The Sherlock Holmes Miscellany

by Roger Johnson, Jean Upton, Gyles Brandreth (Foreword by)

Overview

This miscellany explores the fascinating and enigmatic world of Sherlock Holmes, his place in literary history and how he has become the iconic, timeless character who is loved by millions.

Containing facts, trivia and quotes from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary stories, the reader can also explore the often weird and wonderful characters who graced Conan Doyle's pages. Do you know the difference between a Penang Lawyer and a Tide-Waiter? And if you think a 'life preserver' is a cork-filled flotation device, how does Wilson Kemp fit one into the sleeve of his jacket?

Sherlock Holmes: Inspiring Lives is light-hearted and highly informative, and perfect for both the Sherlock aficionado and those new to the world of 221B Baker Street.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780752483474
Publisher:	The History Press
Publication date:	02/29/2012
Sold by:	INDEPENDENT PUB GROUP - EPUB - EBKS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

ROGER JOHNSON and JEAN UPTON have been members of The Sherlock Holmes Society for many years and have both regularly contributed to its popular journal – a publication which Roger himself edits. Other Sherlockian publications they have written for include The Baker Street Journal (American), The Passengers' Log (Australian), The Musgrave Papers (British) and The Ritual (British). Having met through a mutual long-term interest in Sherlock Holmes, Roger and Jean's wedding was attended by Dame Jean Conan Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's daughter. Together they are joint custodians of the 221B sitting room at The Sherlock Holmes pub in London.

ROGER JOHNSON and JEAN UPTON have been members of The Sherlock Holmes Society for many years and have both regularly contributed to its popular journal – a publication which Roger himself edits. Other Sherlockian publications they have written for include The Baker Street Journal (American), The Passengers' Log (Australian), The Musgrave Papers (British) and The Ritual (British). Having met through a mutual long-term interest in Sherlock Holmes, Roger and Jean's wedding was attended by Dame Jean Conan Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's daughter. Together they are joint custodians of the 221B sitting room at The Sherlock Holmes pub in London.

Read an Excerpt

The Sherlock Holmes Miscellany

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By Roger Johnson, Jean Upton

The History Press

Copyright © 2012 Roger Johnson & Jean Upton
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-7524-8347-4

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CHAPTER 1

'MAY I INTRODUCE YOU TO MR SHERLOCK HOLMES?'

* * *

How exactly does one first become introduced to Sherlock Holmes? Even if you have not yet discovered the original stories, you'll know that Holmes is omnipresent in everyday life. His name has become a byword, whether used sarcastically or admiringly, for someone who investigates matters or solves troublesome problems. His iconic image appears in cartoons, greetings cards and advertisements. His exploits are dramatised for the stage, radio, audio recordings, television and cinema screen. With the advent of the internet there are countless websites, blogs, discussion groups and tweets. Quotations from the stories have been gradually absorbed into our conversations (how often have you heard someone refer to 'the dog in the night-time'?). With the plethora of media now available, it is very nearly impossible to escape the influence of Sherlock Holmes.

But what about that initial, early awareness of the Great Detective? American children born in the 1940s or '50s would most likely have first encountered Sherlock Holmes in the Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce films that were enjoying a renaissance on our tiny black-and-white television screens. He also featured in the cartoons shown on children's television programmes, either as an idealised character, or with a familiar cartoon personality, togged up with a pipe, magnifying lens and deerstalker.

British children of the same generation were less aware of the films of Rathbone and Bruce until much later in life. For them, the radio series starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley paved the way to dreams (or nightmares) of adventure, soon followed by the 1960s television productions with Douglas Wilmer or Peter Cushing as Holmes and Nigel Stock as Dr Watson. Some young Britons were even lucky enough to find old forgotten copies of The Strand Magazine tucked away in an aged relative's attic.

Regardless of where we grew up, most of us can recall reading our first Conan Doyle-penned stories by the age of around 10 or 11. What a treat they were! Poisonous snakes, ancient rituals, daring burglaries, mysterious noises from behind the door in the tower ... What more could one ask for? Well, more of the same – and what a joy it was to discover at the library or local bookshop that there were more. We found that the short stories were divided into delicious chunks of books: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, His Last Bow, and The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. Once these morsels were devoured, we feasted on the novellas, or long stories: A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Valley of Fear and The Hound of the Baskervilles.

For some brave young souls The Hound was the first story they read, much to the consternation of countless parents who had to deal with the results of the inevitable nightmares. Another trauma for young minds was the death of Sherlock Holmes, as recounted in 'The Final Problem'. Many adult Sherlockians of our acquaintance admit that they could never bring themselves to re-read the story, so deep-seated and memorable was the distress caused by this incident. Not even the rapture of discovering that Holmes had not perished could erase this aversion.

If you are one of those rare beasts, an adult who has not yet read the original stories, then hesitate no longer. Curl up in an armchair by the fire while twilight creeps in, prop yourself up in bed with a restorative cup of tea, laze in a shady garden or on a sun-drenched beach; regardless of where you are, Holmes is the ideal companion.

'The best and the wisest man whom I have ever known'

Young Stamford looked rather strangely at me over his wine-glass. 'You don't know Sherlock Holmes yet,' he said; 'perhaps you would not care for him as a constant companion.'

A Study in Scarlet

What is so special about Conan Doyle's creation, and how has he so adeptly endured the test of time? Holmes gradually became a real, living and breathing being in the eyes of the public for a number of reasons. The obvious place to start is with the sheer ingenuity of his creator. Arthur Conan Doyle was a cracking storyteller, coming up with characters and plots that amazed and delighted his publishers and his readers. The impecunious young doctor was keen to earn money from his writing and needed to appeal to a wide audience, so his style was simple and direct but never patronising. Everyone could enjoy the stories, from the enthusiastic child to the sophisticated adult.

The novels of Charles Dickens and many other authors of the time were serialised in monthly publications. But what if the reader missed a month's episode? In many instances, interest was lost in the story and further issues were not purchased. Conan Doyle recognised the wisdom of offering the reader a complete adventure in each issue of a magazine and suggested it to his publishers. Fortunately, the proprietors of The Strand Magazine agreed with this revolutionary philosophy, and Sherlock Holmes became the first literary character to appear in a continuing series.

Thanks to his regular scheduled appearances in TheStrand Magazine, Sherlock Holmes very soon came to have a special place in his readers's lives, and in their homes. As with any new acquaintance, each meeting provided more information about his intriguing personality and his idiosyncratic lifestyle. In another masterly touch, the author provided just enough physical description to satisfy the reader and allow each individual to form in his or her own mind their own vision of Sherlock Holmes. Illustrators added to the picture that was forming, but it is fair to say that we all have our own interpretation of how Holmes looks and behaves, which is why we so often have strong feelings for or against a particular actor who has taken the role.

Crucially, Sherlock Holmes inhabited the same world as his readers. Much of the fiction of the time dealt with improbable romances, exotic locations or rarefied lifestyles. Holmes, however, walked the familiar streets and patronised the same shops, restaurants, theatres and concert halls frequented by his public. One wonders how many readers experienced a frisson at the notion that the tall young man just ahead of them in the queue at the Wigmore Street Post Office might be Sherlock Holmes ... Even in the twenty-first century, much of Holmes's London is still tangible and we can continue to follow in his footsteps.

CHAPTER 2

'A SINGULAR SET OF PEOPLE, WATSON'

* * *

When one enters the world of Sherlock Holmes, one is almost inevitably drawn to the world of Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts. Initially known as Sherlockians in the United States and Holmesians in the UK, the terms are now pretty much interchangeable and used according to each individual's preference. Doyleans, on the other hand, have a more expanded interest in the life and other works of Arthur Conan Doyle, although one can easily be both a Sherlockian (or Holmesian) and a Doylean.

There are a number of misconceptions about Holmes aficionados. Many people, especially members of the media, think that we all:

* * *

• Go everywhere dressed in Victorian clothing

• Hold meetings that entirely revolve around murder mystery weekends

• Have long, boring conversations about every tiny detail in the stories

• Belong to secret societies that are incredibly difficult to join

• Actually believe that Sherlock Holmes was a real person

• Are generally a bunch of sad, lonely weirdos

* * *

In fact:

When the Sherlock Holmes Society of London makes its occasional trips to Switzerland, we do dress as characters from the stories. It's part of the experience and provides a great deal of amusement. There are also times when a few of us are requested to turn up in costume for special occasions, such as charity events or business launches, in order to generate publicity. Some of us are reasonably expert on Victorian and Edwardian attire and have provided assistance for museum exhibitions and dramatic productions. But most of the time we look like normal people.

* * *

• A few of our friends do run murder mystery events as a sideline. However, to our knowledge this is not anyone's sole source of entertainment.

• Most of the time we talk about almost everything except Sherlock Holmes. But, as with all literary societies, there always will be a few hard-headed scholars who need to learn to loosen up a bit. If one of the bores manages to corner you at a meeting, someone will swiftly come to your rescue before your eyes glaze over.

• There are hundreds of Sherlockian societies, nearly all of which are very easy to join. The one that maintains a degree of intrigue about it is the Baker Street Irregulars; one becomes a BSI by invitation only.

• Believe it or not, we do know that Sherlock Holmes was a creation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The concept of pretending that Conan Doyle was Watson's literary agent and that Holmes was real is known as 'The Grand Game' amongst those who play it. There's more about this elsewhere in the book.

• We're actually a very sociable bunch and rather a lot of fun!

* * *

There are hundreds of societies that encompass all ages, interests and walks of life. Several people of our acquaintance used to bring their toddlers to meetings; these toddlers have now grown into enthusiastic adult members of the societies. The recent annual dinner of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London, for example, was attended by several teenagers, a couple of nonagenarians and all ages in between. Members of the different societies to which we belong have included former US presidents, taxi drivers, librarians, doctors, lawyers, artists, actors, members of parliament, teachers, travel agents, armed forces personnel, science-fiction writers, police officers, used-car salesmen, students, computer programmers ... the list just goes on and on. The important factor is that we all love Sherlock Holmes.

CHAPTER 3

'THAT MIXTURE OF IMAGINATION AND REALITY'

* * *

• Sherlock Holmes – Fact and Fiction•

A number of years ago Anthony Howlett, then chairman of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London, was asked by a journalist: 'Was Sherlock Holmes a real person or a fictional character?' Tony's simple and direct answer was 'Yes.'

The author

Both fact and fiction start with Arthur Conan Doyle, physician and author, born on 22 May 1859 in Edinburgh, to Anglo-Irish parents. As a writer, he had some success with his early short stories, but his first attempt at a novel was rejected and he decided to try his hand at a mystery story. He said in his memoirs:

Gaboriau had rather attracted me by the neat dovetailing of his plots, and Poe's masterful detective, M. Dupin, had from boyhood been one of my heroes. But could I bring in an addition of my own? I thought of my old teacher Joe Bell, of his eagle face, of his curious ways, of his eerie trick of spotting details. If he were a detective, he would surely reduce this fascinating but unorganised business to something nearer to an exact science. I would try [to see] if I could get this effect.

His detective was to have been called Sherrinford Holmes, a name soon altered to the neater and more forceful Sherlock Holmes. He told a reporter: 'Years ago I made thirty runs against a bowler by the name of Sherlock, and I always had a kindly feeling for that name.' The surname was that of the American essayist Oliver Wendell Holmes, also a physician, whom Conan Doyle greatly admired. The narrator was originally called Ormond Sacker, but fortunately that didn't last long.

The detective could not tell his own exploits, so he must have a commonplace comrade as a foil – an educated man of action, who could both join in the exploits and narrate them. A drab, quiet name for this unostentatious man. Watson would do ...

And so Conan Doyle started work on the story he called 'A Tangled Skein'. When it was complete he gave it a new title, 'A Study in Scarlet', and sent it out to the publishers. The Cornhill Magazine found it too long for a short story and too short for a novel. The firm of Arrowsmith kept the manuscript for three months and then returned it unread. Others also rejected it. Finally came a letter from Ward Lock & Co.:

Dear Sir,

We have read your story and are pleased with it. We could not publish it this year, as the market is flooded at present with cheap fiction, but if you do not object to its being held over till next year we will give you £25 for the copyright.

Yours faithfully,
Ward Lock & Co.
October 30th 1886

Conan Doyle was not a rich man. After some hesitation, he accepted the offer, and the story became the leading item in Beeton's Christmas Annual for 1887. Ward Lock continued to publish the story in various editions until their copyright expired. Arthur Conan Doyle later said that he never received another penny for it.

British literature was enjoying a great vogue in the United States because the copyright laws there protected only American authors and works first published in America. The situation was hard on British writers whose work was freely pirated (one judge said that it must not be protected, because no true American could ever owe anything to a Britisher) but it did introduce much good literature to the American public.

In 1889, J.M. Stoddart came to London from Philadelphia to commission new works for Lippincott's Monthly Magazine. It says something for the success of his first book that Arthur Conan Doyle was one of three guests whom Stoddart invited to dinner at the Langham Hotel. The others were Thomas Patrick Gill MP and Oscar Wilde. Before the evening was over, Stoddart had commissioned a novel from each of the authors. From Wilde he got The Picture of Dorian Gray, and from Conan Doyle The Sign of the Four, the second exploit of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson.

Oscar Wilde was very complimentary about it, though he may not have realised that one of the principal characters, Thaddeus Sholto, had some of his own attributes, such as his taste for epigrams and his trick of speaking with a finger crooked across his mouth to hide his bad teeth.

Arthur Conan Doyle was then living in Southsea, but a fellow physician advised him to advance his career by specialising in London. He qualified in ophthalmology and put up his brass plate at 2 Upper Wimpole Street. Much later, he described the experience: 'For £120 a year, I got the use of a front room with part use of a waiting room. I was soon to find that they were both waiting rooms, and now I know that it was better so.'

No patients entered his consulting room, but he kept himself busy anyway. The early issues of The Strand Magazine had appeared, and he had begun writing more stories about Sherlock Holmes. As he explained:

Considering these various journals with their disconnected stories, it had struck me that a single character running through a series, if it only engaged the attention of the reader, would bind that reader to that particular magazine. On the other hand, it had long seemed to me that the ordinary serial might be an impediment rather than a help to a magazine since, sooner or later, one missed one number, and afterwards it had lost all interest. Clearly the ideal compromise was a character which carried through, and yet instalments which were complete in themselves. I believe that I was the first to realise this, and the Strand magazine the first to put it into practice.

From the first, the editor liked the stories. He commissioned the artist Sidney Paget to illustrate them, and it is in Paget's pictures that we first see the true Holmes portrayed.

It was almost entirely due to Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes that The Strand Magazine became by far the most popular periodical in Britain. The first twelve stories were immediately issued in book form as The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The writer was happy, the publisher was happy, and above all the public were happy. Without too much regret, Conan Doyle finally gave up the scalpel for the pen.

What of the man whom Conan Doyle called 'my old teacher, Joe Bell' – Dr Joseph Bell, who lectured at the medical school at Edinburgh University? An example of his technique, as recorded by a student, has a familiar ring:

'Well, my man, you've served in the army?'

'Aye, sir.'

'Not long discharged?'

'No, sir.'

'A Highland regiment?'

'Aye, sir.'

'A non-commissioned officer?'

'Aye, sir.'

'Stationed at Barbados?'

'Aye, sir.'

'You see, gentlemen, the man was a respectful man, but he did not remove his hat. They do not in the army, but he would have learned civilian ways had he been long discharged. He has an air of authority, and he is obviously Scottish. As to Barbados, his complaint is elephantiasis, which is West Indian, not British, and the Scottish regiments are at present in that particular island.'

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from The Sherlock Holmes Miscellany by Roger Johnson, Jean Upton. Copyright © 2012 Roger Johnson & Jean Upton. Excerpted by permission of The History Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Title,
Acknowledgements,
Foreword,
Introduction 'A friend of Mr Sherlock is always welcome',
1 'May I introduce you to Mr Sherlock Holmes?',
2 'A singular set of people, Watson',
3 'That mixture of imagination and reality',
4 'Your pictures are not unlike you',
5 'It may have been a comedy, or it may have been a tragedy',
6 'Dramatic entrances and exits',
7 'A well-known voice',
8 'Actors in this drama',
9 'Confound that whining music; it gets on my nerves!',
10 'The old rooms in Baker Street',
11 'I'm a believer in the genius loci',
12 'It really is rather like me, is it not?',
13 'That's what puzzles me, Mr Holmes',
14 'Most singular and whimsical',
15 'You have been at your club all day',
16 'A fraudulent imitation, Watson',
17 'Maybe you collect yourself, sir',
18 'We know the code',
Bibliography 'Several trustworthy books of reference',
Copyright,

Editorial Reviews

"Attractive, [and] well-illustrated...This work belongs in the hands of every Sherlockian who has had to explain the lure of Baker Street."  —The Baker Street Journal

"Absolutely packed with useful information...While it's most valuable as an introduction for new Holmes fans, even Holmes experts will learn something new."—The Best of Sherlock Holmes.com

From the Publisher