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Sherlock Holmes is one of the most popular fictional characters that has ever been created. His name has become synonymous with the detection of crime and the solving of mysteries. Holmes is widely viewed as the epitome of what a detective should be. Since his introduction to the world, he has appeared many times on screen and stage. He is so popular that many people believe that he was a real-life figure. This is not the case and this article will examine if the character was based on a historical crime fighter or real-life detective. It investigates the development of the character, a biography of the fictional character and then evaluates the likely candidates for the original model for the most famous detective in history.
====The fictional biography evolution of the master detectiveSherlock Holmes====There are few references to Holmes early life[[File: Sherlock two. It appears that he png|200px|thumbnail|left|Arthur Conan Doyle]]The best-known fictional detective was born in created by the 1850s and that he came from the English gentry and that his mother may have been partBritish writer Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-French1930). It has been speculated that Holmes who never married had a cruel governess in his youth and this is why he never had a lasting relationship with a female. Sherlock had an older brother called Mycroft who He was something of a genius and worked for the government and is often referred to in remarkable man, the stories. The future detective went to Oxford and it was here that he acquired his formidable powers son of deduction. He became an amateur detective after alcoholic Irish artist he visited became a university friend during his summer vacationmedical doctor, writer, freemason, and spiritualist. Conan Doyle created the character of Holmes solved when he was 27 and he initially found it very difficult to find a mystery revolving around secrets from his friend’s father dubious pastpublisher. The young man later became what is known as a consultant and he worked on many criminal cases. first Sherlock Holmes lived story was ''A Study in London in 221 B Baker Street Scarlet'' (1887) and eventually took in it proved a lodger Drminor success. Watson a veteran of the British Indian Army Later stories soon followed and they became partnersa sensation and made their author a celebrity. The two Batchelors lived in Soon the British public had an apartment that was maintained by Mrs. Hudson. Holmes was already an experienced detective by insatiable demand for the time he met the doctor. Sherlock became a very wellstories of Conan-known detective and was consulted by aristocrats, politicians, and monarchs and even by Scotland YardDoyle. Watson later married and left Baker Street but returned to live with his old friend and partner after she died <ref>TracyEdwards, JackOwen Dudley, The Quest for Sherlock Holmes Encyclopedia: Universal Dictionary A Biographical Study of Sherlock Holmes Arthur Conan Doyle (LondonEdinburgh: Crescent BooksMainstream, 19881983), p 112114</ref>. At some dateHe wrote over a dozen stories and two novels, Sherlock but soon he became addicted to morphine a common problem in bored with the 19th century adventures of Holmes and also occasionally took cocainehis assistant Dr. Watson. Despite pleas from his publishers he apparently killed off Sherlock Holmes was also an expert on forensic science and a master of disguisein 1893. He was also This led to a polymath public outcry and was very knowledgeable it is reported that many fans of several scientific subjects and the investigator cried when they heard that their hero had died.<ref>Edwards, p 119</ref> For ten years Conan-Doyle concentrated on historical fiction, which was an accomplished violinistwell received. The investigator had many battles of wits with criminal masterminds In 1901 he returned to writing stories about Holmes, after pressure from his writing public and his greatest enemy was the evil genius Professor James Moriartylucrative offers from publishers. In a fight with Moriartytotal, also known as some four novels and 57 short stories were written by Doyle on the ‘Napoleon adventures of Crime’, the two men plunged into detective over his career. He wrote the Reichenbach Falls, last story about his most famous creation was in Switzerland1927. Since the death of Conan Doyle, and it appeared that Holmes had died. Years later he returned many authors have continued to write stories based on the amazement of British doctor’s creation. There have been many movies about the great detective and announced that he had faked his own death. He once again helped British police with some of their perhaps the most perplexing casespopular was Basil Rathbone, such as who portrayed the mystery involving detective on the Hounds silver screen in Hollywood’s Golden era (the 1930s and 1940s). Robert Downey Jr. portrayal of Holmes was very well received in 2009 and in a sequel in 2011. Many of the Baskervilles. The great criminal investigator never married movies are not based on the Conan Doyle stories but he apparently had a romantic interest only use the unforgettable character in one new plots. A good example of his many criminal foesthis was ''Mr. Holmes'' (2015), Irene Adler <ref>Jack, p 141</ref>which is a re-imagining of the detective's later years in retirement. In about 1904 Holmes retired recent decades there have been numerous television series based on the character including ''Sherlock'', which has the master-investigator living in modern London and he took up beekeeping but it appears stars Benedict Cumberbatch (2010-2017). Many believe that Jeremy Brett’s portrayal of the police still sought out his help. During detective in the First World War, his advice ''Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'' (1984-1994) was sought out with regard to one of the activities greatest ever. ====The fictional biography of German spies in London. the master detective====
[[File: Sherlock Three.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The cover of the Hounds of the Baskervilles]]
There are few references to Holmes early life. It appears that he was born in the 1850s and that he came from the English gentry and that his mother may have been part-French. It has been speculated that Holmes who never married had a cruel governess in his youth and this is why he never had a lasting relationship with a female. Sherlock had an older brother called Mycroft who was something of a genius and worked for the government and is often referred to in the stories. The future detective went to Oxford and it was here that he acquired his formidable powers of deduction. He became an amateur detective after he visited a university friend during his summer vacation.
Holmes solved a mystery revolving around secrets from his friend’s father dubious past. The young man later became what is known as a consultant and he worked on many criminal cases. Holmes lived in London in 221 B Baker Street and eventually took in a lodger Dr. Watson a veteran of the British Indian Army and they became partners. The two Batchelors lived in an apartment that was maintained by Mrs. Hudson. Holmes was already an experienced detective by the time he met the doctor. Sherlock became a very well-known detective and was consulted by aristocrats, politicians, and monarchs and even by Scotland Yard. Watson later married and left Baker Street but returned to live with his old friend and partner after she died.<ref>Tracy, Jack, The Sherlock Holmes Encyclopedia: Universal Dictionary of Sherlock Holmes (London: Crescent Books, 1988), p 112</ref>
At some date, Sherlock became addicted to morphine a common problem in the 19th century and also occasionally took cocaine. Holmes was also an expert on forensic science and a master of disguise. He was also a polymath and was very knowledgeable of several scientific subjects and was an accomplished violinist. The investigator had many battles of wits with criminal masterminds and his greatest enemy was the evil genius Professor James Moriarty. In a fight with Moriarty, also known as the ‘Napoleon of Crime’, the two men plunged into the Reichenbach Falls, in Switzerland, and it appeared that Holmes had died. Years later he returned to the amazement of many and announced that he had faked his own death. He once again helped British police with some of their most perplexing cases, such as the mystery involving the Hounds of the Baskervilles. The great criminal investigator never married but he apparently had a romantic interest in one of his many criminal foes, Irene Adler <ref>Jack, p 141</ref>. In about 1904 Holmes retired and he took up beekeeping but it appears that the police still sought out his help. During the First World War, his advice was sought out with regard to the activities of German spies in London.
====Literary antecedents of Sherlock Holmes====
Many critics at the time of the stories’ publication came to believe that Holmes was inspired not by a real-life detective but by fictional ones. There are some critics who believe that Conan-Doyle was inspired by the works of the English mystery writer Wilkie Collins. However, undoubtedly one of the main influences on the creation of the world’s most famous fictional detective was Edgar Alan Poe’s, (1809-1849). He created the world’s first fictional detective, Auguste Dupin. He is a very logical and rational thinker who uses reason to solve apparently impossible mysteries. For example, in ‘The Murders in the Rue Morgue’ (1841), he solved a murder that took part in a locked and inaccessible room. The creator of the world’s best-known fictional crime fighter was a great admirer of the Baltimore born poet and short-story writer. The stories of Dupin certainly influenced the writer and doctor. Another potential model for Holmes was the fictional French detective M. Lecoq, who was created by Emile Gaboriau (1832–1873). This Parisian criminal, like Holmes, is an opium addict and there are several other similarities to the most famous creation of Conan-Doyle.<ref> Murch, Alma Elizabeth, and Peter Owen. The development of the detective novel (London, Peter Owen, 1968), p 116</ref>
====Was Joseph Caminada the real Holmes====
Another potential model for the hero who solves so many mysteries was Joseph Caminada (1854-1914). There are many undeniable similarities between this real-life detective and the one who operated out of Baker Street. Caminada was born in Manchester and was the son of an Italian immigrant. He joined the police force at an early age and studied criminals so that he could catch them, this is something that Holmes also did, during his many visits to London’s Underworld. Caminada was like Conan Doyle's literary figure, a master of disguise and also used a scientific method to catch criminals, which resulted in him apprehending over 1000 offenders.
The Manchester-based detective was also like Holmes regularly consulted by the police when he became a ‘consultant’. Then as was the case with the man who solved the Mystery of the Hounds of the Baskervilles, Caminada had a nemesis, who was a criminal mastermind. His enemy was not some egocentric Professor like Moriarty, but a young man who swore revenge on Caminada for arresting him.<ref>O'Neill, Joseph, Crime City: Manchester's Victorian Underworld, Milo Books, 2008), p 14, 89)</ref>
====Sir Henry Duncan Littlejohn, the inspiration for Holmes?====
Sir Henry Duncan Littlejohn (1826-1914), was a Scottish medical doctor, a public health advocate and a social reformer. Doyle knew him, because Littlejohn, taught him at medical school in Edinburgh. He was one of the earliest experts in the new forensic science and like Holmes, he was regularly consulted by the police especially in Scotland. Littlejohn was frequently an expert witness in court cases and this brought him a measure of fame. He was a very logically man and was a pioneer in the use of science to solve difficult cases. There are many differences between Littlejohn and Holmes, especially in their character. Littlejohn was a rather dour, religious man, who played a very active role in his Church.<ref> Boström, Mattias. From Holmes to Sherlock: The Story of the Men and Women who Created an Icon. (York, Grove Press, 2017), p. 118</ref>
He was also a happily married man with a large family. This was very dissimilar to the life led by Sherlock, a committed bachelor, and an opium addict. Moreover, Holmes is portrayed by Doyle as rejecting the opportunity to be knighted, while Littlejohn was knights by Queen Victoria, for his services to medicine.<ref> Ben-Yami, Hanoch. "Could Sherlock Holmes Have Existed?." Croatian Journal of Philosophy 10, no. 30 (2010): 3-9</ref>
====Joseph Bell====
It is widely held by scholars of the works of Conan Doyle that the main model for Sherlock Holmes was Joseph Bell (1837 – 1911). He was a doctor and a lecturer and lived in Edinburgh, Scotland and that Doyle was taught by Bell and later became his assistant, for a period of time.<ref>Jacks, p 12</ref> Bell believed that observation was essential for correct diagnosis. This made him a very successful doctor and surgeon. He later applied his system of close observation to difficult criminal cases. The deductive method so famously used by Sherlock seems to have been based on the methods developed by Bell. Like the great detective, he had an uncanny ability to identify a strangers’ occupation, home, and even past, based on simple clues. Bell was also involved in some famous criminal cases and was regularly consulted by the police.
==Joseph Bell==Conclusions====It is widely held by scholars Conan Doyle created not only one of the works great figures in crime fiction he fashioned one of Conan Doyle that the main model for most significant figures in popular culture. Sherlock Holmes was Joseph Bell (1837 – 1911). He was a doctor and a lecturer and lived in Edinburghcreator, Scotland and that Conan Doyle was taught influenced by Bell and later became his assistantother, for a period of time <ref>Jackswriter’s work, p 12</ref>. Bell believed especially that observation was essential for correct diagnosisof Poe. This made him However, there is a very successful doctor and surgeon. He later applied his system great deal of close observation to difficult criminal cases. The deductive method so famously used by Sherlock seems to have been evidence that suggests that he based his classic character on the methods developed by Bell. Like the great detective, he had an uncanny ability to identify a strangers’ occupation, home, and even past, based on simple clueshistorical figure. Bell It is not likely that Joseph Caminada was also involved in some famous criminal cases and was regularly consulted used as a model by the police. In the 1890s he was consulted by the London Police in relation to the Edinburgh born writer for his most famous case in British criminal history. This was the Jack the Ripper case, when a serial killer brutally murdered five women in Londoncreation. However, Bell did not have any of the eccentricities of Holmes and Sir Henry Duncan Littlejohn was a rather respectable figure, probably someone who was Queen Victoria’s personal medic when she visited Scotland<ref>, Scarlett, Earle P. "The Old Original: Notes on Dr. Joseph Bell Whose Personality and Peculiar Abilities Suggested inspired the Creation young writer to conceive of Sherlock Holmes." Archives famous powers of internal medicine 114, no. 5 (1964): 696-701</ref>deduction.
====Further Reading====* Foxcroft, Louise. The Making of Addiction: The 'Use and Abuse' of Opium in Nineteenth-Century Britain (Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing Company, 2007)* Doyle, Arthur Conan. The Complete Sherlock Holmes. Volumes I and II. Introduction and Notes by Kyle Freeman. (New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003).* Knight, Stephen Thomas. Crime fiction 1800-2000: Detection, death, diversity (Palgrave Macmillan, 2003).