Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The University Women's Club has a distinguished crime-fiction connection: it's housed in the former London residence of Lord Peter Wimsey and his family (photo by Paul Gillings)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
After an excellent dinner, we moved in to the Library - a beautiful room - where Elaine McCafferty introduced the speakers. First was John Morewood (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
John Morewood masterminded the Society's Holmesian Gazetteer. His theme was "Redoubtable Women in the Canon" (photo by Paul Gillings)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
John Morewood's four outstanding women were: the lady who killed Charles Augustus Milverton; Miss Alice Turner of Boscombe Valley ... (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
Then there was Irene Adler, who outwitted both the King of Bohemia and Sherlock Holmes ... (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
John Morewood's final exceptional woman was Miss Violet Smith, who was troubled by a Solitary Cyclist (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The second speaker was Heather Owen, whose topic was the "Women of the Lower Classes" who featured in Holmes's career (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
Heather Owen spoke about the housemaids, the paupers, the prostitutes and the other working-class women in the Canon (photo by Paul Gillings)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
Helen Dorey looked at Irene Adler's possible rivals for the title of "The Woman" - Helen Stoner, Violet Smith, Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope, Señora Victor Durando and others (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
Last of the main speakers was Peter Horrocks, whose subject was "The Worst Women in the Canon" - Eugenia Ronder, Maria Gibson, the woman who poisoned three children for their insurance money ... (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
Peter Horrocks believes that the worst woman was the lady who killed the harmless sausage magnate Charles Augustus Milverton (he was "the 'Wurst' man in London") (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
Finally, five members each spoke for three minutes on Women and Holmes: they were Catherine Cooke, Calvert Markham, Rakshita Patel, Valerie Schreiner and Jonathan McCafferty (photo by Roger Johnson)