The Master's Birthday

157th Birthday Dinner
was held on Saturday, January 22nd, 2011 at the St. Sulpice Hotel in Old Montreal

Special Guest Speaker
Robert Landori
Montreal Author
and member of the
Crime Writers of Canada

Much socialising went on before the meal ...
Jack Anderson
Jack Anderson in full Victorian attire, with ladies remaining demurely in the background		 Lars Lovkvist
Lars Lovkvist in a splendid top hat

The winner of Best Ladies' Costume, together with proud grandfather Tom Holmes 

 ... and during it too

Patrick Campbell & Sandra Anderson
Carol & Jacob Abramson

Dr. Joe Schwarcz with his better half
Wilfrid de Freitas & Susan Ravdin

We were entertained by toasts and speeches

David Dowse proposed a toast to the Master
and Elliott Newman eulogised Stanley Baker

Robert Landori entertained us with a story or two

Heather Wileman-Brown saluted The Woman
and David Kellett proposed The Society

There were even prizes ...

Roger Burrows accepts the quiz trophy from Patrick Campbell
 ... and Joan O'Malley accepts the door prize from Rachel Alkallay

See photos of
the 2010 gala, the 2009 fête, the 2008 celebration, the 2007 event, and the 2005 dinner.

Each year, on or about January 6th, members of the Society gather to commemorate the birthday of the Master, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. The great detective retired from active investigations in 1904, and now lives in retirement on the Sussex Downs in England where he writes monographs and cultivates bees. Born in 1854, he celebrated his 157th year in 2011, and we celebrate with him, as we do every year!

Our gathering takes place at a Montreal restaurant with the right period atmosphere. Following the meal, we usually have a guest speaker who is invited to choose a Sherlockian topic and share his or her thoughts with us. Guests have included Dr. Joe Schwarcz of McGill University's Office of Chemistry and Society; Pauline Rathbone, the niece of Basil Rathbone; Dr. Graeme Decarie of Concordia University and William Weintraub, Montreal author.


Patrick Campbell and David Dowse
welcome the celebrants


Toasting the Master's Health
January 1998

The evening includes appropriate toasts to "the Master", "Dr. Watson", "The Woman", "Mrs. Hudson" (without whom no celebration would be possible), and "the Society".

Members also provide part of the evening's entertainment: dramatic readings, Victorian songs, Sherlockian puzzles, and other such pieces are all popular with our members.


The late Colin Semel
Victorian Music Hall Songster


Members and guests at the 2004 dinner

Bimetallic Home