221B Baker Street, Residence of Sherlock Holmes

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221 B Baker Street in London

221 B Baker Street is the residence of the fictional character Sherlock Holmes, which has been mentioned in almost all of the 52 short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is in 'A Study In Scarlet' that Holmes meets Dr. Watson and both agree to share an apartment in the Baker Street.

In the stories the apartment is stated as an upstairs apartment of a residential house. During the period in which Sir Arthur Doyle wrote these stories the street numbers only reached upto 100, probably that it is why he chose the fictional number of 221. During those days this area was known as the ‘Upper Baker Street’. However, when the street numbers were reallocated street numbers from 219 to 229 were allocated to Abbey Road Building Society subsequently named as Abbey National.

Owing to the worldwide popularity of Sherlock Holmes, the company started to recieve a large number of messages for which they even appointed a 'secretary to Sherlock Holmes' who dealt with them. The house contains a picture of Sherlock Holmes on a bronze plaque at the front. A bronze statue of Holmes also stands at the entrance of the Baker Street station which was ordered in 1999.

The exact location of the fictional house has always been a matter of dispute as there are many theories that point to many locations. Now 221B Baker street has become an attraction for tourists and fans who come to visit it from all over the world.

'A Study In Scarlet'

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Original Cover of 'A Study In Scarlet'

‘A Study In Scarlet’ is one of the most popular novels written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The character of Sherlock Holmes was first featured in this novel. It is one of the four novels written by Conan Doyle that feature Holmes.

Doyle wrote this novel when he was 27 and it was first published, after much rejection, by Ward Lock and Co. in ‘Beeton’s Christmas Annual’ in 1887. In 1888, Ward Lock and Co. published it as a novel which also contained illustrations drawn Charles Doyle, father of Conan Doyle. In 1890 an American version of ‘A Study In Scarlet’ was released by J.P. Lippincott Co. Conan Doyle only earned £25 from the publication, although, he did insist for royalty. Shortly after its publication, Doyle wrote ‘The Sign Of Four’ in 1890, another novel featuring Sherlock Holmes.

Initially this novel failed to make any mark and went unnoticed but who knew that in recent times, it was just the begginning of a series of short stories that will attract a huge fan club. The novel was initially named as ‘The Tangled Skein’ but was later renamed. Its name ‘A Study In Scarlet’ is derived from the engaging conversation between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in which the former is discussing his investigation methods. Holmes terms the murder investigation as ’study in scarlet’, in his own words "There’s the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it".

It is in ‘A Study In Scarlet’ that both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson meet for the first time. Dr. Watson exhausted and injured from war in Afghanistan returns to London, but soon due to limited resources looks to share an apertment with someone. A friend of his, who knows Holmes as well, arranges a meeting between the two to settle things. In their first meeting, Holmes surprises Dr. Watson with his deductive reasoning, when he reveals several facts about Watson’s past life.

The story is divided in two parts, the first part titled ‘Being a Reprint from the Reminiscences of John Watson, M.D., Late of the Army Medical Department’ describes events of their meeting and the crime. While the other part titled ‘The Country of the Saints’ takes the reader to the deserts of United States describing events involving the Mormon community that lead to the crime. In the last two chapters, Dr. Watson continues to describe the conclusion of the case as he saw it.

Early Life And Family

Although not many details have been offered in these stories, but on ocassions some background and early life of Holmes is discussed. In ‘The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual’ and “The Adventure of the Gloria Scott’ Holmes early life has been depicted.

While studying in University Holmes satrted to develop his extraordinary skills and he decided to become a professional crime detective after he got inspired with an experience with his friend’s father. Not much about his family is disclosed as well, in ‘The Greek Interpreter’, Holmes tells his trusted friend that his grandmother was the sister of French artist Vernet.

Holmes also had an elder brother Mycroft Holmes who is shown to have even greater deductive skills than Sherlock Holmes. Mycroft works as a government official and is a waliking database for the policy makers. Despite having superior skills to his younger brother Mycroft’s lack of energy did not allow him to become a detective. He has appeared in person in three stories: The Greek Interpreter’, ‘The Final Problem’ and ‘The Bruce-Partington Plans’, while Homes also mentions his elder brother in ‘The Empty House’.

In ‘His Last Bow’ The date of birth of Holmes is placed somewhere around the year 1854. In ‘The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger’, it is mentioned that Holmes has been actively working as a detective for twenty three years, and only seventeen of these years are spent with his loyal friend Dr. Watson.

Personal Habits

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Dr. Watson often despised Holmes' habit of using drugs

Sherlock Holmes is depicted to be a person of unusual, irregular and often unhealthy habits. His biographer and close friend Dr. Watson states in one of the stories that Holmes has irregular habits and often his papers, chemical equipment used to be scattered in the room. He used to place his tobacco in a persian slipper, and was a regular user of cigars, cigarettes and pipes.

Holmes often concealed the truth or bent the truth, in order to protect someone’s honor and dignity. In many stories Holmes carries out illegal actions to meet a god purpose. In ‘The Adventure of Charles Milverton Augustus’, afterlong discussion both the friends agree to break in a house to get important papers.

While working on an important case, Holmes will stop himself from eating and sleeping. Dr. Watson describes Holmes as a late riser but when on an imporatnt case, Dr. Watson often woke up to find that Holmes had left earlier. Holmes showed aversion to the female sex and often he remarked that it was due to lack of trust. In all his life Holmes admired only one lady, Irene Adler in ‘ A Scandal in Bohemia’.

The Scotland Yard often asked Holmes for assistance in certain cases and Holmes often tested their patience when he did not disclose the truth till the last moment. He used to give clues and hints to the officers in particular ‘Inspector Lestrade’, who showed dislike towards Holmes. In ‘The Adventure of The Naval treaty’, holmes remarks in amusement that out of the last 53 cases Scotland Yard had taken all the credit in 49.

Holmes is mainly a reserved person and his ego is strong which made him seem arrogant. Holmes’ another special trait was his ability to change disguise which also helped him in many cases. Holmes is a strong patriot as well and in a few stories he also served the British Government.

On foggy days in London when no serious cases came to homes, Dr. watson explains that this was the most painful occasion to see Holmes indulging himself in drugs and torturing him self.

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.

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.

Baker Street Irregulars

Holmes apart from using his extraordinary deductive reasoning, also employed a small group of street lads known as ‘The Baker Street Irregulars’ to get to vital clues. The Baker Street Irregulars feature in many of the stories, and Holmes realized their effectiveness as they instigated least of suspicion.

They were first featuerd in the novel ‘A Study In Scarlet’. The leader of this group was called ‘Wiggins’ and Holmes paid them a shilling a day including any expenses. Holmes also rewarded them with a guinea, worth one pound and one shilling, for vital information on an important case.