Sherlockian England, 2025.

I've been on a Spring Break trip to England. First in the 'West Country' (Somerset) for four days, and then two days in York, and finally four day sin London. This post gathers a number of items Sherlockian that I came across along the way.

It lead me to wonder - when does York get a mention in the canon? Well - yes, and also sort of. There was nothing Sherlockian in Somerset - I went to Bath but Sherlock took Turkish baths, not Roman ones.

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And so you York.....

The word 'York' makes 24 appearances in the Canon. However, twenty of these are references to New York, and one is a reference to the 'Duke of York' in His Last Bow.

The only direct reference to York appears in Hound of the Baskervilles, when Sherlock is explaining the back-story of Jack Stapleton and how he plotted to kill off the remaining Baskervilles, in order to get the inheritance money that would come from the estate.

Technically only one quote relates to the city of York:

"I have come prepared to do so," said Holmes, drawing several papers from his pocket. "Here is a photograph of the couple taken in York four years ago. It is indorsed 'Mr. and Mrs. Vandeleur,' but you will have no difficulty in recognizing him, and her also, if you know her by sight."

Two other references are made to the county of Yorkshire in relation to relating the Stapleton's story (who operated in Yorkshire under the name Vandeleur).

"....he changed his name to Vandeleur and fled to England, where he established a school in the east of Yorkshire."

"I learned at the British Museum that he was a recognized authority upon the subject, and that the name of Vandeleur has been permanently attached to a certain moth which he had, in his Yorkshire days, been the first to describe."

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While in York, I had the delightful opportunity to meet one half of the Doings of Doyle podcast. It was an honor to meet Paul Chapman, and discuss Doyle, the wonderful podcast, and learn more about the Northern Musgraves.

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After York, we travelled by train directly to London - and the trip made me reflective.... 

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In London, I didn't think there were too many things for me to hunt down, given my previous Sherlockian post on London from a previous visit in 2023, and observation on the Artist's Colourmen, and reflections on Paddington Station.

I should admit that I've never been into the Sherlock Holmes museum on Baker St ..... but I'm sure I will some year. 

Nevertheless there were a couple of Conan Doyle sites of importance that I decided to visit.

But my first stop was at the British Museum, to meet up with the OTHER HALF of the Doings of Doyle podcast - Mark Jones. We talked of bookstores and bookhunting, Doyle and his letters, and the Dancing Men. It was a delightful few hours well-spent.

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And so - once in London there were two places to visit.

First was an evening walk to the Langham Hotel. The story of the Langham Hotel is well known. It was here that Doyle had his 'Golden Day' in 1889 when Lippincott’s Magazine editor Stoddart hosted Doyle and Oscar Wilde at a dinner at the hotel. That dinner resulted in the second Sherlock novel (The Sign of the Four) being written for publication in that magazine, and also Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray.

The hotel looked resplendent, with highly effective lighting, and based on other photos of the hotel it appeared the brick-word had been cleaned. I did enter the hotel foyer but it was clear that it had been radically altered in the entrance area. Up on that wall is a plaque that I wanted to see - a little out of the way....

City of Westminster

Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle

Dined here with the publisher of 'Lippincott's Magazine'

on 30 August 1889, a meeting that led to

'The Sign Of Four' & 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'

Sherlock Holmes Society of London

Oscare Wilde Society

Doyle referenced the Langham three times in the Canon.

1. Mary Morstan's father was last seen at the Langham in The Sign of Four (1890)

In the year 1878 my father, who was senior captain of his regiment, obtained twelve months’ leave and came home. He telegraphed to me from London that he had arrived all safe, and directed me to come down at once, giving the Langham Hotel as his address. His message, as I remember, was full of kindness and love. On reaching London I drove to the Langham, and was informed that Captain Morstan was staying there, but that he had gone out the night before and had not yet returned.

2. Count Von Kram was staying there in A Scandal in Bohemia (1891)

"Oh, then we have three days yet," said Holmes with a yawn. "That is very fortunate, as I have one or two matters of importance to look into just at present. Your Majesty will, of course, stay in London for the present?"

"Certainly. You will find me at the Langham under the name of the Count Von Kramm."

3. The Hon. Philip Green stayed there in The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax (1911)

"That is for us to find out," said Sherlock Holmes with peculiar gravity. "What is your London address, Mr. Green?"

"The Langham Hotel will find me."

and

Three times had our bearded friend from the Langham called for news--the third time within an hour of this fresh development.

The first reference is particularly nice, given the importance of the hotel to Doyle's career. But I realize now it makes another point to the English reader: the hotel is now, as it was then, a very high-end hotel. As such, the fact Col. Morstan was staying at The Langham gives a clue to the reader that he has a significant amount of money.

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Finally, I decided to visit Doyle's home around 1891. Not long after his fateful dinner at the Langham, Doyle moved from Southsea to London. As he describes in Memories and Adventures:

I searched the doctors’ quarters and at last found suitable accommodation at 2 Devonshire Place, which is at the top of Wimpole Street and close to the classical Harley Street. There 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. Every morning I walked from the lodgings at Montague Place, reached my consulting room at ten and sat there until three or four, with never a ring to disturb my serenity.

And so I too walked up Wimpole Street to number 2 Upper Wimpole Street. 

 

A couple of points about the building. First, the door happened to be open so I could step inside. There is a small entrace room, with a second dor (also open) that allowed me to enter. The door to Doyle's room would have been at the right, and presumably have looked out the windows to the right of the front door. The fan-light was impressive, but looking at the Canon I could find not mention of a fan-light directly. Also, while Doyle's waiting rooms were on the ground floor (street level), I can confirm there were more than seventeen steps to reach the first floor.

Westminster City Council

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Author

1859-1930

Worked and wrote here in 1891

Arthur Conan Doyle Society

To emphasize - Doyle worked at Upper Wimpole Street (or tried to) and wrote here while waiting for patients who never arrived. He lived at Montague Place behind the British Museum with his family.

And so, two wonderful Doyle sites were visited and enjoyed, and some wonderful Doyleans were met on this trip to England.