Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes. Learn about the man and some of his famous stories.

1. Arthur Conan Doyle &
Sherlock Holmes

2. About the Author
Arthur Conan Doyle was born
22nd May 1859 and died on 7th
July 1930. He was a Scottish
physician and writer who is
most noted for his fictional
stories about the detective
Sherlock Holmes.

3. About the Author
 His father was poor and was an alcoholic. Family
life was difficult.
 Conan Doyle studied medicine in Edinburgh and
met Dr Joseph Bell.
 Dr Bell made deductions about the history of his
patients based on his powers of observation. Arthur
learned from this…

4. Short stories
Doyle was not a Doctor for
long and turned to writing
instead. Soon afterwards,
short Sherlock Holmes
stories were published in
magazines.

5. Writing…
The Sherlock Holmes stories are
often considered milestones in
the field of crime fiction. Arthur
Conan Doyle is also known for
his fictional adventures about
Professor Challenger and for
popularising the mystery of the
Mary Celeste.

6. Writing…
Arthur Conan Doyle was a
prolific writer whose other
works include fantasy and
science fiction stories, plays,
romances, poetry, non-fiction,
and historical novels.

7. Sherlock Holmes…
 He tried to kill the Sherlock
Holmes character in 1893,
but there was outrage from
his many fans.
 Conan Doyle gave in,
writing The Hound of the
Baskervilles in 1902, set
before his fatal encounter.

8. Interesting facts…
 Conan Doyle himself was an
advocate of justice.
 He investigated two closed
cases, resulting in the accused
being exonerated.
 He was a believer in
spiritualism – that the dead
can be contacted.

9. Setting the scene for
Sherlock holmes
 Beliefs - Science started to challenge long held beliefs.
 The Origin of the Species - in 1859, Charles Darwin
suggested that the physical world could be explained by
science.
 Technological changes – between 1867 and 1887, the
typewriter, telephone, light bulb and many other
inventions were created.

10. Victorian London
 Crime, prostitution, drug abuse and murder were
commonplace Victorian London.
 There was a lot of poverty and poor health.
 Smog from the factories created a dark and foul smelling
atmosphere.

11. Victorian London
 Crime was rife.
 This was the time of Jack
the Ripper, a notorious
serial killer whose identity
was never discovered.
 The public did not feel
protected.
 The Police did not always
do a good job.

12. Popularity
 The popularity of Sherlock Holmes may
arise from the desire to bring make London
a safer place…
 Or maybe – because the stories have
constantly found an audience…

13. The end
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