Lilian Wheeler, a Sherlockian actor

In my meanderings through old newspapers, I cam across this reference to an Australian actor performing with William Gillette in the play "Sherlock Holmes".

The Telegraph (Brisbane), Sat 15 Feb 1902

Australian Actress.

Miss Lilian Wheeler in London.

Engaged in "Sherlock Holmes" at Lyceum Theatre. London. February 14.

Miss Lilian Wheeler, an Australian actress who formerly was a member of Mr. Rignold's company, has been engaged to succeed Miss Charlotte Granville in the part Madge Larra-

bee in "Sherlock Holmes," a play which has been running successfully at the

Lyceum Theatre since September 9 last. Miss Wheeler will accompany Mr. William Gillette's company when " Sherlock Holmes" is taken on tour in tlie United States and Australia in 1903.

Kalgoorlie Western Argus (WA), Tue 11 Mar 1902 

Lilian Wheeler, the Australian acttess who joins William Gillette in order to play Madge Larrabee in "Sherlock Holmes," is a native of Daylesford, Vic. (says the "Critic"). She walked on with Bland Holt for a year before George Rignold gave her a chance as Hetty Preene in "The Lights of London." In three months she was playing lead. She tours America and Australia with Gillette.

But by May 1902, the The Bendigo Independent reported that "A chance for which most young aspirants to theatrical fame would have given years of their life fell to Miss Lilian Wheeler, when she was engaged to play lead in Mr. William Gillette's production of "Sherlock Holmes" at the Lyceum Theatre, with the English provinces, America, and Australia to follow. Miss Wheeler has since retired from the cast in London, but will join the touring company." 

The 'Newsletter' that same month shared that this was due to Wheeler's health: 'I regret to state that owing to illness Miss Lilian Wheeler has been obliged to resign her part in Mr. Wm. Gillette's Sherlock Holmes Company. The Newsletter wishes the clever little lady a quick return to health and the 'boards' again.'

Wheeler recovered - the play toured the UK. The 'Pall Mall Gazette for Saturday 14 June 1902 stated that 'Miss Lilian Wheeler, the beautiful young actress who is playing the part of Madge Larrabee in Sherlock Holmes at Brighton this week, is an Australian, and is properly proud of the fact she only came the “Old Country” in January, and this is her first part in England.' 'The Era' for Saturday 21 June 1902 reported that in the Portsmouth performance 'Miss Lillian Wheeler is excellent as Madge Larrabee'.

Was Lilian Wheeler the Australian Sherlockian actress? The tour to Australia did not happen, but Gillette did take the play to the US. Wheeler does not appear to have joined the tour.

A 1902 article when Wheeler burst onto the scene in London provides some background on her:

Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News - Saturday 05 April 1902

MISS LILIAN WHEELER. 

Miss Lilian Wheeler, who has joined Charles Frohman and is to play the part of Madge Larrabee in Sherlock Holmes, at the Kennington Theatre, is an Australian who has secured for herself a very enviable position in the Australian theatrical world. When engaged by Mr. Frohman, she was practically at the head of her profession there. Miss Wheeler comes from Victoria, and has had to make her own way in the world, she having lost her people when quite a child. She graduated from the University of Melbourne, and to enable her to gain her footing in the theatrical world, she was obliged to teach at a school for some con siderable time. When she got her chance, however, her promotion came very rapidly, and in three years she had reached the top of the tree. Miss Wheeler is described as a very beautiful woman, tall, athletic, and a dashing horsewoman.

Wheeler did travel to the US in 1905 to join her actor husband actor Ernest Mainwaring. and died in New York.

The World's News (Sydney, NSW), Sat 20 Jan 1906

Great regret was expressed in theatrical circles—and, indeed, the playgoing public shared a similar feeling— when the cable informed us of the untimely death of Miss Lilian Wheeler, who, after she went abroad, became Mrs. Ernest Mainwaring (pronounced Mannering), her husband being the son of a distinguished English general. Miss Wheeler will be well recollected in Australia, and especially Sydney, where, at Her Majesty's Theatre, she established the acting reputation of the house when it was controlled by a former lessee. She is probably best remembered as the Desdemona in Mr. George Rignold's production of "Othello." Her beauty, together with great histrionic ability, made her stage success complete. 

Miss Wheeler's death occurred in New York, where she had gone from London to join her husband, who was touring in Texas; and her remains were translated thence to England and laid to rest in the Mainwaring family vault. A pathetic illustration of a woman's friendship peeped out of the advertising pages of "The Daily Telegraph" (Sydney) recently, and here it follows in its simple eloquence:—

WHEELER.—In loving memory of Lilian Wheeler (Mrs. Ernest Mainwaring), who died in New York November, 1905, aged 28 years.

"Under the shadow of Thy wings she has found rest."

—Inserted by her devoted friend, Mary Alexia St. H. Cussack.

At some point I'll add some genealogical information on Wheeler's parents/birth in Australia. As the article above states, while Lilian died in New York, her remains were transported back to England for burial in Cheshire. She is buried at the Overleigh Old Cemetery. 

In loving memory of 

Lilian Maud

Wife of Ernest Charles Mainwaring

Who died 11th November 1905

Aged 29 years

"Blessed Are The Pure In Heart, For They Shall See God."

Lilian shared the story of her Australian upbringing with several newspapers, and these help identify Lilian's life events in Victoria. Here I have abstracted information related to Lilian's past:

Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW)

Saturday 25 March 1899

"My father died when I was hardly more than an infant, my mother about ten years later. I scarcely remember her, but her friends all tell me that she was a very beautiful and highly educated woman, and a brilliant conversationalist. I was born in Castlemaine, Victoria, and it was there that my mother for several years edited the local paper, the 'Castlemaine Representative.' After her death I lived with Mr. and Mrs. T.R. Andrews, in Melbourne, and to them I am indebted for both my education and a home. Mrs. Andrews, a splendid elocution-teacher, gave me instruction in voice-production, but I always refused to learn recitation, although fully determined that some day I would go on the stage. I studied physiology and anatomy under Mrs. Andrews in connection with voice-production, and all my spare hours were occupied in learning by heart...."

I have not yet identified her birth registration, but other information fits together genealogically. I'll lay that out here to give a sense of Lilian's family.

Castlemaine was a gold rush town, located mid-way between Bendigo and Ballarat. Gold had been disclosed in 1851, and the population exploded to 25,000 within months. By the mid-1860s and into the 1870s when the rush was well past, Castlemaine had stabilized as a rural city with a population over 5,000. 

Lilian's parents married in 1865 - Joseph married Elizabeth Reseigh MARTIN in a church that still stands in Castlemaine:

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)  Thu 24 Aug 1865
WHEELER-MARTIN - On the 17th inst., at Christ Church, Castlemaine, by the Rev. J.C.P. Allnutt, Joseph Wheeler, photographer, late of Bath, Somerset, to Elizabeth Reseigh, only daughter of Edward Martin, secretary Gas Company, Castlemaine.

(As an aside, there's a scandalous report in the Farmer's Journal and Gardener's Chronicle , Saturday 24 October 1863, page 7) regarding a man who dressed as a woman and soliciting sex (prostitution). Joseph Wheeler, aged 19, gave evidence as he had " first formed acquaintance with the prisoner about seventeen months ago, and believing him a female had been betrayed into an intimacy with him."... shades of the Sherlock story "A Case of Identity").

Joseph died in early 1875, shortly after Lilian was born:

Advocate (Melbourne, Vic), Sat 30 Jan 1875

The death of Mr. Joseph Wheeler, proprietor of the Castlemain Representative, is announced. He had long been ailing, and leaves a widow and two children.

Joseph was buried at Castlemaine General Cemetery, with Elizabeth's parents. Underneath Joseph's details are those of two other WHEELER's - the details are hard to read - they may be children or they may be relatives of Joseph.

Joseph Wheeler

William Wight Wheeler

Caroline Lucina Wight Wheeler 

That same year (1875), the widow Elizabeth re-married - named Lisa Reseigh Wheeler - to John Nightingale. 

Aged around eight, Lilian then lost her mother in 1883:

Advocate (Melbourne, Vic), Sat 27 Jan 1883

Mrs. Elizabeth R. Nightingale, who for several years has conducted the Castlemaine Representative Newspaper, died there on Monday night. She had been suffering from disease of the heart.

Elizabeth was buried on her own at Castlemaine General Cemetery. 

Erected by her children to the memory of

Elizabeth R. Nightingale

Who died 21st Jan 1883

in her 41st year

John Nightingale was not mentioned in Lilian's short interview text above - and this may be a sore point. Nevertheless, when Elizabeth died (Lilian's mother), probate included a small statement regarding her children.

Victorian Probate, 1883

That the said deceased left her surviving me her husband and her children by a former marriage namely Harold Casteldine ?? Wight Wheeler, and Lily Frances Maud Reseigh Wheeler and one child by me namely Neville Nightingale.

Perhaps Lilian Maud Wheeler was a stage name.... or perhaps it was just a simplification of her very long name.

Lilian provides a synopsis of her time after her mother's death, raised by a couple with the surname ANDREWS. Records show Lilian sailing for England in 1901, where she quickly impressed.

In 1904, Lilian married:

Bristol Times and Mirror - Monday 27 June 1904

Mr. Ernest Mainwaring, son of General W.G. Mainwaring, C.I.E., late I.S.C., and Miss Lilian Maud Wheeler, younger daughter of Mr. Joseph Wheeler, of Victoria, Australia.

Here is a summary of the information on Lilian's death certification in New York:

One final point, Lilian's mother and father with their newspaper activities were moving in the same time and place as Mary Fortune. Perhaps they met!

Watson's Tin Box meeting summary - October 20, 2025

Each third Monday of the month, the Watson's Tin Box of Ellicott City scion meets -at Union Jack's in Columbia MD and we gathered on Monday October 20 for another great gathering of members - 25 in total. This included THREE first-time attendees!!

In fact, I took a census of where people attended the meeting from (MD locations unless otherwise stated): Baltimore; Bowie; Carol County; Columbia; DC; Darnestown; Ellicott City; Fairfax VA; Frederick; Gaithersburg; Gambrils; Harford County; Sandy Spring; Silver Spring; Westminster. Quite a mix!

Along with our three first-timers, we have two NEW MEMBERS, who were attending their second meeting: Michelle March and Michael Ravnitzky. 

The story of the meeting was The Adventure of the Three Students.

After introductions, we moved to the toasts. Both toasts this evening were sourced form the same place: Ross Davies' wonderful Sherlockian toasts archive. If you ever write and deliver a Sherlockian toast, you can submit it for posterity, and for others to use!

Michelle March delivered the toast to 'The Woman' (Irene Adler), using a toast written by Karen Ellery for the Norwegian Explorers at the height of COVID:

Here's my contribution to keep the show hummin':
I've been asked by our host now to toast to The Woman.

No Victorian Violet did Sir Arthur create:
I would say that this lady is quite up to date.
And just how is this gal's Scandal modern, you ask
(Aside from the man who was wearing a mask)?
Well, this Diva who bravely rebuffed threats and slurs, she
Was, of course, born in the state of NEW Jersey.
She knew her own worth and accepted no dis,
And I'll mention she ventured at times from straight Cis.
Her wedding was tight, and although there was no vid
Its limited guest list would work now with COVID.
She outwitted the Master and there on the shelf, she
Left him with-- what else? Of course, 'twas a selfie.
So let's toast her with pride and without censure, yes,
That With-It and Well-Known Adventuress!
Irene Adler!

Liane Luini then presented a toast written by Tin Box member Nea Dodson, originally delivered at a Watson’s Tin Box meeting in October 2015 (exactly 10 years earlier). A really delightful and creative toast on the Tin Box itself:

A doctor, a soldier, and a trusted right-hand man
He thought it was all over when shot in Afghanistan

How little did he know that his life would just now start
When Stamford introduced him to that weird guy at St. Bart

Sherlock liked to think he was the greatest problem solver
But Watson could cure anything with brandy or revolver

From vampires to napoleons, missing bride to glowing hound
He followed Sherlock faithfully — and then he wrote it down

But — 60 stories only! How paltry! What a loss!
Except…there are more waiting in a bank at Charing Cross
Just as Watson never lived and thus can never die
He has left behind adventures that never can run dry

Like the pledge before school classes, anthem before a game
Almost every pastiche has disclaimer just the same:
“I didn’t make this up, I found these notes” they claim
“In a battered old dispatch box painted with his name!”

So let us lift our glasses, let us shout “Hear, hear!”
To noble Doctor Watson, Sherlock’s and our dear
But also to the dusty vault beneath the bank of Cox
Protecting for eternity our Watson’s Tin Box

In the spirit of Halloween, Carle Coupe then called for toasts to 'creepy things' in the Canon - among those shouted out were the Hound; the Creeping Man ; the cut-off tress of hair found in a locked drawer by Violet Hunter, and many others! 'Augustus Miltervon - creepy or just a creep?' pondered Karen Wilson.

This toast followed by the traditional Haiku for the story was delivered by Tom Fahres:

Write of three students.
Mystery trope’s a red herring
The BUTLER! did it?

We then moved on to Announcements - including some show-and-tell! By the way, if you're looking for things to do - you can keep track of all Sherlockian events at.... http://www.sherlockiancalendar.com 

• Tom Fahres has organized a local SPODE gathering 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday October 23 at the King Street Oyster Bar (Potomac). 
• November 1st is the 46th Annual 'Sherlock Holmes at the Pratt Free Library' - lots of details in the link, and it will include presentations from several members of WTB.
• We were reminded that the Irene's Cabinet publication from WTB will return in 2026. The deadline for submissions to Jacquelynn Bost-Morris is December 15.
• The Red Circle of Washtington DC has announced its 75th Anniversary celebrations on November 15, featuring the U.S. Premiere of three restored Eille Norwood "Silent Sherlock" films and a Celebration Dinner. Keep track on the Red Circle web site for more details.
• Megan Homme is organizing the next meeting of The Naval Treaty of Annapolis, at St. Paul Church in Crownsville, MD on November 16th at 2pm. They will be discussing and watching the Granada version of the Empty House. If you'd like to know more about this group, here's a recent newspaper article.
• The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes (ASH) will hold their fall (autumn) luncheon in New York City on Saturday, November 8.
• The DC Whiskey and Sodality meeting will again take place on Sunday, November 23, 2 pm at Shelly's Back Room, 1331 F Street NW. Contact Terry McCammon for details. "Excellent ventilation, excellent pub type food. Good whisky and draft beer list. I have cigars to share." Smoking optional ; ventilation excellent.
• Olivia Millunzi pointed the group to Otto Penzler's book 'Christmas Crimes at the Mysterious Bookshop', where each of the twelve stories are at Christmas, involve a crime, and are set in the famous Mysterious Bookstore - just in time for the holidays!
• John Hebeler capped it off, bringing his 1970s high school essay on Sherlock Holmes (recently rediscovered!) for which he got an A+ !  There was much cheering. If anyone wants to listen any or all of the 50 Sherlock Holmes radio shows staring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, please get in touch with John and he will give you access.
• Greg Ruby announced that there will be a Sherlockian tour of Maryland in Spring 2026, and he's looking for expressions of interest. A range of sites with strong and not-so-strong ties to the canon will be visited. I assume/hope Poe's grave is on the list! Christopher Morley's childhood home is one site that will be visited. I hope they consider Eldersburg MD.

To the story of the evening - 'The Three Students'. Debbie Clark gave an overview of the items in the evidence box. A reminder that you can browse the Evidence Box items at our website, but here are some photos of the laid-out evidence. What do you recognize from the story?

Above: I have to say that my favorite thing in the Evidence Box are the running spikes (at top right of this general view of the table) because they are clearly authentic to the period (1895!).

 

 

Left: The proofs for the examination (to translate a tract of Thucydides) ; Right: A photograph of Gilchrist in academic garb, a postcard of the college, and the very key that Bannister left in the door.

Left: a collection of Johann Faber pencils, and a badge of the Rhodesian Police; Right: A postcard for the shipping line that sailed for South Africa, and Gilchrist's letter to Soames.

The discussion of the story was fun. The story of an obvious attempt to access the examination papers prior to a scholarship examination. Did the butler do it? No, but he did aid and abet. Could the police have been called in? Lorraine and Dana shared their perspectives working at academic institutions and how 'cheating' is dealt with. Perhaps the police could have dealt with the matter of entry into the office - Sheridan (a first-timer!) addressed some of the potential legal avenues. Grant (another first-timer!!) discussed the electric lamp referenced in the story, and the implications for where (Oxford, Cambridge, Durham?) this could have taken place. The volume of Klinger was waved around the room in support of an argument. It was suggested that Doyle may have written this story having visited his sons at colleges. Gilchrist heading for South Africa may not have been an ideal scenario him, particularly given that the Boer war was only a few years away (1899). Olivia used her reference librarian skills to point out that Rhodesia existed as a place, but was not an independent country till 1965. How do you even pronounce Thucydides, asked Michael.

All in all it was a real shame that a rugby player came to no good. The question I didn't get to ask - should Bannister have been fired? Were there any ramifications for him??

I gave the presentation for the evening, a tale for which the world is not prepared. So I'll write about it some other time.

And so to the quiz. Sometimes I say 'there was a quiz'. Tonight there was a quiz thanks to our Tantalus Olivia Millunzi. 

But before the quiz got underway there was a twist. Michelle had created an amazing prize. Last month, we discussed the 'Golden Pince Nez', and the gulag. Michele went away and created an amazing 'Gulag Goodie Bag' - truly amazing - containing an 'unfinished business loan', a 'map of estranged spouse's home', 'Sun-Pince-Nez' (AMAZING), and six poison phials - from Gulag Value Store (GVS), each poison is created to work i a specific way. 

Thankfully Melissa created a guide and I took some photos so that the goody bag will be recorded for future generations to marvel at.

 

Left: the tote bag. Gulag never looked so good! Right: The contents.

Above: A guide to the contents - hilarious and amazing.

Above: Each vial (phial !!) of poison was labeled with precision.

Above: The GVS poison labels - absolutely hilarious - make sure you zoom in and read the important information for how each poison works.

Above: My favorite important instructions.

AND THIS WAS THE PRIZE FOR THE QUIZ. Olivia managed an aggressively enthusiastic group of quiz-takers who smelt a genuine Sherlockian rarity, and congratulations to Lorraine for taking home the goody bag (literally). Thank you Michelle for making the quiz even more fun!!

See you in November! Please get in touch through the Watson's Tin Box website if you'd like to know more. (And if you have corrections for this blog post - please let me know - all suggested edits welcome). 

A walking tour of Martin Beck's Stockholm

I just visiting Stockholm a few weeks ago, and while I was there had another chance to meet with the great Swedish Sherlockian: Mattias Bostrom. Mattias is a true scholar of Doyle, a BSI, the author of 'From Holmes to Sherlock', and co-creator of a series of books tracking newspaper articles on Doyle and Sherlock (published by Wessex Press).

It was another great chance to catch up. The first time we caught up - two years ago - Mattias took me on a walking tour to explore another world. Not a world of gaslight in London, but instead the world of Martin Beck of Stockholm, written by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo. 

Mattias spent an entire Saturday with me two years ago, and with a sheaf of notes, a Swedish article, and some printed photos Mattias took me on a tour of locations mentioned in the Martin Beck books. We walked all over Stockholm, and as we went I also took notes and took photos of locations. Mattias actually knew Maj Sjowall from his professional world in book publishing, and so he even had some personal insight from his time speaking to her.

Above: The wonderful Mattias Bostrom in 'tour guide' mode navigating the dangerous streets of Martin Beck's Stockholm.

I've been meaning to turn the walking tour into a blog post so that others can walk in the footsteps of Martin Beck and his colleagues.

There is one piece missing: a map. I'm working on it, and will create a map and add it to this post. The map will show the numbered locations. So the walking tour text below has a brief explanation of what happened at each numbered location (with a few other places along the way!), and photographs to help the reader identify them. 

The original tour Mattias took me on used a Swedish-language article titled (translated from Swedish) 'Sjöwall-Wahlöö's bloody Stockholm', published in the newspaper 'Dagens Nyheter' on 23rd January 1993. We've followed that path, have translated the descriptions (thanks Google) but also added to these and added new locations. Any site can be visited in any order - the numbering is not chronologically aligned with the storyline of the book series - but it does create a path starting at (1) that can be followed.

Without further ado, get to Stockholm and enjoy the Martin Beck walking tour!

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A tour of Sjöwall-Wahlöö's Stockholm

Here in the city, especially in Vasastan, most of the books' gruesome murders and dramatic arrests took place (although Södermalm, Solna, Motala and Skåne also had their fair share of horrors).

We start at Norrtull (1), where terrorists tried to blow up a US Senator (in 'The Terrorists') but were fooled by Martin Beck. The only victims of the attack were 2,091 sandbags, a mountain of insulation material and the cap of Detective Inspector Einar Rönn

Above: The small St Eriksparken (2) is the site of one of the murders in 'The Man on the Balcony'. The third victim in the book, an 11-year-old girl, is found at the edge of the cliff in the north-west of the park. 750 metres further down Norra Stationsgatan, where Norrbackagatan (3) ends, is the site of the mass murder in 'The Laughing Police'. It takes place on a double-decker bus 47, killing nine people, including Martin Beck's young colleague Åke Stenström.

Above: Norra Stationsgatan in 1970, showing a Number 47 double-decker bus.

Above: If you continue across St Eriksplan, you come to Sabbatsberg Hospital (4) - the site of one of the bloodiest murders in the books, where "the dreadful man from Säffle", former police officer Åke Eriksson, in the authors' own words, cuts Inspector Stig Nyman in half.

Above: At left, the Eastman institute, with fountain at front; Right, Dalagatan 34 directly across from the Eastman Institute.

At the Eastman Institute (5), a little further north on Dalagatan, Constable Kristiansson is shot in the knee by Eriksson, who is now sitting in his gallery at the top of Dalagatan 34 (6), determined to shoot every policeman he sees. His colleague Kvant is shot in the neck and dies, on top of Kristiansson, in the fountain outside the Eastman Institute. Gunvald Larsson, who witnesses the incident, manages to escape by kicking in the door of the institute. Later, Eriksson moves to the roof of Dalagatan 34, from where he kills another policeman and wounds seven more - including Martin Beck.

Above: Immediately adjacent to the Eastman Institute is the large Vasaparken (Vasa Park) where the helicopter crashed in "The Abominable Man". (Note that in Bo Widerberg's film adaptation the helicopter crashed in in the nearby Odenplan, a public square).

After this, the tour goes via Odengatan to Sveavägen, to the left at the Hard Rock Cafe - and we are in the middle of the 'Man on the Balcony' drama. Top photos: The balcony itself (7) can be found on the other side of the street, at Number 126. It was from the third balcony down that the Småland man Ingemund Fransson "stood and watched the children". He managed to murder three girls before he was arrested. The first of them, an eight-year-old girl, lived on the other side of the street, at No 83 (8) (Bottom photo, left) - and was found strangled to death a few stone's throw away, in the park called Vanadislunden (9), between St Stephen's Church and the water tower (bottom photo, right). 

Of note, Sjöwall and Wahlöö actually lived at Sveavägen 83, and the plot for the story was partly inspired by an experience when one of their children was approached by a strange man who tried to decoy them away.

Above: At Eriksbergsplan, in the red corner house at Runebergsgatan 2 (10), the police succeed in making an arrest: after a serious police provocation, the Roseanna murderer Folke Bengtsson is lured into trying to murder police officer Sonja Hansson in her home here.

Above: As you walk towards Bergsgatan 57,  you first pass  the Rådhuset (Stockholm Court House) where Martin Beck and his wife were married. Rebecka Lind in The Terrorists was in the District Court there for armed bank robbery.

Above: At Luntmakargatan 57 (11) is the Leopard pharmacy, at no. 57. Upstairs in the courtyard house is probably a new front door. The previous one was one of many that Gunvald Larsson kicked in, in search of the child murderer in "The Man on the Balcony”.

Above: As we walk on, pause to look across at the Kungliga biblioteket (The Royal Library), the Swedish national library. This library houses the original manuscripts (most of them handwritten) of all the Martin Beck stories written by Sjowall and Wahoo.

So we continue.

Above: On Kungsgatan, just before the junction with Norrlandsgatan (12), Martin Beck and Fredrik Melander arrested the mass murderer from the bus in "The Laughing Police" - a property manager from Stocksund. This took place on the 6th floor, probably of the building at left.

Above: At the next junction on Norrlandsgatan, where it intersects with Smålandsgatan (13), the first step in solving the Roseanna murder was taken, when Folke Bengtsson was discovered over a cup of coffee by Officer Lundberg.

Above: We continue towards Old Town, to Köpmangatan (14). Martin Beck moved here to a two-room apartment at the top of No. 8 in 1969, after his divorce. And on the roof a little further up towards Stortorget, the terrorist Reinhard Heydt lay with a sniper rifle, intending to avenge his failed attack by shooting Martin Beck. However, this project did not materialise either.

Above: The Old Town is also home to Martin Beck's favourite restaurant, Den Gyldene Freden (15) at Österlånggatan 51. Den Gyldene Freden translates to ‘The Golden Peace'. The restaurant has been continuously operating at this address in Gamlastan (Old Town) since 1722. 

As we depart Gamlastan, we walk across the bridge to Riddarholmskyrkan (the Riddarholmen Church).

Riddarholmskyrkan is the oldest building in Stockholm, and where Sweden’s Kings were buried (left). There, the visiting US Senator points to the Birger Jarl statue (right). Through the church gate, Rebecka Lind came out and shot the Prime Minister (in ‘The Terrorists’).

Some addresses on Kungsholmen should also be visited. Karlsviksgatan 4 (16) is the site of a puzzling suicide. Fearing the revenge of the Mafia, Sigurd Karlsson, a small-time bus driver, takes his own life in "The fire engine that disappeared". But first he writes Martin Beck's name on a note. 

 

Above: On Bergsgatan 57 (17), a stone's throw from the "National Police Board's showy building", you can try to find the window that is the key to the murder mystery in "The Closed Room". The window in question sits on the top of a staircase, to the right of the gate - and it was through it that Karl Edvin Svärd was shot dead by a bullet from the hill in the park (Kronobergsparken) on the other side of Bergsgatan.

From St Eriksgatan it is then a short step to Norrtull - and we are back where it all began.

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The great thing about blog posts is that they can be edited and updated. If you talk this walking tour, please let me know about suggested updates or edits, additional photos, etc etc.