The Real 'Holmes'

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Dr. Joseph Bell, the man who inspired Sir Arthur to create Holmes

The real man behind the creation of one of the history’s most celebrated fictional character, Sherlock Holmes is Dr.Joseph Bell (1837-1911). He was a lecturer at the University of Edinburgh. His father Benjamin Bell was also a forensic surgeon.

Dr. bell used to give extraordinary emphasis to careful observation while diagnosing a patient. Often he demonstrated remarkable deductive skills when revealed the occupation and recent activities of a person by merely looking at him.

Sir Arthur Conan doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, met Dr. joseph Bell in 1877 and served under him as a clerk at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. Conan Doyle got extremely impressed by the abilities of Dr. Bell and based Sherlock holmes on him. Doyle himself admitted that he had based the fictional character loosely upon Dr. Bell and the later was also aware of this inspiration.

Joseph Bell died on 4 October, 1911 and is buried at Dean Cemetery in Edinburgh with other family members.