Interesting Interview: Jerry Kegley

For the final Interesting Interview of 2023, let's get to know one of the friendliest and most outgoing Sherlockians out there, Jerry Kegley.  Jerry has been running a scion for longer than some Sherlockians have been alive and every time I see him, his fires seem to be burning brighter and brighter!  Seriously, this guy seems to never flag in his devotion to Holmes and Watson.

Jerry and his wife Chrys run one of the BSI Weekend's biggest events, and it was created as a way to include everyone.  Folks, Jerry Kegley is the personification of a big tent Sherlockian.  And if you've ever gotten to meet him in real life, that holds true in every way.  Jerry welcomes everyone in this hobby and never makes a newbie feel like they need to prove themselves to be included in his fun.  I think you'll see that this attitude continues through his answers this week!

How do you define the word “Sherlockian”? 

This answer has evolved over time. When I was new to this community, I thought a Sherlockian was someone with more than a passing acquaintance with Sherlock Holmes. A Sherlockian was a scholar, or an erudite individual who studied the Canon and had specialized knowledge on related topics. This somewhat strident view has softened considerably as my association with Mr. Holmes creeps toward its sixth decade. People come at things in many ways and my feeling now is all Holmes is good Holmes. If you sit at the table, then you’re a Sherlockian. A vast feast is laid before you and it’s your choice on how much or how little to partake.      

How did you become a Sherlockian?

As a youth, the Universal films of Rathbone and Bruce were my gateway drug. Note, that the 20th Century Fox offerings were not a part of the early equation. My Holmes was a “Noir” adjacent Nazi hunting Detective/Spy very much of the era in which the movies were produced. This changed when my now Brother-in-law handed me a copy of Doubleday’s The Complete Sherlock Holmes. Mind blown! 

I entered the gaslit Victorian world of Sherlock Holmes where a part of me has resided ever since.  The second part of this story involved relocating to California from Illinois when I was eighteen. With few friends early on, and little social interaction, I discovered the local scion society and met some kindred spirits. Many of these people are in my own scion, The Curious Collectors of Baker Street, and are among my closest friends to this day.     

What was your profession and does that affect how you enjoy being a Sherlockian?

I am a retired Assistant Vice President, Communications Regional Manager for Bank of America. In retirement, I do commission painting of wargame miniatures under the moniker of Colonel Winky’s Warriors.  

The funny thing is that being a Sherlockian might have been a big part of getting my foot in the door at BofA in the first place. Part of my resume contained copies of the CCOBS’ newsletter as samples of my writing. As a bit of an aside, before entering the corporate world I worked five years as a Private Investigator doing sub rosa work. You might say this question is backwards as being a Sherlockian has affected how I enjoyed my profession.  

What is your favorite canonical story?

Hands down Hound of the Baskervilles. Going back to the gifting of The Complete Sherlock Holmes from my Brother-in-law, he recommended that I start with HOUN. Most of the literature that I was interested in then was of the gothic or horror genre like Dracula, Frankenstein, or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Hound’s milieu hit that touchstone and left an indelible mark. The Sherlock Holmes as he was written came to life and as I said above, mind blown!

Who is a specific Sherlockian that you think others would find interesting?

Jeff Hart, BSI.  If you want to talk to a font of knowledge on topics from Sherlock Holmes, film, TV, comic books, and literature in general and back along a divergent route, then spend some time with Jeff. 

What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you?

Victorian Military History. In this case, Watson’s adventures in Afghanistan, the Indian Mutiny, Boer War, Colonel Sebastian Moran, etc. I’ve written about Watson’s wound, who he might be inspired by, and a myriad of articles on Canonical military matters. I am also an avid tabletop historic miniatures wargamer so this era in colonial warfare is often of inspiration. I’d have to say it’s my second passion next to Mr. Holmes. 

You and your wife Chrys serve as co-presidents of The Curious Collectors of Baker Street.  What is it like running a scion with your spouse?

Special! To be able to share a labor of love with the one you love is a blessing. Chrys and I have been at the helm of the CCOBS for 32 years, which is one less than we’ve been married. We kid each other that marriage is a blood sport and the CCOBS has caused some of that blood to be shed but we would not have it any other way. Having Chrys at my side and vice versa is of immense benefit, as we can function as sounding boards for ideas, issues, and the like. The fact that we hold this strong of a common interest in what is supposed to be a hobby is rare to me. 

One of the proudest moments of my life was when Mike Whelan called her name and invested her in the BSI. Not because she is my wife… (Okay, I love that my wife is a BSI), but because I know how hard she worked to deserve the honor.

Coincidentally, the insert item that I sent to the BSI for inclusion in the 2024 BSI Dinner packets is a write up of Chrys and my 32 years with the CCOBS.   

Lost in New York with a Bunch of Sherlockians has become a BSI Weekend mainstay.  How did that start and how have you seen it evolve over the years?

As one attends the BSI Weekend from year to year, the cadre of likeminded individuals grows and flourishes around you. The only drawback is finding a space you can all hang out in. By 2002 (I’ve been attending the BSI Weekend since 1995, Chrys since 1996) this had become evident to us, and the question was now how do we manage Saturday night? As we sat in our hotel room on Wednesday of that year’s bacchanalia, that very question was posed. Chrys, to the rest of our disbelief said, “Let’s have an event.” She proceeded to pull the phone book (yes, there still was such a thing) out of the bedside table and looked up restaurants with banquet rooms. One of the first she came across was the now defunct Kennedy’s on West 57th. Phone calls were made, and we stopped by and set up the first Lost. 

It would be an overstatement to say our first gathering was a resounding success. Through word of mouth, we rounded up fourteen of our Sherlockian friends in the Library Room at Kennedy’s. There would be ten more dinners there and eleven more in three different locals that have come to be known as “Lost In New York With A Bunch Of Sherlockians.” The event had been established as a Saturday night refuge for the “disjecta membra” of the BSI Weekend, it now has become a sold-out nightcap. 

Lost is another labor of love for Chrys, and I. It’s our way of giving back to a community that has given us so much. 

What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?

That’s a tough one, there are so many deserving of a plug. Beyond the rabbit hole inducing classics like Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street or The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. I must give a nod to Mitch Cullin’s A Slight Trick of the Mind (2005). Mitch’s take on an aging Holmes losing those mental faculties he was renowned for was both moving and insightful. The film Mr. Holmes with Ian McKellen was based on this book.

Where do you see Sherlockiana in 5 or 10 years from now?

Right where it should be, vibrant and strong. Although, I hope during that time, we see another shot in the arm (pun intended) akin to the one that took place more recently with the Downey Jr. films, BBC Sherlock, and Elementary on TV and the plethora of reading material the “Free Sherlock” movement brought us. We have seen the Golden and Silver Age of Sherlockiana, how about Platinum?

I Was Sufficiently Conversant with Holmes's Methods [RESI]

The general public will often write off Dr. John H. Watson as a doofus.  Portrayals like Nigel Bruce, Dudley Moore, and John C. Reilly haven't helped matters much.  And in "The Creeping Man," Watson goes so far as to say such negative things about himself as that Holmes may as well talk to his bedstead instead of him for all he did to help.  But I argue that those aren't true accounts of the man who wrote the Canon and that a better account of of Dr. Watson's intelligence can be viewed in "The Resident Patient."

First of all, this man can WRITE.  Just the opening line of this story will get you to take notice:

In glancing over the somewhat incoherent series of memoirs with which I have endeavoured to illustrate a few of the mental peculiarities of my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I have been struck by the difficulty which I have experienced in picking out examples which shall in every way answer my purpose.

No dullard is putting out prose like this.  

But as we get into the story, you see Watson display his intelligence throughout.  When Holmes and Watson return from their walk, a brougham was parked in front of their building.  Holmes deduces that a general practitioner, who has not been in practice for long, has come to consult them.  Watson is able to follow Holmes's deductions by

see[ing] that the nature and state of the various medical instruments in the wicker basket which hung in the lamp-light inside the brougham had given him the data for his swift deduction.  The light in our window above showed that this late visit was indeed intended for us.

This is a far cry from the man in "The Red-Headed League" who said "I was always oppressed with a sense of my own stupidity in my dealings with Sherlock Holmes."  No, the Watson we read about in RESI is keeping pace with his friend here.

And how has Watson been spending his free time before this case starts?  Reading yellow-backed novels or staring off into space?  No, this man has been reading monographs on obscure nervous legions.  I don't know how many of us are reading arcane pieces of writings related to our professional fields, but this is a sure sign of Watson's intelligence as far as I'm concerned.

Another argument against "Stupid Watson" is that Sherlock Holmes wouldn't tolerate a dummy following him everywhere.  In fact, Sherlock Holmes values Watson and his time.  He recognizes that Watson has better things to do than follow him around on pointless errands.  If Holmes viewed Watson as a hapless sidekick, I doubt he would have felt the need to apologize to his friend for bringing him out on a fool's errand for their first visit to Brook Street.

Watson does have a suggestion to make to Holmes along the way.  He offers that the story of the Russian and his son were made up by Trevelyan and that the doctor is behind all of the trouble.  Although Holmes disproves Watson's theory, he admits that "it was one of the first solutions which occurred to me."  Although Watson is a step or two behind Holmes in deducing things, he's clearly not lost during all of this.

And once there's a dead body involved, Watson's medical knowledge is of use.  He states that Blessington had been dead for about three hours by the time that they arrived, judging by the rigidity of the dead man's muscles, aligning with Inspector Lanner's report that the death occurred around five a.m.

Now, am I saying that Dr. Watson is ready to strike out and begin solving crimes on his own?  Probably not.  But I think we should all appreciate that this man is not only a great writer and brave companion, but also a worthy partner in the adventures of Sherlock Holmes.