Tom Stix and Michael Whelan
Thomas L. Stix, Jr., took the reins of the Baker Street Irregulars in 1986 when “Commissionaire” Julian Woolf stepped down. Stix was the first to use the title “Wiggins” as leader of the BSI, a tribute to the head boy in the band of urchins that assisted in the investigations of Sherlock Holmes.
Michael Whelan took over as “Wiggins” in 1997, shortly before Stix’s death in 1998. Whelan, invested in 1974, has served in this role since then, though at the 2019 Birthday Weekend, he announced his intention to step down in 2020.
Edgar W. Smith. Letter to Tom Stix. January 4, 1952.
Letter from Edgar W. Smith to Tom Stix, January 4, 1952
Stix’s father, Thomas L. Stix, was also a member of the BSI, invested in 1951. He must have been involved in planning the annual dinner when Edgar W. Smith sent him this letter, in which he suggests his secretary, Ruth Freiberg, be honored as “the lady of the evening.” Until 1991, BSI membership was limited to men and women were not allowed at the dinner. During the cocktail hour before dinner, it was often (always after 1961) the custom to honor a woman as “The Woman” in recognition of Irene Adler from "A Scandal in Bohemia." From there the honoree went to dinner with the previous nominees.
Colin Prestige. Letter to Tom Stix. January 21, 1971.
Letter from Colin Prestige to Tom Stix, January 21, 1971
“The Woman” honor usually was awarded to spouses of BSI members who were viewed as helpful to the larger organization, or just good sports regarding their husband’s devotion to Sherlock Holmes.
As time passed and second-wave feminism grew in influence, this practice became more and more peculiar. In the letter from Colin Prestige to Tom Stix, Prestige mentions that "Ladies are welcome" to the Sherlock Holmes Society of London—a small dig at the practices of the BSI.
Photograph souvenir from the Silver Blaze Race, 1993.
The Silver Blaze Race
"Silver Blaze" is both the name of a Sherlock Holmes story about a race horse, and the name of a race sponsored by the Baker Street Irregulars. The race started in the 1950s and has been run most years since. This souvenir photograph from the 1993 race pictures Tom Stix on the far right.
Photographs from the BSI Birthday Weekend Cocktail Party, 1992. Scrapbook compiled by Dorothy Stix.
BSI Birthday Weekend Cocktail Party, 1992
Dorothy Stix was invested as BSI in 1997, but for many years before she was by her husband’s side helping out and taking pictures. Her seven large scrapbooks form a wonderful photographic record of the BSI during this period. In this array of photographs, we see “Wiggins” Tom Stix, Jr., at the podium with his future successor, Michael Whelan.