Hidden in plain sight, join us in The Mind Palace – our Sherlock-themed speakeasy bar for drinks with a twist.
Recruits…
It has been bought to my attention that not all of you know the long and illustrious history of our favourite Consulting Detective;
Sherlock Holmes.
I would be remiss in my training duties if I didn’t at least give you a lesson on the basic history of our own high-functioning sociopath.
So buckle in recruits and get ready for the most important lesson in your training yet…
Personality Traits:
-Dispassionate
-Cold
-Arrogant
-Fearless
-With Ego
The character of Sherlock Holmes made his first appearance in the 1887 publication of, A Study in Scarlet, written by British author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
A “Bohemian” with a flair for showmanship, Holmes quickly makes a name as Britain’s greatest Consulting Detective.
Sherlock Holmes appeared in a total of 62 stories, including four full length novels and a total of 56 short stories collected in five different books:
- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
- The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
- The Return of Sherlock Holmes
- His Last Bow
- The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes
Despite his success, Doyle had a famously ambivalent attitude towards Holmes, and often threatened to slay the character and thus put an end to his stories.
Doyle even went as far as to raise the price of his work to such a level that he expected publishers to refuse the texts. However, the appetite for the stories of Sherlock Holmes proved to be so rampant, publishers were more than willing to pay the large sums that Doyle demanded – making him one of the best-paid authors of all time!
“Sherlock was originally called Sherrinford”
Arthur Conan Doyle originally planned for the detective to be called Sherrinford but changed his mind. Some people speculate this is due to the well-known Nottingham cricketers at the time; Sherwin and Shacklock and the fact that Conan Doyle was a big fan of sports.
“Sherlock never say his famous catchphrase”
‘Elementary, my dear Watson’, is never actually said by the Consulting Detective. Sherlock says, ‘Elementary’ and ‘My Dear Watson’ at several points but never are the two phrases said together.
“Sherlock Holmes is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry”
Despite being a fictional character, the RSC offered Sherlock a fellowship in 2022, presenting the award to a real man named Dr John Watson outside Baker Street Station.
“Oscar Wilde’s social habits are why we have The Sign of the Four”
After A Study in Scarlet had been such a disappointment for Doyle, he was reluctant to write the detective another story. However, at a dinner party hosted by Oscar Wilde. Doyle was convinced, by Joseph Stoddart, to write the second novel, The Sign of the Four. Stoddart was an editor who was a fan of the first book.
“Watson and Holmes win at Chess”
In 1969 at the Oxford-Cambridge chess match, Oxford players named Watson and Holmes both won their games.
“Human Vs Monster”
While Sherlock Holmes is the most-filmed fictional human character of all time. He is beaten by Dracula, who is the most-filmed nonhuman fictional character. Holmes has appeared in film in more than 226 movies, but Dracula has earned a whopping 239.
“There is no 221B”
The address 221B Baker St. technically does not exist, and did not exist in late 1880 when Conan Doyle created the character of Holmes. Today the Sherlock Holmes Museum is located at 221B Baker Street, though physically it sits between 237 and 241.
“Mycroft Holmes only appears in two of the original stories”
Sherlock’s elder brother, Mycroft although earning a larger role in film and television only appears in The Greek Interpreter and The Bruce-Partington Plans in the original stories.
SHERLOCK HOLMES BAFFLED
The first appearance of Sherlock Holmes on our screens was in 1900 in the one-reel film titled ‘Sherlock Holmes Baffled’ which lasted only 30 seconds!
In the film, Sherlock enters his drawing room to find a villain stealing some prized possessions, on confronting the thief, he mysteriously disappears. The film ends abruptly with Holmes on screen looking ‘baffled’.
Basil Rathbone
The first Sherlock to grace our screens in a feature length film was portrayed by the one and only Rathbone.
He went on to portray the Consulting Detective in 14 movies between 1939 – 1946. Rathbone portrayed a number of infamous characters in his career, ranging from Tybalt (Romeo & Juliet) to Mr. Murdstone (David Copperfield). However it would be Sherlock Holmes that would become his most memorable character.
Robert Downey Jr.
The role he played directly after Iron Man, and arguably just as iconic. Downey Jr. brought a modern adaptation of Holmes to the Screen.
Revered as the ‘perfect casting’ for Holmes, Downey Jr. brings a unique and contemporary adaptation of the enigmatic character. While it is not his *most* notable character that he has played, we love you Tony Stark, Downey Jr. brought a new and iconic portrayal our the character.
Benedict Cumberbatch
Our one and only!
Benedict Cumberbatch donned the deerstalker and brought Holmes to life back in 2010 and has since maintained the title of the one true Sherlock. His performance in the BBC series earnt him several award nominations, and wins, including the 2015 BAFTA for Best Leading Actor.
Cumberbatch has one of the most avid fanbases to date, many of whom are apart of the SuperWhoLock fandom (this Stamford included…)
Henry Cavill
Giving us the most recent portrayal of Holmes, Henry Cavill stars in Enola Holmes 1 and 2 as the Consulting Detective and elder brother of the title character.
Although he is not at the centre of this adaptation and features on screen for only a short time he makes sure to get Holmes’s erratic personality across clearly, though a touch less extravagantly than his predecessors.
Sherlock: The Official Live Game
Sherlock: The Official Live Game is a unique adventure combining immersive experience, escape game, and a fully themed bar.
Headed up by Mycroft Holmes, The Network is a covert branch of British Intelligence, on the hunt for new recruits. To join the ranks as an Agent, you’ll need to complete a routine training mission at headquarters. But not all is as it seems…
The Mind of Moriarty: Live Escape Experience
From the makers of the award-winning Sherlock: The Official Live Game, comes a brand-new live immersive escape experience.
After successfully completing a mission for the covert British Intelligence agency, The Network, you may think it’s time to celebrate. However, not all is as it seems, as the world’s most devious man has one last trick up his sleeve…
