Financial Affairs of Sherlock Holmes

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Sherlock Holmes digging for some papers

Sherlock Holmes mainly persued this profession just for the sake of it and not for any monetary rewards. Although, no set amount has been mentioned in any of the stories as his standard fee but he does mentions in ‘The Problem of Thor Bridge’ that his charges are fixed, when his client offers to double the fees.

It is to be remembered that the cause of the first meeting between Homles and Dr. Watson in ‘A Study In Scarlet’ was due to financial problems as both were looking for a room mate to share the rent expenses. But Dr. Watson mentions in ‘The Adventure of the Dying Detective’, that the amount Holmes paid to acquire an apartment in Baker Street, was enough to actually buy it.

Holmes throughout his career serves for many famous and influential personalities and families who alos in return rewarded him, sometimes much more than his standard fee. In ‘The Adventure of the Final Problem’ Holmes mentions that his services to the French government had earned him enough to live a comfortable life.

Dr. Watson states about Holmes in ‘The Adventure of the Black Peter’ that it was Holmes norm to refuse trivial cases from wealthy clients while he often devoted himself to cases in which he had no hopes for any reward. But he does ask his clients to recompense the cost which he had to bear during investigation in ‘The Adventure of the Speckled Band’, ‘The Red-headed League’ and ‘The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet’.

Despite Holmes aversion for rewards, he rather takes his old friend Dr. Watson by surprise when he ‘rubs his hands in glee’ and pats the cheque from the Duke of Holdernesses, saying ‘I am a poor man’. But this incident can be taken as Holmes’ habit of creating ironic humor.

Among the many expensive momentos that he received from his many illustrious clients a golden snuff box from the King of Bohemia, a ring from the Dutch Royal family, an emerald tie-pin from Queen Victoria and a gold soverign from Irene Adler stand out. Holmes also received the Legion of Honor and a letter of thanks from the French premiere for catching a dangerous criminal.

Short Biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sir Arthur Ignatus Conan Doyle was born on 22 May, 1859 in Edinburgh in Scotland. His father Charles Altamont Doyle, was an alcoholic and failed to make any remarkable achievement in life other than fathering a brilliant son.

From 1876 to 1881, Sir Arthur studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. Along the way he started his hobby of writing short fictional stories. His first story was published when he was not even 20 in the Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal. After completing his studies in the University, he served as a doctor on a naval voyage to Africa.

Afterwards Sir Arthur started his independent medical practice when he arrived in Portsmouth. He got visited by very few patients and had little to do all day therefore, he resumed his hobby of writing stories. His first notable work was ‘A Study In Scarlet’ which featured detective Sherlock Holmes for the very first time. It was published in Beeton’s Christmas Annual in 1887. In his time in Portsmouth he also spent time in sports playing cricket, football and golf with friends. Sir Arthur even played in 10 first class cricket matches, his highest score being 43 and also took one wicket.

Conan Doyle had two wives and a total of five children. His first wife Louisa Hawkins suffered from tuberculosis and died. Afterwards he married Jean Elizebeth Leckie whom he had loved many years before. In 1890, he went to Vienna to complete medical studies and started practice as an opthalmologist in London in 1891. In his own biography he reveals that he received very few patients and had decided to kill Holmes in order to consentrate on his practice.

In order to end this series in ‘The Final Problem’ he depicted the events in which Holmes and his enemy Professor Moriarty both die after plunging in a waterfall. But after outcry from fans he resumed the stories and explained in ‘The Adventure of the Empty House’ how Holmes wanted to be temporarily dead in order to defeat his other enemies. Eventually, the fictional detective appeared in 56 short stories and many long novels.

During his life Conan Doyle also authored many other novels and poems. He was also believed to be an intimate friend of world renowned magician Harry Houdini and had special interest in spiritualism. Conan Doyle also spent some time in india and America and these locations also feature in some of his short stories and novels.

On 7 July, 1930 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle died due to heart attack and lies buried in New Forest, Hampshire. In remembrance of this great fiction writer a statue stands in Crowborough, East Sussex where he spent 23 years of his life.