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The Wodehouse Society

A Celebration of Wit and Wisdom

2001: Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: A Wodehouse Odyssey: October 12–14, 2001
Speakers: John Fletcher, John Graham, Gary Hall & Linda Adam-Hall, Elliott Milstein, Norman Murphy, Erik Quick, Brian Taves, Gretchen Worden

April 10, 2025
Submitted by: The Wodehouse Society

We returned to our Pennsylvania roots for 2001’s Wodehouse Odyssey, hosted by Chapter One. The convention opened informally on Thursday evening with the announcement that Norman Murphy and Elin Woodger had married, thus cementing the special relationship between the U.S. and U.K. societies. Norman also expanded the presidential regalia with his presentation of a Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother medallion on ribbon, to be the presidential badge of office. When the TWSCC played at the Merion Cricket Club (America’s oldest cricket club), we could only imagine how proud Bill Blood would have been to see how far his society had come. In addition to the usual program of talks, food, and drink, there were tours, games, exhibitions, and discussion groups to enjoy. The Friday reception included a couple of informal talks and the appearance of Dan Cohen in a gorilla costume. The Saturday talks concluded with another NEWTS skit, and certain British Wodehouseans were spied tap dancing following the banquet. At the Sunday morning brunch, Blandings Castle members read, brilliantly, the sublime story “Lord Emsworth and the Girl Friend”—a perfect end to another perfect convention. 

See the full report of this convention in Plum Lines, Volume 22, No. 4 (Winter 2001)

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