How Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s student days at Edinburgh University brought Sherlock Holmes to life
22 May 2017
The Scottish author was born in Edinburgh on 22 May 1859. A prolific writer, Conan Doyle is best-known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes.
Conan Doyle starting writing short stories while studying for his degree in medicine at the University of Edinburgh and these years as a student provided the bedrock for his most famous creation.
Fed up with traditional literary detectives who solved crimes through intuition alone, Conan Doyle wanted a scientific, rational hero.
He found it in – a man who regularly impressed his students with remarkable powers of deduction based on solid scientific principles.
The author also, allegedly, found Sherlock’s trusty sidekick, Dr Watson, among Bell’s acquaintances .
First appearing in A Study in Scarlet in 1887, the adventures of Holmes and Dr John Watson became wildly successful. Conan Doyle was less enamoured with his creation and in 1893 he did the unthinkable; in his tale The Final Problem he killed Holmes off at the . Public outcry led to the return of Holmes in 1901 in The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Arthur Conan Doyle died in 1930. Celebrated as an author, during his lifetime he had been:-
- ;
- ;
- ;
- ;
- ;
- ;
- .
Updating Sherlock
To date Holmes has appeared in over 200 films, has never been out of print, and has even counted Queen Victoria as an avid fan.
In 2010 he returned to the screen portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch in the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ series .
A modern take on Conan Doyle’s detective, Cumberbatch’s Sherlock is an avid fan of technology and is never without his smartphone and a Wi-fi connection.
Latest features from ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Scotland
-
'Wild swimming helps me process the grief of losing my son'
The benefits of cold water therapy.
-
Winter adventures are appealing, but an expert advises caution
Trips in winter require particular knowledge and skills.
-
The rescuers: Why volunteers risk their lives in mountain emergencies
Landward meets members of the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team.
-
‘Look for the light’ – practical tips to help you through another winter with SAD
Useful advice and tips to combat low moods at this time of year.
-
How you could be a binge drinker without even knowing
Binge drinking is classed as fewer units than many people may realise.
-
How chocolate biscuits and drama classes helped one man leave prison behind
The healing power of creativity.
-
'When people believe in you, it’s life-changing'
Author Graeme Armstrong revisits the man who helped turn his life around.
-
The 'breath-taking' display of US birds swept on to British soil
Recent storms have brought rare birds to our shores.
-
Six things we learned about Alan Cumming on Take the Floor (Spoiler: includes accordions)
The actor spoke to Take the Floor's Gary Innes.
-
How street gangs trap young men in a dangerous cycle of violence
The almost inescapable pull of life in a gang.
-
Why stylist Gok Wan believes there's no such thing as bad fashion
The fashion expert says we should stop following rules and do what feels right.
-
Is sending a CV still the right way to apply for a job?
They've been central to job applications for years, but are they worth it?