Sherlock Holmes: Trifles

"when a doctor does go wrong, he is the first of criminals" [SPEC] The Sherlock Holmes stories are told from the perspective of a doctor. So it only stands to reason that he would notice other medical men throughout his adventures with the great detective. As we look at doctors across the Canon, we find heroes, villains, suspects, victims, clients and more. This episode takes a closer look at who some of these medical types were, and what roles they played in the plots. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? Every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles88 Sherlock Holmes Reference Library: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes William Palmer Edward Pritcher Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"the good doctor took us to the yew alley" [HOUN] John H. Watson, M.D., late of the Army Medical Department, had a number of medical practices throughout the Sherlock Holmes stories. He waffled between being a flat-sharing colleague of Holmes and a doctor with his own thriving practice. From Paddington to Queen Anne Street, we follow Watson's rise. But what of his methods? Did he dispense reasonable medical care of the age? Or was he too far removed from the practice of medicine by the time he took on his own practice in the mid- to late-Eighties? Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? Every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles87 Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"any other spirit but rum" [BLAC] We're accustomed to thinking about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson being associated with whiskey and brandy. But there are plenty of other kinds of alcohol in the Canon. More than the infamous Imperial Tokay of "His Last Bow," or the ancient and cobwebby bottles, there are some curious references to wine and spirits that warrant your attention. Even if they're a trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? Every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles86 Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"I shall run over to Camberwell and call upon Mrs. Cecil Forrester" [SIGN] We know what you're thinking: The Sign of Four wasn't an unpublished case. You, as a Trifles listener, are very astute. We should have expected nothing less. However, within The Sign of Four, we do have a glimpse of a number of unpublished cases: including one with Mrs. Cecil Forrester, with whom Mary Morstan lives in Camberwell. Could this be a connection to a later case mentioned in "The Adventure of the Five Orange Pips"? Or perhaps it's a reference to "the most winning woman" Holmes ever knew, who is also mentioned in The Sign of Four? These trifles await your consideration. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles85 Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"neat morocco case" [SIGN] We all know that Sherlock Holmes used drugs. "A seven-per-cent solution" of cocaine is what he recommended to Watson in The Sign of Four. But in the prelude to that, we're told that Holmes took "his hypodermic syringe from its neat morocco case." This case must have graced the interior of 221B Baker Street. But just what is it? And what do we really know of Holmes's drug mania? Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles84 Morocco leather Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"I trust you have no objection to tobacco smoke" [SIGN] Sherlock Holmes is probably the most famous smoker in the world. But in popular culture, he's always pictured with a pipe. The Canon tells us that he also smoked cigars and cigarettes. What was the frequency with which he smoked each? Did he tend to favor one form of smoking over another? And was there something that cause him to choose a pipe versus a cigarette versus a cigar? Step into the smoking room with us as we investigate. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles83 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 irregulars are useful sometimes" [RETI] Homeless children. A gossip columnist. A dog. What do all of these have in common? They're part of the underground network of helpers that Sherlock Holmes cobbled together. With these individuals and more, Holmes was able to fan out across the great metropolis and gather information that helped him solve his cases. And they're the subject of this week's Trifles episode. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles82 The Bakerloo line The Baker Street Irregulars Episode 58 - Sherlock Holmes's Index Episode 62 - Reference Sources Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"before my biographer had come to glorify me." [MUSG] We've previously covered the tantalizing cases that Sherlock Holmes pulled out of his tin box. This time, we spend time thinking about some of his other clients before he met Dr. Watson. There's one we know by name, but the speculation begins fairly early on, as we try to use Holmes's methods to determine who some of his other clients might have been in those first years of his consultancy. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles81 Tit-Bits (Wikipedia) Sherlock Holmes at Oxford by Nick Utechin (2nd edition 1981) "The Adventure of the Clapham Cook" by Agatha Christie Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"a wax-coloured model of my old friend" [EMPT] One of the handiest items found at 221B Baker Street has to be the wax bust of Sherlock Holmes. More than once it played a role as a decoy for Sherlock Holmes. But when did Holmes commission it and how did it get to Baker Street? And was it even the same bust between the two tales? These questions and more await in the latest edition of Trifles. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles80 The House of Wax The Tingler New Sherlock Holmes Wax Figure Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"the streaming umbrella" [FIVE] London is supposed to be a decidedly rainy place. The place where one might expect to find an umbrella or two carried about. But only a handful of stories of Sherlock Holmes included the mention of umbrellas, galoshes, waterproofs or other rain gear. We investigate the trifling matter of the few umbrellas in the Canon. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles79 Episode 60 - Unpublished Cases: James Phillimore Fox Umbrellas (London) Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"the smartest of the Scotland Yarders" [STUD] When you think of a Scotland Yard inspector in the Sherlock Holmes stories, odds are your thoughts immediately go to Inspector Lestrade. He makes the most appearances in stories and certainly gets the most name recognition, in part thanks to Dennis Hoey's portrayal of the bumbling but capable policeman. But what about good old Inspector Gregson, who appeared alongside Lestrade in the very first Sherlock Holmes story? He manages to make a number of appearances, but doesn't rise to the same level of household awareness. We look at his trifling (and non-trifling) appearances in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles78 Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"pulling a large tin box behind him" [MUSG] We're accustomed to referring to Watson's famous tin box, held in the vaults of Cox & Co. Inside were contents that we were not meant to see: heretofore unseen tales of Sherlock Holmes. But Holmes himself was in possession of his own tin box, and boy did it contain a few surprises. We take an inventory and surmise what some of the contents meant. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles77 Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"a shocking habit,—destructive" [SIGN] It's June, which is the month of the Queen's birthday. What a perfect time to look at the "patriotic V.R." that Sherlock Holmes adorned the wall of 221B Baker Street with. But Sherlock Holmes didn't stop there. He had some other habits that were rather destructive when it came to his rooms. What were they and why did Holmes do that? We discuss these in the latest episode of Trifles. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles76 Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"I pocket my fee" [STUD] How much money did Sherlock Holmes make from his clients? And when did he begin making money? We went back to an early piece of Sherlockian scholarship by Robert Keith Leavitt, first published in Vincent Starrett's 221B: Studies in Sherlock Holmes for inspiration. We run through Leavitt's assessment, commenting on certain cases and even finding a few points where we disagree with his analysis. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles75 "Nummi in Arca, or The Fiscal Holmes" by Robert Keith Leavitt, as originally appeared in 221B: Studies in Sherlock Holmes Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"Bring me the books" [BLUE] Sherlock Holmes was a consultant—or more properly, a consulting detective—but he was a consultant, nonetheless. And consultants need clients, who in turn pay the bills. But have you ever stopped to think about how Holmes went about collecting his fees? We don't know anything about his fees, other than a handful of high profile cases with rewards, and that (he says) he didn't vary them save for when he remitted them altogether. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles74 I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 140: Sherlock Holmes and the Elusive Ear Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"I could easily dispose of the mythical" [SILV] There are assumptions and myths mentioned throughout the Sherlock Holmes stories. Whether they're believed by clients, Scotland Yard inspectors, or others, they throw our attention elsewhere. And the Sherlockian world has had its own fair share of myths to deal with over the years as well. Join us as we try to identify and bust a few myths. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles73 A Scintillation of Scions I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 52: Sherlockian Mythbusters Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"the dreadful affair of the Abernetty family" [SIXN] Among the published cases, there are a handful that can be identified by a simple reference. If we said "a tale for which the world is not yet prepared," you'd say the Giant Rat of Sumatra. Similarly, if we mention "the depth to which the butter had sunk on a hot day," you'd think of the Abernetty family, as mentioned in the opening of "The Six Napoleons." But what was going on there? And what have scholars said about it over the years? Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links This episode: ihose.co/trifles72 "The Adventure of the Six Napoleons" Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street by William S. Baring-Gould Parsely (Wikipedia) Credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"put that in your pipe and smoke it, Mr. Busybody Holmes!" [SOLI] Sherlock Holmes is possibly the most famous smoker in literature. But more than his ubiquitous pipe, his manner of supporting his habit within his rooms at 221B Baker Street was a bit odd, shall we say. From his placement of cigars and tobacco, to what he did with his pipe remnants, the trimmings around his flat were quite unique, if trifling. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles71 Our other show: I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere My Lady Nicotine by J.M. Barrie Dunhill tobacco Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

" insight into the character of parents" [COPP] We're coming up on Mother's Day in the United States, and that made us think about parents. We've covered mothers in the Canon discussed alternative parents in previous episodes. But now let's take a look at the most corrosive parental relationships in the Sherlock Holmes stories. After reading Jenn Eaker's article on "A Case of Identity" in the Autumn 2017 issue of The Baker Street Journal, we thought a look at the top 5 worst parents would be in order. In this episode, we go from bad to worst. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles70 Maker Faire Raspberry Pi Antique whaling harpoon (eBay) Episode 19 - Mothers in the Canon Episode 24 - Heads of Household 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

"Does it not strike you as a strange occupation" [RETI] In the 60 tales that comprise the complete Sherlock Holmes stories, we come across a variety of jobs. Certainly there are the garden variety: cab drivers, butlers, governesses. But what about the more rare? Sherlock Holmes billed himself as the world's only unofficial consulting detective, but he interacted with people whose jobs were out of the ordinary - at least by today's standards. So we decided to spend some time talking about what some of these occupations were. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles69 Yeggman Commissionaire Stevedore Stoker Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"see what V has to say" [SUSS] Among the cases that Watson tantalizingly dangles before us, "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire" offers the Matilda Briggs and the giant rat of Sumatra (one of the tales we mentioned in Episode 55 concerning Weird Animals), one of the most famous of the untold adventures. But it also offers up a handful of others in quick succession, coming from the 'V' volume of Sherlock Holmes's index, rather than from the tin box mentioned in "Thor Bridge," and they are worthy of discussion. Along the way, we question why some of these cases find their way into this volume. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles68 "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire" Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"abstruse chemical analysis" [SIGN] Along with the deerstalker, Inverness cloak, magnifying glass and curved pipe, Sherlock Holmes is most often associated with chemistry – chemical compounds as well as chemistry equipment. In this installment of our Inside 221B series, we take a look at Sherlock Holmes's experience with chemistry and other laboratory setups we encounter in the stories. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles67 Sherlock Holmes Knew Chemistry The Chemistry of Sherlock Holmes Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"I was overwhelmed by the honour" [BERY] Sherlock Holmes was a well-known public figure. But he was also a known and sought-after expert specifically by other well-known public figures and entities. Which notable public figures sought and received Holmes's services and then bestowed upon him some gift other than cash? Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles66 The Legion of Honor Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"I heard you marching about" [SIGN] From the first cricket match in England in 1877 to the wireless mentioned in 1914, there are numerous things connected to Sherlock Holmes that happened in the month of March. As the month draws to a close, we reflect on happenings historical and Canonical. Let's see if our bluster lives up to the weather this month is known for. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles65 History of cricket The Boat Race The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan Jean Leckie Guglielmo Marconi Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"two rather leprous mendicants" [ILLU] When Watson glances across his notes and teases us with adventures that he and Sherlock Holmes have experienced, but only gives us a topic with only the barest of details, it makes us wonder exactly what happened. So is the case in this episode as we talk about the Amateur Mendicant Society and its rather unique meeting location — which in this case coincides with a real-life Sherlock Holmes society. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles64 "The Adventure of the Five Orange Pips" Mendicant (Wikipedia) The Amateur Mendicant Society of Detroit Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"as we sat over a glass of whisky and soda in Baker Street" [REDH] Step into the sitting room at 221B Baker Street with us again and look around, as we take in the sights, smells and sounds within that most famous of addresses. This time, we investigate the physical elements that accompany alcoholic drinks within the walls of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson's abode. Namely: the gasogene and tantalus. We explore the origins of those phrases and discuss them in detail. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles63 Tantalus (spirit case) Tantalus (Greek god) Gasogene "A little song, a little dance..." I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 132: Unquiet Spirits (Bonnie MacBird) Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"a line of books of reference beside the mantelpiece" [NOBL] In Episode 58, we discussed Sherlock Holmes's index books – those collections in which he tracked criminal cases, looked up necessary trivia, etc. But this time, we reach a little deeper and discuss some of the actual named reference books at 221B Baker Street. Which publications were these and how did they help Holmes and Watson connect the dots and solve some cases? It's a trifle, certainly, but there's nothing so important as trifles. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles62 "The Noble Bachelor" "The Red Headed League" "The Five Orange Pips" The Valley of Fear "The Copper Beeches" "The Retired Colourman" "Shoscombe Old Place" I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 54: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Image credit: Special Collections Toronto Public Library (Flickr) --

"Now Watson, the fair sex is your department." [SECO] John Watson knew women; Holmes tells us so. And Watson certainly tells us so, in his admiration of Mary Morstan as well as his description of some of the leading ladies of the Canon. He also told us outright in The Sign of Four that he's managed to get around: "In an experience of women which extends over many nations and three separate continents..." But three? We know for certain he's been to Europe an Asia. But which of the other five might be the one to round out Watson's travels? We investigate the lively love life of Dr. John H. Watson, MD. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles61 The Private Life of Dr. Watson "Watson Was a Woman" "That Was No Lady" ("Nuts to Rex Stout") They Might be Giants Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"never more seen in this world" [THOR] In "The Problem of Thor Bridge," Watson treats us to a tantalizing look at the possibilities that lie before us as readers: "Somewhere in the vaults of the bank of Cox and Co., at Charing Cross, there is a travelworn and battered tin dispatch-box with my name, John H. Watson, M.D., Late Indian Army, painted upon the lid. It is crammed with papers, nearly all of which are records of cases to illustrate the curious problems which Mr. Sherlock Holmes had at various times to examine." Possibly one of the most intriguing of the untold tales was "that of Mr. James Phillimore, who, stepping back into his own house to get his umbrella, was never more seen in this world," as the setup was so stark, so mysterious, and so final. What are some possible explanations of what happened? And how does this untold tale rank among the many that were mentioned? In this latest episode in our Unpublished Cases series, we delve into the rich history of the strange disappearance of James Phillimore. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles60 "The Problem of Thor Bridge" The Best Untold Tales of Sherlock Holmes compiled by Randall Stock The Alternative Sherlock Holmes: Pastiches, Parodies and Copies BBC Sherlock tie-in The Disappearance of Mr. James Phillimore by Dan Andriacco Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"applying his tape to the walls" [STUD] There's quite a bit we know about the inner sanctum of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson at 221B Baker Street. The cozy sitting room with its fireplace and windows at once beckons us in to look around. Upon glancing at the walls, though: what do we see? Is it typical of Victorian bachelor decor? Or is there hidden meaning behind any of the wall hangings? We investigate the trifling matter of the walls of the sitting room at 221B. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles59 "The Cardboard Box" Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"Good old index. You can't beat it." [SUSS] Sherlock Holmes had quite the index. We get glimpses of it in use at various times throughout the Canon, from a biographical reference to a logging of crime. Was Holmes's index a single large volume, or many smaller volumes? Was it hardbound or simply an assembly of files? And it never quite seemed like it was organized in a sensible way. How did Holmes manage to call to mind whatever he needed to find in this index? Please leave us a rating or review and consider supporting the show through Patreon. Show notes available at ihose.co/trifles58 Music: Beethoven's Violin Concerto performed by the US Marine Chamber Orchestra, public domain.

"Mrs. Hudson entered with the tea and coffee" [NAVA] When it comes to British mysteries, tea is like aqua vitae. It's a given that it's part of the scenery. And of course we do come across tea a number of times in the Sherlock Holmes stories. But have you ever taken a tally of how many times we witness tea being served versus coffee? Or of the therapeutic uses of either? Grab a cup (or a cuppa) and pull up a chair - we're about to have a coffee klatch on Trifles. Or as one entertainer might put it: Sherlockians in Cars Getting Coffee. Or is it tea? Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles57 A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich, and You 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 surely Hudson" [GLOR] One of the most enduring figures of the Canon after Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Mycroft Holmes and Inspector Lestrade is Mrs. Hudson. We know a little about her, but how did she happen to become the landlady of 221B Baker Street? And what were the "princely" rent payments that Holmes made? As we make our way across the Sherlock Holmes stories, we do come across one or two other Hudsons as well. What is their relationship to the landlady? These questions await your attention in the latest episode of Trifles. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes How Much Do We Really Know About Mrs. Hudson? 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" [SPEC] We've got another recurring feature for you here on Trifles: seeing as there were so many unpublished cases that Watson mentioned, we find that there are plenty of trifles to discuss with regard to those. We're calling this series of episodes Unpublished Cases and we'll regularly revisit the topic. When we glance across a number of such cases that Watson mentioned in stories like "The Sussex Vampire," "The Problem of Thor Bridge," "The Golden Pince-Nez," "Black Peter," and "The Veiled Lodger," we find some unusual animals mentioned — animals that would not commonly be found in the home or on the farm. Just what are some of these species? Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes The giant rat of Sumatra The Sherlock Holmes International Exhibition The Canary Trainer by Nicholas Meyer Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"upon the sideboard" [BERY] In this episode of Trifles, we're starting what will become a recurring feature over the course of a few episodes: namely, we're looking at some of the things you'll find in Sherlock Holmes's sitting room at 221B Baker Street. We're calling the series Inside 221B. The sideboard makes a number of appearances in the Canon, and serves as a solemn but essential member of the Baker Street set as it features beef and fowl, drinks and related accouterments, and as a resting place for various objects. But just what is a sideboard and in which stories do we find it? Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes The Great Exhibition The Festival of Britain May - September 1951: An Exhibition on Sherlock Holmes Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"compound a felony as usual." [3GAB] Welcome to Season 2 of Trifles. We'll be working through some of the questions we ask in our show introductions this season, including a number of recurring themes. We hope you'll subscribe. In Episode 48 ("Gotcha!") we discussed times when Sherlock Holmes caught his criminal red-handed, dead to rights. But what about the times that he caught criminals but let them go? Was it solely his strong sense of right and wrong that caused Holmes to allow them to go free? Or was he simply disdainful of the official police? And what was it that he was doing with regard to felonies - compounding, commuting, or condoning? It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon. Links / Notes The Hero's Journey A Sherlock Holmes Handbook by Christopher Redmond The Encyclopedia Sherlockiana by Jack Tracy Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"compliments of the season" [BLUE] "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" is one of the more well-known stories in the Canon. And yet we're presented with a few trifling issues, including the color of the gem. But beyond that, we have a victim and perpetrators who didn't seem to have thought through things to their logical conclusion. How else can we factor in the use of poultry as a hiding place? And animal anatomy lessons indicate that that place didn't even exist... Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes "The Blue Carbuncle" Line O' Type, Chicago Tribune - December 1946 More Leaves from the Copper Beeches Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"there was peace in our hearts" [SIGN] Peace in the canon. Reading the Sherlock Holmes stories to find peace is something like going to Casablanca for the water. "But there are no waters in Casablanca." "I was misinformed." Regardless, during this season of peace, we reflect on moments — even if they're glimpses — of bucolic, peaceful moments we find scattered throughout the Sherlock Holmes canon. They're there, if you look for them — trifling as they may be. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes Christmas Peace (Wikipedia) Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"what a chorus of groans, cries and bleatings" [REDC] Agony column. Agony column? To the modern reader, that term might be unfamiliar. Well, at least it would be unfamiliar with the reader who is new to the Sherlock Holmes stories. The first time we come across Holmes using the agony column is in The Sign of Four when he advertised for the Aurora in the agony column of the Standard. Holmes regularly used newspaper classified ads and personal columns to track down criminals and surface clues. But just what is an agony column, how did it help Sherlock Holmes, and in which stories did he and others find a use for it? Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or Substack. Links / Notes Stories mentioned in this episode: A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, "The Engineer's Thumb," "The Noble Bachelor," "The Red Circle," "The Bruce-Partington Plans" Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: A Textbook of Friendship by Christopher Morley The Agony Column of The Times: 1800-1881, edited by Alice Clay, London: Chatto & Windus, 1881 Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"You have a grand gift of silence, Watson" [TWIS] When Cyril Overton sent a telegram to Sherlock Holmes, proclaiming the status of Godfrey Staunton, it was met with puzzlement. And even after Overton arrived at Baker Street, Holmes was still puzzled. We know that he had his "limits," based on Watson's famous list from A Study in Scarlet. But Watson sat in silence as Holmes twisted in the wind, his ignorance of popular rugby laid bare. Why was this? Was it for the sake of his readers, or did Watson have other intentions in mind? Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes "The Missing Three-Quarter" Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"you have been caught in the act" [BERY] One of the general bits of enjoyment of the Sherlock Holmes stories is the denouement in which Sherlock Holmes apprehends the criminal. In some instances, he does so after the crime has been committed; in other instances, no crime has been committed. But what about those delicious times when the criminals are caught in the act? Or even better, those instances when they greeted with sweet, swift justice. It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon. Links / Notes "The Dying Detective" Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"to mar the contentment of their family life" [VALL] Family. For many, it's a part of the holiday season. And with Thanksgiving coming up tomorrow in the United States, it's a perfect opportunity to reflect on families in the Sherlock Holmes stories. And in doing so, we come to a rather sad conclusion: that many of the families in the Canon were not happy ones at all. Just what was it about these familial situations that caused things to go awry? We explore that question in this episode of Trifles. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or Substack. Links / Notes I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 58: Thankful for Sherlock Holmes Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"observing the dint of a pince-nez" [IDEN] For many of us, the first time we encounter the word "pince-nez" is in the Sherlock Holmes stories. But for many of us, we very likely saw pince-nez on characters in movies, cartoons or the theater before we knew exactly what they were called. Mentioned in three separate stories (do you know which three?), the eyewear is most closely associated with the adventure that contains its name. But what about the history of these peculiar glasses? We explore the various forms of pince-nez and how Sherlock Holmes came to make his deductions from a pair. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes Pince-nez (Wikipedia) "The Golden Pince-Nez" Colonel Ross in a monocle in "Silver Blaze" Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"his military challenge" [STUD] November 11 marks Veterans Day in the United States, when we honor our men and women who have served in the military. From the very first Sherlock Holmes story, we're exposed to the military: A Study in Scarlet opens with "(Being a reprint from the reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D., late of the Army Medical Department.)" And from there, we find other members of the military who make questionable decisions in their lives. We explore some of the more notable cases, and we give you a trivia question that might possibly stump your Sherlockian friends at your next meeting. Links / Notes A Study in Scarlet The Sign of Four "The Crooked Man" "The Empty House" Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"The world is big enough for us." [SUSS] With Halloween just behind us, it's natural to reflect on the supernatural. The Hound of the Baskervilles and "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire" loom large in our consciousness as stories whose central premise was focused on spectral occurrences. But what of other references? And of the most curious case of all: Arthur Conan Doyle's belief in otherworldly things (such as spiritualism) juxtaposed with his most famous creation, who was steeped in facts and logic. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes The Hound of the Baskervilles "The Sussex Vampire" Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"Why do you not write them yourself?" [ABBE] Aside from the untold tales which are hinted at occasionally by Watson, the most intriguing writings in the Canon are those penned by Sherlock Holmes himself. We of course refer to his famous monographs. In his earliest published cases, Holmes himself admits "in fact, I have written a monograph on the subject" [STUD] and "I have been guilty of several monographs" [SIGN], seemingly qualifying himself in the good doctor's (and our) eyes. How many monographs were there and what were they? We sum them up and categorize them, with the help of T.S. Blakeney and S.C. Roberts. Please be sure to leave us a rating or review on the podcast platform of your choice. And consider supporting the show through PayPal or Patreon. Links / Notes Sherlock Holmes: Fact or Fiction by T.S. Blakeney (1932, John Murray) Dr. Watson by S.C. Roberts (1931, Faber & Faber) Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"a quite epicurean little cold supper" [NOBL] In "The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor," Lord Robert St. Simon assumed that Holmes was going up in the world by taking him on as a client; Holmes replied that he was actually descending, as his previous client was something of a king. But it was still a royal feast set out at 221B Baker Street for Lord Robert and the assembled guests. Just what was in that supper for five, and what did it say about Holmes and his guests? Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links / Notes "The Noble Bachelor" "221B Baker Street: Certain Physical Details" by Paul McPharlin, The Baker Street Journal, Vol. 2, No. 2 (OS) 1947, pp. 180-194 Dining with Sherlock Holmes by Julia Carlson Rosenblatt and Fritz Sonnenschmidt I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 103: Al & Julie Rosenblatt Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"several successful voyages" [BLAC] The second week of October marks the remembrance of Christopher Columbus in the U.S.. Long thought to be the individual who "discovered" America, we've come to understand that claim to be overblown and his tendencies less than flawless. Still, he was a brave voyager. What about some of the great voyages we know that took place in the Sherlock Holmes stories? From traversing the Atlantic and Indian oceans to travel to the deepest regions of Africa, we find ourselves among adventurers, tourists and immigrants alike. Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links Queen Mary 2 IHOSE Episode 122: Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce A Study in Scarlet "The Gloria Scott" Trifles Episode 27 - Rebellion! "The Priory School" "The Devil's Foot" "The Sussex Vampire" "The Empty House" "His Last Bow" Sherlock Holmes and the Titanic Tragedy by William Seil Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"Sarasate plays at St. James's Hall this afternoon" [REDH] We know Sherlock Holmes enjoyed music. From his own violin playing to a few mentions of concerts he attended, he often escaped from the woes of the world and the problems he was trying to solve through music. In "The Adventure of the Red Headed League," he says "Sarasate plays at St. James's Hall this afternoon," and he and Watson make their way to the concert, where Holmes clearly enjoyed himself, "wrapped in the most perfect happiness, gently waving his long, thin fingers in time to the music." But what do we know about Sarasate? Who was this performer who was able to distract Holmes for a few hours? Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links Pablo de Sarasate (Wikipedia) Anthony Burgess's Murder to Music A recording of Sarasate playing Zigeunerweisen from 1904 in Paris Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 --

"this terrible secret society" [FIVE] The Ku Klux Klan famously plays a role in "The Adventure of the Five Orange Pips." To British audiences, the 'K.K.K.' note would have seemed mysterious - something along the lines of a Dancing Men code. But to American audiences, it was a known entity. The KKK was a secret society founded in the southern United States following the Civil War, which committed many outrages. But the KKK as portrayed in this particular Sherlock Holmes story: was it true to life? Or was it a case of literary license? Please leave us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice, and consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal. Links "The Adventure of the Five Orange Pips" "Two Southern Exposures of Sherlock Holmes," Manly Wade Wellman, The Baker Street Journal, Vol 2. No. 4 (1947) - available on 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 --