Borough of St. Marylebone: extracts from Council minutes relating to the Sherlock Holmes Exhibition 1951Borough of St. Marylebone: extracts from Council minutes relating to the Sherlock Holmes Exhibition 1951[Follow this link to view this page as black text on a white background]
(a) We have given very careful consideration to the suggestion which was made a few months ago that an exhibition of archives and records dealing with local history and progress during the past 100 years should arranged in connection with next year's Festival of Britain. It is our view that a small exhibition, held for a short period in the Town Hall, the Library, or in the Lecture Hall at Seymour Place Baths, would not attract overseas visitors. If any such exhibition is to be held, we feel that it should be on a scale commensurate with the Borough's standing; should be open during the period of the Festival; and should include not only local archives and records but also exhibits illustrating the social, cultural and commercial development of the Borough over the past century. The co-operation of local institutions, professional and business interests would be needed and the exclusive use of a large hall would be essential. The expenditure involved would be considerable, quite apart from the very real difficulty of obtaining a suitable hall in the Borough. We are of opinion, therefore, that the Council should not embark on a project of this description.
(b) It is well-known that many overseas visitors ask to be shown "the house in Baker Street in which Sherlock Holmes lived". A suggestion has been made that considerable interest might be aroused by a "Sherlock Holmes" exhibition in the Library during the period of the Festival. The exhibition would include such things as copies of the original magazines in which this legendary figure appeared. This proposal commends itself to us, and such an exhibition could be staged without interfering with the normal use of the Library, we have given instructions for the requisite arrangements to be put in hand.
(c) Festival of Britain, 1951 - Local Participation
It was moved by Councillor Vernon and seconded by Councillor Foley: "That the council do disagree with paragraph No.2(a) of the Report of the Public Libraries Committee, dated the 3rd October, 1950 (Printed Reports, p.221)"
After discussion, the Motion, was, by leave of the Council, withdrawn and the paragraph was adopted.
The remainder of the Report of the Public Libraries Committee, dated the 3rd October, 1950 was approved and adopted
Present: COUNCILLOR Miss L. F. NETTLEFOLD, LL.B., L.C.C., Chairman, in the Chair.
Alderman DOUGLAS TIMIN5, O.B.E., M.A.; Councillors: ARTHUR V. Davis, J. P. HONOUR, ELLIOTT LEVY, The Rev WALTER MILLIN LONG, STAFFORD L0RIE, The~ Hon. MILDRED LOWTHER, O.B.E., Major R. C.ORPEN (Vice-Chairman), ROBERT H. SHARP, F.I.P.A., and N. WHINE, B.Sc.(Econ.).
Also Present: Councillors FREDERICK FRAME and L. STEPHANY.
In the meantime, we would mention that many offers of co-operation and assistance have been and are being received. The plan is beginning to take shape, and at our next Meeting we shall have before us full information upon which will be formulated the figure which we shall ask the Council to include in their Estimates of Special Expenditure for next year in this connection. We shall then also report in some detail upon the scheme.
We recommend -
2. That the Council do agree with the proposal of the Public Libraries Committee that they shall arrange a Sherlock Holmes Exhibition during the period of the Festival of Britain 1951.
| Advertising | 1,500 |
| Insurance | 100 |
| Printing and signwriting (including catalogues) | 400 |
| Staff (including night-watchman and overtime) | 500 |
| Lighting | 150 |
| Tableau of portion of sitting room, 221B, Baker Street | 500 |
| Contingencies | 350 |
| £3,500 |
The above figure takes no account of income, as this is almost impossible to forecast. We have had details of the average attendances at other exhibitions in London, and assuming that an average of 400 per day visit the Sherlock Holmes Exhibition throughout the period, the income would be in the region of £2,000. At the same time, it should be mentioned that no special provision has been made for the cost of equipment, as it is hoped that it may be possible to borrow what is required. The question of entertainment tax has also to be taken into consideration, but we understand that there is the probability that a claim for exemption from Entertainments Duty would be favourably considered.
We think it desirable that the sum of £500 should be provided for preliminary expenses which may be incurred before the end of the current financial year; and have accordingly asked the Finance Committee to submit a Supplemental Estimate for this sum, the amount to be included in our Estimates of Capital and Special Expenditure for 1951/2 being consequentially reduced to £3,000.
We recommend -
2 (a) That the arrangements in connection with the Sherlock Holmes Exhibition as indicated in paragraph No. 2 of the Report of the Public Libraries Committee, dated the 2nd January, 1951, be generally approved.
2 (b) That, subject to the submission of the appropriate Estimate by the Finance Committee, the Council do approve of the inclusion of the sum of £3,000 in the Annual Estimates of Expenditure for the ensuing financial year 1951/2 in respect of the Sherlock Holmes Exhibition.
(ii) That, subject to the submission of the appropriate Estimate by the Finance Committee, the Council do approve of the inclusion of the sum of £3,000 in the Annual Estimates of Expenditure for the ensuing financial year 1951/2 in respect of the Sherlock Holmes Exhibition.
Present: COUNCILLOR Miss L. F. NETTLEFOLD, LL.B., L.C.C., Chairman, in the Chair.
Councillors: JOHN R. BRACEWELL, ARTHUR V. DAVIS, J. P. HONOUR, ELLIOT Levy, The Rev. WALTER MILLIN LONG, STAFFORD LORIE, The Hon. MILDRED LOWTHER, O.B.E., ROBERT H. SHARP, F.I.P.A. and
N. WHINE, B.Sc.(Econ.).
We have approved a report of the Special SubCommittee upon the progress made in the arrangements for this Exhibition, and report as follows:-
Footnote to St. Marylebone Council Minutes 31st October 1951:
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did not live in the Borough of St. Marylebone. He briefly had an eye practice there, the address of which he gave in his autobiography as 2, Devonshire Place. More recent research had shown that it was in fact one block further south, at 2, Upper Wimpole Street.
He rented rooms during this period in Montague Place, along the north side of The British Museum. The buildings were demolished earlier this century to make way for the University of London. Sherlock Holmes, it will be remembered, lived just round the corner, as he explains in "The Musgrave Ritual",
"When I first came up to London I had rooms in Montague Street, just round the corner from the British Museum, and there I waited, filling in my too abundant leisure time by studying all those branches of science which might make me more efficient."
Violet Hunter in "The Copper Beeches" wrote to Holmes from an address in Montague Place,
"Pshaw, my dear fellow, what do the public, the great unobservant public, who could hardly tell a weaver by his tooth or a compositor by his left thumb, care about the finer shades of analysis and deduction! But, indeed, if you are trivial. I cannot blame you, for the days of the great cases are past. Man, or at least criminal man, has lost all enterprise and originality. As to my own little practice, it seems to be degenerating into an agency for recovering lost lead pencils and giving advice to young ladies from boarding-schools. I think that I have touched bottom at last, however. This note I had this morning marks my zero-point, I fancy. Read it!" He tossed a crumpled letter across to me.
It was dated from Montague Place upon the preceding evening, and ran thus:
DEAR MR. HOLMES: I am very anxious to consult you as to whether I should or should not accept a situation which has been offered to me as governess. I shall call at half-past ten to-morrow if I do not inconvenience you.
Yours faithfully, VIOLET HUNTER."
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