A young Sherlockian in Russia--photo by Tatiana Gomozova, UPT Rep, Russia

Greetings, everyone! The UPT Reps have been hard at work promoting Undershaw around the world. We would like to share with you some of the ways in which we have been spreading awareness of the plight of Undershaw and letting people know how they can help through UPT. We envision this newsletter as a medium to keep everyone informed about what is going on all around the world in the effort to save Undershaw. We will have four issues each year, going along with the seasons.

We have had a wonderful first response with reports from all our reps!  So much work is being done on behalf of Undershaw that we were unable to print all reports received in this first issue.  The Trust acknowledges everyone’s valuable help and encourages all to continue spreading the word. We hope to catch up on the reports for our next issue in June.

We will start with a report from Lynn Gale, co-founder of UPT. Lynn has some exciting news to share about a very significant event in May! From there we will go to our London rep, Rakshita Patel, and our other reps from countries all over the world. Please take a moment to read and see what amazing work is being done for Undershaw! All events organised are to raise awareness of the plight of Undershaw.

Your editors,

Jacquelynn Morris, ASH–UPT Rep, Maryland USA

Ricarda Schultchen–UPT Rep, Germany

UPT REPORT

The Hindhead Tunnel walk on May 14th is a fabulous opportunity for  UPT Supporters to walk  the 1.2 miles wearing ‘deerstalkers’ in a show of support for Undershaw.  The A3 Hindhead project will complete the dual carriageway link between London and Portsmouth, thereby removing a major source of traffic congestion, and by walking while wearing deerstalkers we hope to catch the Media’s attention to Undershaw’s plight.

Lynn Gale, Co-Founder, UPT

The London Report–from Rakshita Patel, UPT Rep, London

On Thursday 17 March 2011, UPT met the Sherlock Holmes Society of London at the Sherlock Holmes Pub. Items on the agenda included the aims for the UPT and Undershaw’s future, what UPT has achieved to date and ideas for raising awareness in the pipeline, how to further publicise the Save Undershaw campaign to the Society and how to mobilise the Society’s members behind the campaign. The meeting was very successful and productive; the Society left the meeting with a deeper awareness and understanding of UPT’s aims, objectives and work.

Guy Marriott, President of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London, and Roger Johnson, Editor of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London’s Journal, had our hot off the press UPT badges so that they could talk about UPT and promote our campaign at their meetings.

Other news from Ms. Patel:

• Richard Burnip, a London Walks guides and a professional actor, known as “Richard IV,” will be promoting Save Undershaw as part and parcel of his regular Friday walk, “In the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes.” Richard IV will be directing people to the UPT web site. He is now also the proud owner and wearer of an official UPT enamel badge.
• Sue Collier, Manager of the Sherlock Holmes Pub, is very supportive of the campaign to save Undershaw. They have agreed to carry all our flyers and promotional material. The pub is a mecca for Sherlock Holmes fans, so this is a huge win for us.
• John Riley, the Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Museum, supports the campaign to save Undershaw and has promised that the Museum will carry all our flyers and promotional material. Like the Sherlock Holmes Pub, the Museum is a popular destination for Sherlock Holmes fans from all over the world, which makes this another win for UPT! [UPDATE: There are now over 1,000 UPT flyers available at the Sherlock Holmes Museum!]

Russia Report—Tatiana Gomozova, UPT rep, Russia

Last month our Russian Representative Office (actually myself, some of my friends and other Sherlock fans) did a small promotion campaign at the independent publishers festival in Moscow. It lasted a long weekend and all 3 days we were there, explaining to visitors about the plight of Undershaw, with help of official pictures, letters and supporter’s videoclips. In addition, the visitors could play a Sherlock Quiz and receive a prize for every right answer–a matchbox with a picture of a Sherlock actor (Vasiliy Livanov, Jeremy Brett and so on). There was even a prize for a wrong answer! (Ginger cookies I made myself!)

We also promoted the Undershaw site: they could leave a message right there (with my laptop) or write some words on a large paper we had in our booth. And all day we showed Holmes series – Russian and the new BBC one – right there in our booth.

Have to say, it went extremely well! Many kind people were very interested and excited and told us they hope Undershaw will be saved from this awful development. I believe that during the fest we handed out 500 ‘flyers’ as well and have got about 10 sheets of paper with supportive messages for Undershaw. Many thanks to all my helpers! I could not have done this without you all.

We hope our next big step will be an exhibition in the library, but until then we’ll probably do something simple like handing out more flyers at the university and so forth.

Lithuania Report–Sigita Matulaityte, UPT Rep, Lithuania

I have created some promotional posts on my Tumblr site http://shaddicted.tumblr.com which is currently being followed by 427 people so far and got those posts reblogged by some very influential blogs in BBC Sherlock fandom. Also I have been working on an article in Lithuanian about Undershaw to get some attention from local Sherlock Holmes and ACD fans. I haven’t finished it yet, but I will do it in a couple of weeks and will send it out to popular bloggers and media sites, in the hopes that they’ll agree to post it on their sites.

Paris Report–David Rose, UPT Rep, France

I have contacted the Oxford University, Cambridge University, Edinburgh University, Dublin University and National University of Ireland Societies here asking them to pass on information to their members. I have also written to all members of the Société Oscar Wilde en France.  I have also followed this up on the VICTORIA and OSCHOLARSHIP listservs, and the 19thc LITERATURE e-reading group.  I have recruited Micheál O hAodha of the University of Limerick as Irish rep.

With a fair wind, I hope to interest the Modern Language Association in passing on the word to its 30,000 members. I have also set up an informal ‘French Friends of Undershaw’ mailing group so that I can keep in touch with respondents.

Two of my friends have independently suggested trying to enlist as many crime writers as possible; and one them will contact Alexander McCall Smith.  I have written to Elizabeth Foxwell, the editor of Clues, and to the Irish cultural attaché here.

Next on my hit list will be the Caledonian Society here (http://www.rampantscotland.com/features/societies.htm).

Japan Report–Nobuo Yamamoto, UPT Rep, Japan

I already tell it to the Japan Sherlock Holmes Club members (http://www.holmesjapan.jp/english/outline.htm). And I tweet them to twitter on Japanese.

The evening moonlight cast its net over the landscape. Silver rays flooded through broken windows, lighting up a once majestic building which now bathed in an eerie glow. A light breeze made its way through the large estate and nearby trees shook their leaves, rustling softly breaking the silence of the night. An owl perched in a tree surveyed the landscape with its large round eyes, blinking once, before spreading its wing and taking off majestically gliding through the velvet of night, finding its prey. With claws outstretched, the owl swooped downwards towards a mouse scurrying for shelter, but as the owl was within reach of its quarry, it suddenly stopped in mid-flight, halted by the sight of something, or someone, and hastily retreated back into the nearby woods.

The lone figure glided along a corridor, sadly surveying his surroundings. He was a tall man, in his late fifties, smartly dressed with a gold chain of his pocket watch proudly displayed. He bore a moustache, distinguised and also appeared well fed. He looked up at the ceiling, noting the peeling paintwork, and then around him, noting the rotting windows and peeling wallpaper. There was damp in the air, hanging like a malvolent presence. The man moved further inside into the decaying building, entering the hall and then the drawing room. He cried out in despair at what was once an elegant drawing room now lying in ruins with water dripping drop by drop onto the cold floor, the sound echoing around the room. The man closed his eyes and for a few moments was transported back into the drawing room of old. In his mind’s eye the room was filled with warm sunlight and the sound of children’s laughter could be heard. Then he himself came into view, reading a story by Rudyard Kipling. His musing was rudely interrupted by another splash of water dropping onto the floor but this time is was not the damp wood that was seeping water, but his own tears that ran down his cheeks and hit the floor. He got up from where he had been sitting and moved back out into the hall and up the stairs to the upper level. Gliding gently along, touching the wall railing lightly, he made his way to a bedroom and then stopped at the windows. Dawn was breaking. The night was slowly coming to an end. The reflection in the window was his own, saddened. “Oh, my poor home, what has become of you?!” He cried softly as he watched the sun slowly rise, its fingers pushing back the silvery net of moonlight that had engulfed the old building and fiery warmth lighting up Undershaw, revealing the true state it was in. Suddenly a noise interrupted the silent musings. A vehicle had entered the estate and was moving in like a roaring tiger, its jaws wide open, ready to bite into its quarry. The former owner of Undershaw moved quickly down the stairs and out into the open, angered by the invasion.

“Well Bert, we need to get this job done quickly as we have another demolition to attend to later today and that is paying us double time and I want to get the Missus a present.”  

“Awwh Phil, you’re not buying her that pricey flat screen TV, are you?” asked Bert in a playful manner. Phil nodded his assent. “Thing is, Bert, the plan is that it is an investment, as I can watch the 2012 Olympics on it and the Missus thinks she can watch what she likes till then,” Phil grinned at his colleague and then the peals of laughter reverberated around the estate. The two workmen then began preparing for the work ahead and as Phil got into his truck Bert said softly with regret in his voice, “I don’t like this job Phil, this is an important building, and I have heard this place was the home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.”

Who’s that then?” asked Phil, irritated by a statement made about someone he never heard of. “Oh, you know Sherlock Holmes, Phil, you watched it on Sunday night …….. all set in modern day,” Bert replied irritably. “Oh that! Yeah it’s ok, but a job is a job. Who cares about this place anyway?” Phil replied dismissively. He switched on the vehicle and started towards the building, the digger raised to start taking away plaster and wood. Suddently Phil slammed on the brakes hard and stopped as he saw a ghostly apparition appear in front of the building. He swallowed hard and then yelled at the figure to get out of the way. But the strange looking man appeared to be saying something back and he looked upset. Phil switched off the engines and then he heard what the man was saying. “Be gone, get out now!” Phil did not care for threats and jumped out of the truck and strode towards the figure in front of him. “Now look here, I don’t care who you are but you are trespassing on this land, get out of my way!” shouted Phil angrily. Phil proceeded to push the man out of his way but to his horror his hand swept right through and he was unable to get a grip. He stood back in shock, realising that this was not a living being. Shaking and pale as the moonlight that had previously cast its cloak of silver over the building, Phil ran back into the truck and pushed down hard on reverse gear, moving backwards at a fast pace. As he did so he heard another demand from the unexpected Undershaw resident. “LEAVE NOW”. Phil trembled hearing the words and met a concerned Bert who was about to start up his truck. Bert looked at Phil, who was now trembling violently, in concern. He took off his coat and put it around Phil’s shaking frame. “I saw a ghost …” Phil said haltingly, sobbing in response to Bert’s ministrations. Bert considered this and replied softly laying a steady hand on Phil’s shoulders, “I believe you, Phil.” Phil’s voice trembled further as he responded, “But why? You must think I am off my head.” Bert nodded slowly, and with authority responded to a distressed Phil, “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth”. Puzzled, Phil looked up at Bert, who merely smiled. “Something Sherlock Holmes said in the books,” Bert said with a ring of authority he rarely used. Phil nodded and then remarked to his colleague that they should leave. Bert consented to this. An unspoken agreement was made between the two men never to speak of events to anyone and they both left silently, leaving Undershaw alone once more. The Undershaw resident breathed a sigh of relief, knowing it was only temporary. More people would come; he could not stop them all. He turned  around looking back at his old home and sighed. Another figure joined him. “You did well Arthur dearest, another day in our home, but for how long?” said the companion who was dressed in a white flowing dress with a silky blue band around the waist. They smiled at each other and as they slowly disappeared from view rejoining the spirit world a question hung in the morning air. Who will save Undershaw now?

We hope that the concluding story to this will eventually be written – we await the outcome of our efforts.

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