This site was made as part of the project ‘Heroes and Villains’ for Ulster University
This site was made as part of the project ‘Heroes and Villains’ for Ulster University
The life and times of Sherlock Holmes
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's celebrated Sherlock Holme's characters have captured the minds of countless admirers – young and old – over the years. A fictional private detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, forensic science, and logical reasoning. His powers of deduction border on the fantastic, which he employs when investigating cases for a wide variety of clients, including Scotland Yard.
Holmes has lived a life beyond the printed page. Recent adaptations, brought to life on the silver screen, include: Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman's portrayal in 'Sherlock'; Sir Ian McKellen's portrayal in 'Mr Holmes'; and – more recently – Will Ferrell and John C Reilly's portrayal in 'Holmes & Watson'.Conan Doyle's writings live on from generation to generation. As Scott Monty – a member of the Sherlock Holmes Enthusiast Group 'Baker Street Irregulars' – puts it:
“Every generation or so, some kind of cycle happens, some big book or movie begins to start the process and then others seem to follow up.”
Heroes and Villains
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional private detective created by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Known as a 'consulting detective' in the stories, Holmes is known for a proficiency with observation, forensic science, and logical reasoning that borders on the fantastic, which he employs when investigating cases for a wide variety of clients, including Scotland Yard. Amongst other foibles, Holmes had a penchant for papier maché.
First appearing in print in 1887 in 'A Study in Scarlet', the character's popularity became widespread with the first series of short stories in The Strand Magazine, beginning with 'A Scandal in Bohemia' in 1891. Additional tales appeared from then until 1927, eventually totalling four novels and 56 short stories.
All but one are set in the Victorian or Edwardian periods, taking place between about 1880 to 1914. Most are narrated by the character of Holmes's friend and biographer Dr. Watson, who usually accompanies Holmes during his investigations and often shares quarters with him at the address of 221B Baker Street, London, where many of the stories begin.
Irene Adler, professionally known as 'The Woman', is a brilliant dominatrix who has an apparently romantic attraction to Sherlock Holmes.
Whilst Mycroft – Holmes' elder brother (by seven years) – is telling Sherlock about Irene, he states that she is a dominatrix who gives out 'recreational scolding' to people. She has been in the middle of two political scandals in recent years, one of them involving a famous author, in which she had an affair with both sides.
She is brought to Sherlock's attention when he and John are summoned to Buckingham Palace by Mycroft and are asked to take on a case of national importance. Irene had taken compromising images of a young female member of the British Royal family during a dominatrix session.
Even though Irene does not want money or power for the pictures, Sherlock is tasked in getting them back. She is using them, and other information for her 'protection'.
221B Baker Street
221B Baker Street is the London address of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, created by the writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
At the time the Holmes stories were published, addresses in Baker Street did not go as high as 221. In fact, number 85 was the last number of the street in 1890.
Baker Street was later extended, and in 1932 the Abbey National Building Society moved into premises at 219–229 Baker Street. For many years, Abbey National employed a full-time secretary to answer mail addressed to Sherlock Holmes.
In 1990, a blue plaque signifying 221B Baker Street was installed at the Sherlock Holmes Museum, situated elsewhere on the same block, and there followed a 15-year dispute between Abbey National and the Holmes Museum for the right to receive mail addressed to 221B Baker Street.
Since the closure of Abbey House in 2005, ownership of the address by the Sherlock Holmes Museum has not been challenged. The Sherlock Holmes Museum is situated within an 1815 townhouse very similar to the 221B described in the stories and is located between 237 and 241 Baker Street.
The museum displays exhibits in period rooms, wax figures and Holmes memorabilia, with the famous study overlooking Baker Street the highlight of the museum.
On the silver screen
Measuring Mr Holmes
1.The Sherlock Holmes museum
2. The Sherlock Holmes pub
3. Langham Hotel
4. The Lyceum Hotel
5. St Bartholomew's Hospital
6. Rules Restaurant
This site was made by Ellie McGurk as part of a project for Interaction Design at Ulster University.
The content on this website draws largely on copy from Wikipedia and IMDB. The site is inspired by Ethan Marcotte's (Victor's & Villains)website, designed to illustrate his seminal article on (Responsive Web Design)
Content Copyright Christopher Murphy and other respective owners.