Sherlock Holmes Fandom

Since Sherlock Holmes was introduced to the public in The Study in Scarlet, first published in 1887 thousands of people have taken part in a Sherlock Holmes ‘fan’ culture. They do this through collecting, writing fan fiction, creating art work, making pilgrimages and other activities.

Many early Sherlock Holmes fans were actively involved with the stories. Most famously when Holmes was killed off in 1893 some wrote to Arthur Conan Doyle to complain and called him a ‘brute’. Their support encouraged Conan Doyle to bring Holmes back in 1901.

In the 1930s Sherlock Holmes groups began to spring up all over the world. These included The Baker Street Irregulars in the US and an early version of The Sherlock Holmes Society of London in the UK. Members had dinners together and wrote essays that play ‘The Great Game’, which is to treat Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson as real people. This tradition continues today and many of these essays are published by Sherlock Holmes groups in dedicated journals.

Many fans and Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts now connect online through websites dedicated to fan fiction and fan art, and social media. These creative works span a range of genres and styles and some celebrate adaptations as well as the original stories.

Items on display are chosen from the Arthur Conan Doyle Richard Lancelyn Green Bequest Collection, this exhibition is based upon Sherlock Holmes fandom from 1897 to the present day. 

Katharine Brombley, a student at the University of Portsmouth, curated the new display case for the permanent exhibition A Study in Sherlock at Portsmouth Museum. The exhibition is available to see in person at Portsmouth Museum (free entry, open 10am–5.30pm, Tuesday to Sunday and on bank holiday Mondays).

A number of items in the Collection are stored behind the scenes. Hunting through the stores and choosing the items to add to the display was a time consuming but fascinating task. Narrowing down to fit into the space available was no easy task.

A selection of items from the exhibition

Statue of a young Jeremy Brett

 

Made from fibreglass made to resemble bronze, this is a statue of Jeremy Brett, who played Sherlock Holmes for many years in the Granada television series. Interstingly, it bears more than a passing resemblance to Benedict Cumberbatch who played Sherlock in the BBC series of the same name.

Persian Slipper

This is the Persian slipper which Richard Lancelyn Green collected for his creation of 221B Baker Street.

In “The Musgrave Ritual” Watson says Holmes 'keeps his cigars in the coal-scuttle, [and] his tobacco in the toe end of a Persian slipper'.  Conan Doyle also discussed this unusual habit in The Complete Stories and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes.

Baker Street Studies

This first edition of Baker Street Studies was published in 1934.  The book includes essays written by members of the early Sherlock Holmes Society, including  Dorothy L. Sayers, Vincent Starrett, Ronald A. Knox, and S. C. Robers,  and is edited by H W Bell. 

Topics include Holmes’s college career, the medical career of Dr. Watson, Mrs. Hudson’s little-known exploits and the mystery of Mycroft Holmes. There is also speculation regarding Holmes' view of women and his Mr. Moriarty. Did he exist? A. G. Macdonell attempts to prove otherwise.

“Bell’s work is a landmark and a model of method.”—Barzun and Taylor, A Catalogue of Crime

This copy is inscribed to the president of the society, Dick Sheppard, and signed by the secretary A G Macdonnel.

Sherlock Holmes postcards

These postcards were released in 1903 by The Strand Magazine to celebrate the release of The Return of Sherlock Holmes. They feature Sidney Paget illustrations for the Sherlock Holmes stories:‘The Final Problem, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Adventure of the Empty House and The Adventure of the Norwood Builder.

Baker Street Postbox insert

This insert from Baker Street's postbox gives the time of the postal collections.  Souvenirs like this one are popular amongst fans and collectors for their link to Baker Street, where Sherlock Holmes lived.

Souvenier from Reichenbauch Falls

This wooden box is from the Reichenbach Falls in Meiringen, Switzerland where Holmes fought Moriarty in The Final Problem and was thought to have died. It was pressure from the fans that encouraged Conan Doyle to resurrect his hero in 1901, The box contains two phials: one filled with water and one with earth collected from the Reichenbach Falls.

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

• Gripping Yarns - story writing in the style of Sherlock Holmes

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

• Playing Sherlock - improvised plays based upon Sherlock Holmes

• 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