Sherlock Holmes Pipe Club of Boston

THE SHERLOCK HOLMES
PIPE CLUB OF BOSTON

Keeping The Smoking Lamp Lit Since 1989

June 2019

President's Message

Howdy Gang,
I hope everyone is having a great Spring and hopefully you are able to get outside and enjoy some of this nice weather we have been experiencing. It just occurred to me that it only rained twice last week here. Once for four days and once for 3 days. I have spoken with Mike Ponte and he is on the mend. I have tried to reach out to Joe Travis numerous times, and I have never received a call back. Dennis has been very busy with work and hopefully we will see him in June. Dennis has also been very busy with Nelson (remotely) working on updating our web site which as you can see we are debuting this month. Please bear in mind that this is still a work in progress and we will continue to make tweaks and add additional content over the next year. We hope you enjoy the new format that works well on all devices. This project has taken both Dennis and Nelson many man hours behind the scenes to bring this project forward. They should both be commended for their hard work and dedication to the club.
For those not in attendance last month, we had a sample of the 30-year anniversary pipe present at the meeting. I must say it is much more impressive in person than in the photos provided. Those who did not order one I think there is still time to get one. Updated photos have been posted to the Facebook group.

Finish reading the President's Message

Pipe Personality: Arthur Strout

While watching an episode of the DIY Network's series Building off the Grid I learned about a somewhat lesser know pipe smoker by the name of Authur Strout who had a pretty interesting job back in his day. This episode of Building off the Grid was of the restoration of the Halfway Rock Lighthouse in Casco Bay, Maine. The lighthouse had been sold at auction in May of 2014 for $283,000 to Ford Reiche who took on the monumental task of restoring the lighthouse which is only accessible by boat and subject to some very turbulent seas. Arthur S. Strout was mentioned as one of the lighthouse keepers during the years of 1929 to 1946 and was pictured smoking a pipe while playing a hand of solitaire and I'm sure that pipe helped him while away many a lonely hour on that small rocky island. Believe it or not Strout came from a family of lighthouse keepers. The Strout family of four generations served a total of 128 years as lighthouse tenders, with over 100 years of combined service between family members. Most of the time was served tending the Portland Head Light but Len Strout was the keeper of the Portland Breakwater Light and our featured pipe smoker Arthur Strout, was keeper of Halfway Rock Light.

Riverville Murder - Chapter 4

Previously:
“Two things; did the money get to you OK and who in hell did you get to take care of that agent Anderson? They sure screwed this one up.”
“Don’t know his name. I called a friend in a South Boston bunch to find someone to take care of Anderson; paid him eight-hundred. Why do you ask, he’s dead?”
“That he is and is making headlines clear over here, as it must be there as well. My God, man, his body washed ashore not twenty miles north from you. A stupid and sloppy job. Any investigation will certainly be centered in Riverville and cover all of New England. He should have buried or burned or, at the least, dumped Anderson far at sea.”
“Gus, I don’t know what to say. The Southie bunch are considered the experts in this area.”
“Well, if you must say something, tell me the shipment is on its way.”
Hurley cringed and started to sweat, then replied, “It’s the weather, it is. They tell me it could be two more weeks. There is bad weather stirring to the north and heavy North East winds coming from the south and bringing rain. They say, if the two fronts meet, there will be nothing small moving from New England to the North Sea for a while.”

Read Chapter 4

Tobacco Review: G.L. Pease: Odyssey

“Odyssey is huge: the biggest of the Pease blends. It's loaded with Latakia and harmonized by exotic Orientals. Wonderful red and jet-black stoved Virginias provide a perfect counterpoint.”
Obtained through the club’s Yankee Swap at the last holiday meeting, the two-ounce tin of Odyssey was tucked away in a box holding a minimal hoard of unopened tins. I found the box the other day and wondered what was in it; guess I completely forgot about my small stash. Anyway, I noticed the G.L. Pease Odyssey has “7/3/09”, in black marker, on the cover. I suddenly remembered Derik making a remark about who decorated the very attractive package housing this tin and decided to give it a try. Thanks Derik.
Having never had Odyssey before, I cannot compare this ten-year-old tobacco to any thing, so I’ll just tell you about it. The tin essence is a melody of wonderful smells, reminiscent of baking day in my mother’s kitchen when I was a kid; a combination of bread, cookies, cake and pot-roast, but not exactly.
In the pipe, Odyssey is delightful. The Latakia is definitely up-front but mixed in and tempered by the Virginias. The Orientals move in and out adding a bit of digression from the Latakia while the sweetness of the Virginia seems to bind it all together and is always there. I don’t think I have ever smoked such a complex blend. Now, I’ll have to purchase a tin just to compare the new to the ten-year-old Odyssey.

This Month's Tobacco Raffle

This month's tins come from Watch City Cigar in Framingham. As you may be aware, they no longer tin their own blends. These are the last of their kind, and were produced way back in 2006:

Stardust (2 oz.) is a hybrid delicate wide cut aromatic Cavendish and Latakia. Full tobacco taste with a pleasant aroma!

Mr. Skip's (2 oz.) is an all-day blend in the tradition of "keep it simple". Sweet nutty burley with a touch of Latakia.

In case you miss any information or just want to give us feedback, please feel free to contact us.

Pipe and Tobacco Podcasts

Country Squire Radio
A weekly podcast about all things pipes and tobacco. Beau and Jon David have a great chemistry and keep you entertained every week. Check their website for show times. They mix it up a lot YouTube | Website
(1:00 PM Eastern Time)

PipesMagazine Radio Show
A different interview every week with Brian Levine a well known member of the tobacco industry. Sit back, relax with your pipe, and enjoy The Pipes Magazine Radio Show! iTunes | Website
(Live Tuesday evenings 8 PM )

Sherlock Holmes Podcasts

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere (IHOSE)
A delightful way to spend an evening with Holmes as your affable co hosts Scott Monty and Burt Wolder share their unique perspectives and sense of humor. Find out more than you ever thought possible about the greatest pipe smoker that never lived.

Shows come out twice a month. iTunes | Website

Sherlock Holmes: Trifles
From the producers of the I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere podcast, Trifles is a 15-minute, weekly audio program where Scott & Burt discuss something related to the Canon.
Have you ever stopped to wonder about why Dr. Watson was called James by his wife? Or of Sherlock Holmes's dining habits? Or what happened when he let a criminal escape? Answers to these questions and more await in Trifles, a weekly podcast about details in the Sherlock Holmes stories. iTunes | Website

Pipe & Tobacco Episodes: Episode 71 | Episode 83

Trifles artwork created by Tom Richmond

Other Important Links for Smokers

Keeping the smoking lamp lit since 1989