Gripping Yarns

Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about 60 stories starring his most famous creation, the detective Sherlock Holmes. He had not planned to write nearly as many – he soon wearied of his hero – but his enormous reading public continued to demand more, and so he continued, producing an infinite variety of tales, collected in nine volumes.
 
Class 9Y2 of Springfield School in Portsmouth have been reading four of the stories - The Man With The Twisted Lip, The Speckled Band, The Final Problem and The Resident Patient. These include scenes ranging from a Limehouse opium den to a locked room in a half-ruined mansion in Surrey, from an invalid’s bedside to the Reichenbach Falls where Holmes meets his end at the hands of his deadly enemy, Professor Moriarty – or so it seems.
 
The chosen tales reveal much about Holmes’ techniques of detection, which were very advanced and innovative for their time. His ‘methods’ became well-known and were an important aspect of the books’ popularity. Holmes was a master of disguise, he had studied chemistry, he was acutely observant and he had an analytical mind. He was a model detective.
 
In response, Class 9Y2 have taken on a Sherlock Challenge. They have worked in pairs to produce the title, blurb, plot outline, opening paragraph and book cover for detective stories of their own, inspired by the Conan Doyle short stories which they have studied. Like Doyle himself, they have tackled many topics in many different settings.  Poisons, an enforced overdose, phone hacking and jealousy all play their parts in these lively tributes to the great master.

The Students' Work (PDFs)

• The Adventures of the Phone Jacker

• The Poisonous Gateway

• The Red Vine Yard Detective

More Exhibitions to explore

• Arthur and George - Conan Doyle's Fight for Justice for George Edalji

• A Study for Sherlock - reproducing Sherlock Holmes' study at 221b Baker Street

• Conan Doyle - A Good Sport - Conan Doyle's wide ranging sporting interests

• Conan Doyle - The Pompey Lad - Conan Doyle's time in Portsmouth

• Conan Doyle on Holiday - due to his success as a writer, Conan Doyle had the opportunity to travel widely. He often took his family. This exhibition explores the places they visited.

• Dinosaurs, Fairies and Conan Doyle - Conan Doyle's interest in science, and fairies

• The Lost World - Conan Doyle's science fiction novel

• Playing Sherlock - improvised plays based upon Sherlock Holmes

• Sherlock Holmes Fandom - Sherlock Holmes has fans from around the world

• Stitching a Story - stitching a quilt based upon The Adventure of the Copper Beeches

• The Cottingley Fairies - Conan Doyle's interest in fairies inspired Bunny Warren Nursery to create their own fairies

• To Catch a Thief - masks and disguises inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle’s story Charles Augustus Milverton

• You Don't Know Sherlock Holmes Yet -  a wide ranging exhibition featuring items and documents from the Collection. This exhibition covers Conan Doyle's life and works, including his arrival in Portsmouth, his books, his fights for justice and the phenomena that is Sherlock Holmes.

To see more images and find out more about The Conan Doyle Collection, please email: sherlock.holmes@portsmouthcc.gov.uk