Sherlock Holmes: Trifles

"Holmes pointed to the street lamp" [SIXN] It's impossible to think about Victorian London without imagining street lamps. We're most familiar with the gas-powered versions, but there were other iterations before. What was the origin of London's famous gas-lamps, and which Sherlock Holmes stories do they feature in? It's just a Trifle. We also have an announcement about a special episode only for our Patreon supporters. Be sure you're on board to take part in that. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles258 Boulevardier recipe Inspiration from "A Light on the Problem" by Nicholas Utechin from "Occasionally to Embellish" The gas-lamp scene in Charlie Chaplin's Easy Street A history of gas-lamps Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The BSI Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"she confessed with distress" [LADY] Sherlock Holmes took on clients of all sorts, often when they were puzzled, had nowhere else to turn, or were particularly worried. And three ladies in particular in the Canon were worried. But they stand head and shoulders above some of the other female victims we find. Who are they and in which stories do they appear? It's just a Trifle. We also have an announcement about a special episode only for our Patreon supporters. Be sure you're on board to take part in that. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles257 Previous episodes mentioned: Episode 185 - The Women of Influence Episode 190 - The Working Girls Episode 194 - The Ladies in Waiting Episode 199 - The Victims Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"a love-story or an elopement" [SIGN] We don't think of the Sherlock Holmes stories as being romances, and yet there are elements of romance that find their way into these tales about complicated human relationships at all levels. We look across a handful of stories to tease out the romantic elements and love interests in them. It's just a Trifle. We also have an announcement about a special episode only for our Patreon supporters. Be sure you're on board to take part in that. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles256 Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The BSI Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"a fierce old bird of prey" [SPEC] Birds are part of British life. Such is the reality of living on an island. And there were a great variety of birds we hear about in the Sherlock Holmes stories. While many of them were commonplace and part of the hunting and dining habits in Victorian England, there were others that were a little more exotic. It's just a Trifle. We also have an announcement about a special episode only for our Patreon supporters. Be sure you're on board to take part in that. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles255 Inspired by Donald Jewell's A Few Hours to the Birds: A Monograph on Birds and Birding in the Time of Sherlock Holmes, Volume 2 in The Sherlock Holmes Natural History Series (Pinchin Lane Press, 1991) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"You're crazy!" [DANC] Sherlock Holmes had his eccentricities, without a question. Many scholars over the years have debated his mental health, with a wide variety of diagnoses. But there has been a suggestion that a physical condition in Holmes and its treatment may very well have masked another disorder—one of the mind rather than the body. It's just a Trifle. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles254 Inspired by "Was Sherlock Holmes Crazy?" by Gideon Hill, BSI ("Dr. Hill Barton") in 70 Years By Gaslamp - The Illustrious Clients' Sixth Casebook Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"to produce his meretricious finales" [BLAN] There are a number of times in the 60 Sherlock Holmes stories when Holmes criticizes Watson's efforts as a writer. Holmes takes the view of a practitioner, while Watson is trying to reach a different audience. Indeed, it's when Holmes himself attempts to fill in for Watson that he finds just how difficult it is. Were Watson's conclusions meretricious, or were they in service of Holmes's abilities? It's just a Trifle. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles253 Inspired by "Meretricious Effects?" by Vincent W. Wright in 70 Years By Gaslamp - The Illustrious Clients' Sixth Casebook Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The BSI Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"hereditary tendencies of the most diabolical kind" [FINA] Family matters a great deal in the Sherlock Holmes stories, although we don't discover anything about Holmes and his family background until halfway through the stories that make up The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, where we meet Mycroft. And yet, there were many instances in which family bloodlines gave Holmes an indication of what he was looking for. It's just a Trifle. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles252 Inspired by "Pooled Resources" on I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"a pin, a cork, and a card" [HOUN] When it came to exotic insects, butterflies were all the rage in Victorian England. They were sought after by naturalists and collectors, to become part of collections in studies as well as institutions. We have a few collectors in the Canon who made it their business to pin butterflies to cork and display them. Here's what we know about them and about their hobby. It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles251 Inspired by Donald Girard Jewell's Butterflies & Blind Beetles, #4 in the Sherlock Holmes Natural History Series Norm MacDonald's moth joke (YouTube) Other episodes mentioned: I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 226: Sherlockian Collecting Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"extraordinary stories about your financial ability" [STOC] Money was occasionally a concern for Sherlock Holmes. But when, and more importantly, why? All of those police engagements were likely pro bono work, after all. His relationship with Watson began over the need to economize, and over the course of his career, he enjoyed some remarkably wealthy individuals as clients. It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles250 Inspired by Ian McQueen's Sherlock Holmes Detected "Thinking About Money in the Sherlock Holmes Stories" by Christopher Redmond (I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere) Previous money-related episodes mentioned: Episode 75: Fiscal Holmes Episode 121: Old Money Episode 201: Expenses Episode 226: Money Woes Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"Have you noticed anything amiss with them of late?" [SILV] "The Three Gables" isn't likely to be found on anyone's "best of" list of Sherlock Holmes stories. It arrives late in the Canon, and rather weakly at that. But it is worth pointing out a few items within that are rather curious. One might even call them a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles249 Inspired by Bob Byrnes' work in Baker Street Essays, Vol 1 No. 1 Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"it was her plot as much as mine" [ABBE] From the realm of conjecture: what if the star-crossed lovers in "The Adventure of Abbey Grange" and "The Problem of Thor Bridge" weren't simply victims of circumstance? What if the damsels in distress weren't being unfairly persecuted? That is, what if they plotted the demise of the hated member of their love triangle and were able to fool Sherlock Holmes? It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles248 Inspired by Bob Byrnes' work in Baker Street Essays, Vol 1 No. 1 and Vol II No. 1. Previous episodes mentioned: Episode 245: How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? Episode 180: The Eternal Triangle Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"Maybe you collect yourself, sir" [EMPT] Sherlock Holmes shared his reading interests on occasion, and they tended to be wide and varied. Some of them were for professional development purposes, yet others seem to exist to expand his thinking. Was Sherlock Holmes a book collector? And if he was, what kind of care did he take for his volumes? It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles247 Sherlock Holmes: Rare Book Collector by Madeline Stern "Ex Libris Sherlock Holmes" by Howard Collins in Profile by Gaslight "The Empty Bookshelf: or, the Missing Three Quartos: Reasonable Editions at a Comfortable Price" by Robert D. Madison, The Baker Street Journal, Vol. 71, No. 2 (2021) Previous episode mentioned: Episode 62: Reference Sources Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The BSI Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"pinned like a beetle on a card" [BLAC] It's the third week of the month, and that means it's the exotic animal episode. Last month we covered worms, and we mentioned the slow-worm, which Mr. Sherman said kept the beetles down. A listener called in with a comment on that episode, and it led to this one, where we look at this detestable insect, its place in Victorian England, and how it spread. It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles246 Inspired by Donald Jewell's Butterflies and Blind Beetles: Vol. 4 of the Sherlock Holmes Natural History Series German cockroach (Wikipedia) Croton bug (Epehemeral New York) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The e-BSJ Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"passionate, whole-hearted, tropical, ill-balanced" [THOR] Maria Gibson (nee Pinto) was a troubled woman. What could have driven her to her final acts? Is she a victim? A villain? A sympathetic character? If anything she was less two-dimensional than she is typically assumed to be. Could her demise have indeed been a murder rather than a suicide? It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles245 Inspired by Bob Byrnes' Baker Street Essays, Vol. II, Issue 1 Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"a general practitioner with very limited experience and mediocre qualifications" [DYIN] We know Watson had a serious medical career before he met Holmes. But what do his qualifications mean? And aside from the brandy, how did his training come in handy? Helen Simpson's "The Medical Career of John H. Watson" in H.W. Bell's Baker Street Studies provides some insight into what Watson was telling us and what he wasn't. It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles244 Baker Street Studies by H.W. Bell (Amazon) Previous episodes mentioned: Episode 87: The Good Doctor Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The BSI Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"some arm-chair lounger who evolves" [STUD] From a humble beginning to the heights of international fame and importance, the career of Sherlock Holmes was a rocket ride. And his personal relationships took an opposite ride. This is the third and final entry in this series on the evolution of Sherlock Holmes. And it's anything but a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles243 Episode 237: The Evolution of Sherlock Holmes, Part 1 Episode 239: The Evolution of Sherlock Holmes, Part 2 Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"Why does fate play such tricks with poor, helpless worms?" [BOSC] On the third episode of every month in Season 5, we explore exotic animals in the Sherlock Holmes canon. This month's animal is a rare one: worms. While you may be thinking the only reference is the remarkable worm unknown to science that left Isadora Persano stark staring mad, there are a few others. But just a Trifle more. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles242 Poor Helpless Worms I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 158: The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"window-breaking Furies" [VALL] Windows are everywhere in the Sherlock Holmes stories. But in certain cases, they form an essential part of the plot. In some cases, it may be transparent. In others, not so much. Whether they're decorative, a passage of one form or another, or are broken in the course of a crime, some windows serve a purpose in the Canon. It's just a Trifle. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles241 Mullioned windows Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"It is full of old houses which are named after the men who built them centuries ago." [SUSS] Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a master storyteller. He gave us memorable characters and plots that painted a picture over the course of the entire Canon. But more than plot or characters, place played an outsized role. What does the geography in the Sherlock Holmes stories tell us? It's just a Trifle. And for our Patreon supports, we have another bonus clip. For as little as $1 a month, you can join this growing group of insiders. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles240 Triangle Shirtwaist Fire A Quick Succession of Subjects David Hammer Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"evolved from his own inner consciousness" [BOSC] In Episode 237, we looked at how Holmes's personality traits changed over the course of his career. We're back for another look using four separate stories, each 10 years apart. What can the Canon tell us about the ways Holmes's interests, tastes, enthusiasms, relationships, reputation, and more changed during his long career? It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles239 Other episodes mentioned: Episode 224: The Crimes of Sherlock Holmes Episode 237: The Evolution of Sherlock Holmes Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"Cyanea! Cyanea!" [LION] In the third week of every month in our fifth season, Trifles looks at exotic animals. We turn to the sea this time, examining jellyfish. And this episode brought us into contact with an old publication: the Catalogue of an Exhibition Held at Abbey House, Baker Street, London, May–September 1951. For those intimately familiar with the Sherlock Holmes stories, there is only one story in which we find a jellyfish. For those not familiar, spoiler alert. It is just a Trifle. And don't forget to check out the bonus audio content if you're a Patreon supporter. If you're not, what a great excuse to join us! Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles238 Jellyfish (Wikipedia) Lion's mane jellyfish washed up on shore in Maine (Twitter) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The BSI Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"Let me show you the evolution of this case" [WIST] In our last episode, we discussed the subtle yet undeniable change in the nature of the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Inspector Lestrade. But what about the evolution of Holmes himself? What aspects of his character changed over the course of his career, from a 20-something during his first case at university to his final case four decades later? What remained the same? It's just a Trifle. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles237 Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"That you, Lestrade?" [EMPT] One might say that Sherlock Holmes and Inspector G. Lestrade had a contentious relationship. While this may be the popular stereotype between the two professionals, a long-term assessment doesn't bear this out. Listener Ron Lies has shared a paper of his that takes us through the Holmes-Lestrade relationship chronologically, and things may be a little different than they appear. It's just a Trifle. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles236 Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Support us on Patreon Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"Altogether there are eight maids" [MUSG] Two stories. Two jewels. Two lady's maids. And two strikingly similar circumstances. In "The Blue Carbuncle" and "The Six Napoleons," published just 11 years apart, we can find some remarkable parallels that result in the disappearance of minor players who were involved in critical plot points. It's just a Trifle. Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/trifles And leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles234 "Two Maids A-Milking" by William Hyder, The Baker Street Journal, Vol. 70, No. 4 "The Twelve Gifts of Christmas" by Allan Sherman Sponsor The BSI Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"some secret society, some implacable organization" [VALL] We know the Mafia, the KKK, and other named secret societies permeate the Sherlock Holmes stories. They add to the mystery and mystique of the plots. But what were some of the lesser-known secret societies? And were they really that secret? It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles234 Vehmgericht Carbonari Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"the direct nature of the experiment" [BRUC] It's the third week of the month, and that means it's time for our Exotic Animals feature! When you hear "rat" anywhere near the Sherlock Holmes stories, there are three possible conclusions: the Giant Rat of Sumatra, Ballarat, or... Lab rats, which is our topic of discussion. While lab rats aren't literally mentioned in the Canon, there are some figurative ones. What were they? We look at those, plus the history of animal experimentation in medicine. It's just a Trifle. Oh, and check this out: we have a bonus audio track just for our Patreon supporters. Become one today to unlock it. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles232 "Animal Testing and Medicine," by Rachel Hajar, M.D., Heart Views, Jan-Mar 2011, via National Library of Medicine Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"The best possible" [NOBL] In Episode 231, we left you with a bit of a cliffhanger. The show was filled with answers to questions from listeners, and one asked about our favorite Sherlock Holmes stories. Rather than boring you with only our personal preferences, we got into a history of the best Sherlock Holmes stories, first as judged by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself, and later by multitudes of Sherlockians. It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles232 Randall Stock's The Best of Sherlock Holmes site Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's list of 12 best Sherlock Holmes stories (LitHub) Poll of the best Sherlock Holmes stories as run in The Baker Street Journal Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"they are pretty sure to ask questions anyhow, so it would be as well to have answers" [RETI] We're doing something a little different for this episode. There are certain elements about the Sherlock Holmes stories that are just too trifling out of which to create an entire episode. So we turned to you. We're answering questions that you have submitted, hopefully providing more clarity than less. If this works well, we'll do it again. It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles231 "John Barrington Cowles" by Arthur Conan Doyle Schlock Holmes: The Complete Bagel Street Saga by Robert L. Fish I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 181: The Daily Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes quotes) The full I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere archive: ihose.co/ihoseshows Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"That is very fortunate" [SCAN] Sherlock Holmes didn't believe in superstition, the supernatural, or random guesses. He was a detective who dealt in facts and data. And yet, the canon of Sherlock Holmes stories is littered with coincidences (happy or otherwise) and instances of luck. How did these play into the stories and Holmes's ability to solve them? It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles230 Scott's presentation to the Sherlockians of Baltimore (YouTube) Sponsor The BSI Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"the whole story concerning the politician, the lighthouse, and the trained cormorant" [VEIL] There is one scant mention of a cormorant in the Sherlock Holmes stories — in one of Watson's enticing throwaway lines of a case which we'll never read. In "The Veiled Lodger," he tells us about the case involving a trained cormorant that might be revealed to the public. But what is a cormorant? Can it really be trained? It's the third week of the month, and that means we discuss exotic animals in the Canon. It's just a Trifle. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles229 Stunning images of Chinese fishermen using cormorants to catch fish (The Atlantic) More photos of cormorants catching fish (Arkin Space) Not mentioned in the episode, but The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes on Radio 4 featured this untold tale. Sponsor The BSJ Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"I stooped to the eyepiece and focussed for my vision." [SHOS] Given Arthur Conan Doyle's training in the field of eye medicine, it's no surprise that we find a number of Sherlock Holmes characters who wear glasses. In fact, an entire story is named after a set of eyewear. Who were some of the bespectacled band in the Sherlock Holmes stories? It's just a Trifle. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles228 What Did Victorians Make of Spectacles? (Wellcome Library Blog via Wayback Machine) Arthur Conan Doyle's medical career (Wikipedia) "The Bespectacled Band" (I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere) Trifles Episode 46 - A History of Pince-Nez Sponsor The eBSJ Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"the sending of general messages" [VALL] Sherlock Holmes was an inveterate message sender and receiver. The many notes, letters, telegrams, cryptogram, and other forms of communication that passed by his view made for key clues in some cases. We wondered how things might have turned out differently in certain cases if the frequency of messages were different. And how, in certain cases, Holmes duped the messengers. It's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles227 Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"I am a poor man" [PRIO] Time and again, we find people in the Sherlock Holmes stories who are having money problems. As in money problems drastic enough to cause them to make unfortunate decisions. Who were some of these people, and what hard choices did they make? We have a few of them; it's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles226 Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"like a viper's tooth" [DYIN] Here we are again, ready to tackle the monthly topic of exotic animals. So naturally, we turn to the wiper. Wait, the what? Suffice it to say that the oddly-identified snake does have a place in the Sherlock Holmes stories, although way down at the East End. Oh, and there's the little matter of a Great War publishing machine. It's just a Trifle. Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/trifles Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles225 Sponsor The BSI Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"It is fortunate for this community that I am not a criminal."[BRUC] Sherlock Holmes certainly ran with a rough crowd. Burglars, murderers, blackmailers, thieves, spies, kidnappers, and even politicians. Given his store of criminal knowledge, what stopped him from becoming a criminal himself? Wait just a moment; while his cause was justice, his practice wasn't always on the right side of the law. Thanks to a suggestion from Erik Deckers, we're examining the criminality of Sherlock Holmes. It's just a Trifle. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles224 Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"a sharp touch of brain-fever" [MUSG] Inspired by two sources of Sherlockian medical scholarship, we decided to discuss brain fever. What was brain fever, medically speaking? And why does it only rear its head in Victorian literature? Was it an actual affliction, or just a literary device? It's just a Trifle. Please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles223 Did Victorians Really Get Brain Fever? (JSTOR Daily) Reference: "Brain Fever" by Stephen Tolins, The Baker Street Journal, Vol. 41, No. 2 (1991) Nerve and Knowledge: Doctors, Medicine, and the Sherlockian Canon (BSI Press) Sponsor The BSI Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"Apply 221B, Baker Street" [NAVA] Last week, we left you hanging with Vincent Starrett's chapter in his book The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. We couldn't leave it unfinished, so we're back with the second half. And a special treat at the conclusion of the episode—also with a 221B theme. It's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles221b The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes by Vincent Starrett Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"I have my eye on a suite in Baker Street" [STUD] There is no question that 221B Baker Street is the most famous address in all of fiction. What makes it interesting is its non-existence at the time of the stories' publications, and legions of fans attempting to determine its actual location afterward. Vincent Starrett was a huge fan of this game. So much so that he dedicated a chapter in his book The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes to it. To celebrate our 221st episode, Scott and Burt read "No. 221B Baker Street" from the book. It's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles221 The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes by Vincent Starrett Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"some creature of the weasel and stoat tribe" [CROO] There was a fad in mid-century Victorian England that led to pets becoming more common. But the third week of each month, our episodes focus not on everyday household animals but rare and unusual creatures. In this case, we focus on a member of the family Herpestidae. Namely, the mongoose. Making a few appearances in popular fiction, they're just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles220 Mongoose (Wikipedia) Sponsor The BSI Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"rarefied heights of pure mathematics" [VALL] As we know, James Moriarty was a professor of mathematics. We know little about his academic appointment, other than having to step down from a chair. What we do know is he has two publications to his name. What are they, and what do they tell us about Moriarty's approach to a life of crime. They're just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles219 The Dynamics of an Asteroid The binomial theorem Previous episodes: Episode 211: The Three Professors Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"I return with an excellent appetite" [BLAC] The Sherlock Holmes stories are a cornucopia of content. A smorgasbord of smarts. A full menu of fulfillment. So it shouldn't be terribly surprising that we find buffets mentioned in the Canon. Perhaps you skipped over the Canonical buffet line. We can't blame you. The references are fleeting, at best. As we say, it's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles218 Buffet (Wikipedia) Richard Doyle's depiction of a station buffet Previous food-related episodes: Episode 163 - Vegetarian Restaurants Episode 158 - British Food Episode 104 - Sherlock Holmes's Dining Habits Episode 42 - A Noble Supper Episode 3 - Simpson's Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"Our own colours, green and white." [WIST] Yes, the circle was red, the study was scarlet and the pips were orange. But there are so many other colors (or colours) to explore in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Conan Doyle did a masterful job of using color to give us a vivid sense of the settings. But more than that, what does his use of various colors tell us? It's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles217 Episode 10: The Dressing Gown of Many Colors Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"It is a nice household," he murmured. "That is the baboon." [SPEC] It seems that Dr. Grimesby Roylott had a bit of a wild side. Killed a man in India. Threw a blacksmith off a small bridge. Had a cheetah and baboon wandering his grounds. You know, as one does. As we looked at the animals in detail, we came across a startling detail about Roylott's menagerie. You might say it's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles216 Pets Peeved (I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere) Cheetah (Wikipedia) Victorian London: The London Zoo (Victorian Voices) Baboon (Wikipedia) How to Survive an Encounter with a Baboon (LiveAbout) Sponsor The BSI Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"There are certainly one or two indications upon the stick." [HOUN] Walking sticks were once fashionable. They were just as necessary as a pair of gloves and a hat in a gentleman's daily attire in Victorian England. But they also served a practical purpose from time to time. And Sherlock Holmes was able to use these personal effects as clue givers. What do we know about walking sticks and canes in the Canon? It's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles215 The History of Walking Canes James Smith & Sons Penang lawyer (Language Hat) Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"shoes, but no socks." [PRIO] Over the course of our first four seasons, we covered a wide variety of haberdashery: dressing gowns, clothes, disguises, and hats, to name a few. But we haven't covered anything related to footwear (unless you count that fleeting reference to tennis shoes in Episode 119). Shoes, boots, and slippers are a few of the kinds of footwear we come across in the Sherlock Holmes stories, and they all help Sherlock Holmes in some way. Which way is that, you ask? It's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles214 Soundcloud playlist: Appearance and Attire A Quick Succession of Subjects by Chris Redmond Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"I can tell a Moriarty when I see one." [VALL] Quick: in "The Final Problem," what is the name of Sherlock Holmes's arch-rival? Yes, we know it's Professor Moriarty, but what's his first name? If you said "James," you'd be wrong. Would you be surprised to learn that he has not only one, but two brothers, at least one of whom is also named James? It's a conundrum worthy of Moriarty himself. And it's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles213 Colonel James Moriarty (Baker Street Fandom) "Moriarty Times Three" (Walter Jaffee, The Baker Street Journal Vol. 57, No. 2, 2007) Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"the great black-faced monkey of the Himalayan slopes," [CREE] It's only mentioned in passing, but the langur played an important role in "The Aventure of the Creeping Man." It showed you could make a monkey out of Professor Presbury. In this episode, we begin a monthly series on exotic animals. What do we know of langurs? Or of the other choices at hand during that time? It seems like a peculiar choice, but then again, it's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or Substack. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles212 Gray langur (Wikipedia) The Medical Casebook of Doctor Arthur Conan Doyle by Alvin Rodin and Jack Key (Amazon) Monkey Gland Cocktail (Spruce Eats) Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"His life as been academic" [CREE] Sherlock Holmes and academic affairs are, well, elementary. [Sorry] But have you considered those who hold the title "professor" when it comes to the stories? Of course you know Professor Moriarty. But there are only two others, which is a tad surprising, given the stories that involved the academy. It's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles211 Sponsor The BSI Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"you could not celebrate him without being known yourself." [HOUN] Every year, the Baker Street Irregulars meet in early January to celebrate Sherlock Holmes's birthday. Why January, or more specifically January 6? It's an interesting story. We discuss what factors may support that supposition and highlight the scholarship that helped us arrive at this date. It's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles210 Happy 167th Birthday, Sherlock Holmes (I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere) "What Was the Month?" by Nathan Bengis, BSJ Vol. 7, No. 4 (1957) Sponsor The BSI Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"As I expected, his reply was typewritten" [IDEN] While handwriting was and is distinctive enough for a detective like Sherlock Holmes to draw some inferences, typography isn't quite so forgiving. Whether it was through fonts used in newspapers or flourishes of individual typewriters ("the fourteen other characteristics to which I have alluded are there as well." [IDEN]), Holmes was able to wring more out of typography than the average investigator. It's just a Trifle. This is our final episode of Season 4. Should we continue into Season 5? Let us know. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles209 The Gorgeous Typeface that Drove Men Mad and Sparked a 100-Year Mystery (Gizmodo) Sponsor The Baker Street Journal Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --