Pavilion Not Enough for Conan Doyle

I wrote to the Editor of the Haslemere Herald and the following was published today:

"I write in response to the article in the Herald three weeks ago concerning the inclusion of a pavilion in the grounds of Undershaw to honour the history of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Surely he is worth more recognition than a basic structure housing a board giving visitors a brief outline of his connection with Hindhead. This will not compensate for the loss of a landmark that has been with us since 1897.

The Undershaw Preservation Trust are mortified to think that Waverley Borough Council are likely to support this move which may possibly be included in the developers plans, a move that I feel should be seriously re-considered.

It appears that Undershaw has been nothing but a burden to Waverley. If the developers had looked after the building in the first place - all the repairs that needed to be complied with would not have caused Waverley this aggro in the first place. Please let the people who care about the building have their say and give the Trust a chance.

It's about time Waverley sat up and listened to what most of the locals would like to see and to what the Trust has to offer. Does Hindhead really want another housing complex when there are others being erected within walking distance from Undershaw?

I would also like to say that I fully support the letter written by Mr John Gibson, FRICS, who has set up and registered the Undershaw Preservation Trust. The Trust's aims are to prevent Undershaw from being converted into separate units, but for the house to remain as one. The Trust would also like to see the inclusion of a museum and cafeteria within the building with public access retained.

May I also take this opportunity of thanking all those who have taken their time to write to this section of the Herald in support of Conan Doyle and his home Undershaw

Lynn Gale, Undershaw Preservation Trust

You too can have your say in response to this article by writing to: 114/115 West Street, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7HL or e-mail at: farnham-herald@internet-today.co.uk e-mails must show full postal address.

Roger Straughan's Book

I have tonight received an e-mail from Dr Roger Straughan who is offering his book at a special rate of £10.00 for a signed copy for which he will make a contribution to the campaign. Roger is kindly pledging £50.00 as an initial contribution from his book sales. Roger's book 'A Study in Survival: Conan Doyle Solves the Final Problem' is out now and you can order his book by e-mailing info@saveundershaw.com You can read more about his book in the post entitled Conan Doyle's Recent Messages.

If you want to help the cause then by buying Roger's latest book you will be contributing to the campaign.

Roger will be signing copies of his book at Borders on Saturday 28th November.

No Light at the end of the Tunnel

Not a good day today. Spoke with Helen from Balfour Beatty yesterday and although they are very willing to help, it was plainly clear that they are unable to make an injection of funds or indeed be our sponsors. All the same I am very grateful to them for at least responding to my letter that I wrote to Ian Tyler their Chief Executive. Helen will be in further contact with me over the next couple of days but does not hold out much hope of being any help.

Balfour Beatty are the major construction company for the tunnel being built at Hindhead. The incredible work that has gone into this massive project will no doubt go down in the history books as being truly remarkable. The viewing platform just yards from Undershaw provides the most breathtaking views of the work that has and is being carried out. Whilst there's light at the end of the tunnel for this project, we need to work harder towards seeing the light for Undershaw!

As a consequence of this, I am feeling quite despondent today as the campaign to save Undershaw now moves into almost a year and still we are no further forward. We have made people more aware of our cause, that I am sure, and it maybe plainly obvious that the public are now fed up with listening to my constant support for Conan Doyle and Undershaw. There will come a time when I will have to begrudgenly give up the fight and allow the developers to commit this terrible crime to Undershaw unless I receive your help and your responses.

I have had four pledges now of £25.00 - this will hardly save Undershaw. This doesn't mean that I am not grateful, of course I am more than grateful to those people that have pledged and contributed in some way and of course those that are following this blog. They have been a terrific boost but we cannot rely on these people alone.

I understood that there are many enthusiasts out there that would like to see us save the building, but according to the response that I have had to this blog and the campaign in general it appears that nobody really cares. The Trust will not survive on its funds alone as we would have to purchase, restore and preserve. Over 300 people have signed the on-line petition (incidently I have over 1000 signatures with another petition that I have been running) and not one has made a pledge or has come forward offering their help. I have sent e-mails to some of these with the details of my blog and sadly there has been no response. One must feel they are silently telling me something. We urgently need your help if Undershaw is to survive the New Year.

If this is the response we are having now, what sort of interest would we have if we did save Undershaw? It really dosn't look very promising does it! Tomorrow is another day and it could be a brighter one.

If the Trust is going to be successful and Undershaw saved we need your help NOW! Please respond and make the impossible possible.

Update News on the TV Documentary

I have recently been in contact with Claire Whalley who has been waiting for a reply from two different commissioning editors and BBC 4. Claire is aware that BBC budgets have been frozen which might explain the silence.

Claire is remaining quite optimistic about the idea - she will endeavour to contact them again and hopes to be the bearer of good news.

There have been several articles that have appeared on the TV recently about Conan Doyle and we had hoped that we could get something approved before the end of the year so that it would coincide with the 150th anniversary of his birth date. Claire believes that if she can film where the action is taking place especially when decisions for Undershaw are actually being made by the Councillors providing permission is granted by Waverley to film during this time then this would make the documentary an interesting venture. Of course the history of Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and his life at Undershaw would be included as well as the supporters efforts to try and save the building. Surely this cannot fail! Any thoughts?

Dr Watson may yet save Undershaw

In response to Mr Gibson's letter in last week's Haslemere Herald the following letter was printed in this weeks copy, sent by a reader in Selborne:

"What a pleasant surprise it was to see the letter from John H Watson, MD, 221B Baker Street, London, W1, in the letters page of the November 13 edition of the Haslemere Herald.

Dr Watson spoke up most eloquently for Mr Sherlock Holmes, who was too absorbed in attending to the health of his bee colonies at that time to notice the decision of the National Trust and the caretakers of his country retreat, to make Undershaw available to anyone at all for monetary profit, while announcing, on a distant display board, that he is its rightful, as you might say, incumbent!

This arrangement seems totally ludicrous to any discerning person and I fervently hope that Dr Watson will be able to convince Mr Holmes of the urgency of the situation and encourage him to take steps to protect his assests before this dreadful calumny can be perpetrated.

With regards from a concerned member of the public and follower of the marvellous exploits of Mr Sherlock Holmes".