Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in London's Streets

Abstract

One of the attractions of the Sherlock Holmes stories is their location in real, if somewhat disguised locations. Sherlock Holmes's address in Baker Street is one of the most famous in literature. This article sketches the history of the street and looks at the attempts made over the years to identify the exact location of Holmes's apartment. Conan Doyle first came to London to set up a specialist medical practice not far from Harley Street in 1891, though he had made a number of visits to relatives in London during his youth. He did not stay long, moving to the suburbs when he gave medical practice up in favour of full-time writing. In later life he maintained a London flat and owned and ran his own bookshop and museum nearby to further his Spiritualist crusade. These links with London are examined, highlighting the various addresses in which he and his family lived or did business.