Quarter
Highlights:
BSI Weekend Report by Dr. Marino Alvarez
Remembering Kay Blocker, charter member of 3PP
Shinwell Johnson book reviews of:
The Return of the Pharaoh by Nicholas Meyer
and The Sherlock Holmes Review: 2021 Annual (Wessex Press)
Various articles on the Nashville Scholars’ 43rd Anniversary
…and more

2nd Quarter, 2021
Highlights:
Focusing on Nashville’s other scion society: The Fresh Rashers
Shinwell Before Using
A Tribute to Charlie Williams by Tom and Anita Feller
Interview with Jean Upton and Roger Johnson by Hawkins & Richardson
(with a link to the full interview)

1st Quarter, 2021
Highlights:
David Marcum Interview
A Review of Vincent Starrett’s The Great Hotel Murder
New BSI Books
A Report on the Frederic Dorr Steele grave stone in the
Albany Rural Cemetery in Mernands, NY

January, 2020
Highlights:
Celebrating our 41st year.
Derek Martin’s trip to Chester, IL, for the unveiling of a granite statue of Sherlock Holmes.
Getting to know charter member Dave Price.
A Review of The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols by Nicholas Meyer.
Celebrating Otto Penzler’s Mysterious Books in New York.

Summer Issue, 2019
Highlights: Continuing our 40th Anniversary Celebration

40th Anniversary Issue (1st Quarter, 2019)

4th Quarter, 2018
Highlights:
A Report on the Gillette to Brett V conference 2018
Bill Mason’s new book, A Holmes by Any Other Name;
Mason also reviews The Return of Sherlock Holmes (2016)

3rd Quarter, 2018
Highlights:
Remembering Joel Senter (1930-2018)
A Report on the “Curious Collections” Event in St. Louis in August
by The Parallel Cases scion society

2nd Quarter, 2018
Highlights:
Preserving Undershaw, Conan Doyle’s home in Hindhead, Surrey (1897)
Rasher Measures: A Visit to 221B in Franklin
David Marcum at Stepping Stones School in Hindhead, Surrey

4th Quarter, 2017
Highlights:
Shannon Carlisle shares about the Junior Sherlockian Society,
An Interview with Mattias Boström on his book From Holmes to Sherlock

An early printed version: November 2011

Guest Newsletters

One of the longest-running newsletter publications, and one of the finest, is The District Messenger the news artery for The Sherlock Holmes Society of London. It was edited for many years by our friend, Roger Johnson; more recently the editorship has gone to his wife, Jean Upton, his American wife, also a dear friend.

This link will take you to the current issue, but can go all the way back to the first issue, January 12, 1982! In those early days the publication was called The Grapevine. Sign up and enjoy one of the finest Sherlockian newsletters anywhere.