The Society has lost our last surviving founding member, Mrs Alfreda Howlett, who passed away at the very advanced age of 101 on 15^th February. 

Freda was one of the small group of five people who organised the hugely popular Sherlock Holmes exhibition as part of the Festival of Britain in 1951, in the course of which our Society was established.  She married Tony Howlett, her fellow organiser, the following year.  Freda was at the centre of the Society for seven decades, serving as our President into old age.  In her last years, despite growing frailties, she continued to take a close & benevolent interest in the Society’s activities and the welfare of our members.   Her memory embodied the whole history of the Society and her knowledge and guidance have proved invaluable to generations of Sherlockians  There will be a merry meeting in heaven with her devoted Tony and so many other dear friends:  possibly a celestial Sherlock Holmes Society may now be created.

Requiescat in pace.

Jonathan McCafferty
President