Sherlock Holmes: Trifles

"Who were these German people" [ENGR] Sherlock Holmes had a number of encounters with German people. Who were they, and how did these interactions reflect on international relations at the time? This is the first in a new series on Trifles focusing on international elements of the Sherlock Holmes stories. Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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/trifles108 RadioPublic Sponsor The Baker Street Irregulars 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 smartest of the Scotland Yarders" [SIGN] If you ask anyone familiar with the Sherlock Holmes stories to name a Scotland Yard inspector, they'll invariably answer, "Inspector Lestrade." But Sherlock Holmes had a healthy respect for a handful of other police inspectors, both from Scotland Yard and from the surrounding areas. Who were they, and in which stories did they appear? Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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/trifles107 RadioPublic Sponsor The Baker Street Irregulars Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"to play games of that sort" [REIG] This marks the first in a semi-regular series on Trifles in which we spend time talking about sports and games in the Sherlock Holmes stories. In this episode, we look specifically at board games that were mentioned in the Canon and discuss their history and origins. Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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/trifles106 Backgammon Draughts / Checkers Chess The Mansion of Happiness The Checkered Game of Life The Game of the District Messenger Boy Progress and Play: Board Games and the Meaning of History RadioPublic 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 tall, black-bearded figure" [HOUN] We begin our third season with a discussion of facial hair in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Specifically, beards. That's right, hipsters: you've got company. Very, very old company. Interestingly, we found that many of the more famous bearded characters in the stories shared a similar character trait. Just what was it? It's just a trifle, but you'll have to tune in to find out. Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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/trifles105 E.J. Wagner in I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere: Episode 159 RadioPublic Sponsor The Baker Street Irregulars Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"he had invariably breakfasted and gone out before I rose" [STUD] The holidays typically bring a bounty of food, followed by solemn pledges to exercise and take better care of ourselves in the new year. What do we know about Sherlock Holmes and his eating habits? He was thin, but did that mean he didn't have an appreciation for food? From fast food to fine dining, Sherlock Holmes displayed a wide range of culinary appreciation. And it's our topic for the final episode of Trifles for 2018. Do you have any special requests for 2019? Let us know what additional topics you'd like us to discuss in the coming year. Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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/trifles104 RadioPublic Sponsor The Baker Street Irregulars Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"if it turns red, it means a man's life" [NAVA] We often fixate on the famous cases like the Giant Rat of Sumatra, James Phillimore and his umbrella, or Wilson, the notorious canary trainer. But there are times when some trifling detail escapes our notice. In this, the final episode of our Unpublished Cases series, we look at the tiniest bit of detail around a chemistry experiment that had to do with a man's life in the balance... And we need your help for 2019! Let us know what additional topics you'd like us to discuss. Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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/trifles103 RadioPublic Sponsor The Baker Street Irregulars Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"he slipped down upon the floor" [PRIO] It's not often that we have our eyes cast downward at 221B Baker Street. There are so many interesting things to see at eye-level: the Persian slipper, the chemistry set, the patriotic 'VR' on the wall. But there were floor coverings in the famous flat. In this, the final episode of our Inside 221B series, we look at what was on the floor and the care that must have gone into them. They are just a Trifle... And we need your help for 2019! Let us know what additional topics you'd like us to discuss. Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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 Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles102 Sponsor The Baker Street Irregulars Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"In the morning you will send for a hansom" [FINA] The Sherlock Holmes canon is a wonderful snapshot of the times. In particular, we get a good sense of the kinds of transportation that conveyed citizens around London and its environs. The hansom cab is probably the most well-known, but there are a number of other types of horse-drawn vehicles that we find in the stories. What are they? Well, it's just a Trifle. And we need your help for 2019! Let us know what additional topics you'd like us to discuss. Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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/trifles101 RadioPublic Hansom cab Four-wheeler / Clarence Transport and Carriages in the Victorian Era Sponsor The Baker Street Irregulars Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"Did you tell him of our telephone appointment?" [3GAR] From the Gramophone to the telephone, November seems to be quite the month of technology here on Trifles. Yes, even though Holmes did most of his work in the late 19th century, there were opportunities to use the newfangled voice-to-voice communications device known as the telephone. We explore just when and where, as well as certain supporting clues. And we need your help for 2019! Let us know what additional topics you'd like us to discuss. Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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/trifles100 RadioPublic 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 retained in this case of the Ferrers Documents" [PRIO] The arrival of Dr. Thorneycroft Huxtable on the doorstep (and hearth rug!) of 221B Baker Street was dramatic. He collapsed like a beached whale, and Sherlock Holmes was able to infer a great deal about the reason for his visit. And yet, Holmes gave an excuse for potentially turning down the case: he was involved with the Ferrers Documents. We're not told what that is, but we think it may just be a Trifle... Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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/trifles99 RadioPublic Les Klinger on Episode 155 of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere The Alternative Sherlock Holmes: Pastiches, Parodies and Copies by Peter Ridgway Watt and Joseph Green 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

"modern gramophones are a remarkable invention" [MAZA] When you glance across the Sherlock Holmes stories, there really aren't that many instances of children. Some of the tales are just not suitable for little ears, after all. But there were key instances in which children played a vital role in the plot or moving the action forward. We explore some of those, as well as the warning signs that you might want to spend a little more (or less) time with the young ones. It is just a Trifle... Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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 Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles98 Trifles Episode 80 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

"Children, my dear boy, children." [GREE] When you glance across the Sherlock Holmes stories, there really aren't that many instances of children. Some of the tales are just not suitable for little ears, after all. But there were key instances in which children played a vital role in the plot or moving the action forward. We explore some of those, as well as the warning signs that you might want to spend a little more (or less) time with the young ones. It is just a Trifle... Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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/trifles97 RadioPublic The Four Stages of Cruelty - William Hogarth 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

"Disguised, and under an assumed name" [STUD] Sherlock Holmes was a master of disguises. They allowed him to infiltrate areas that would have otherwise been off-limits or situations in which he would have been discovered. What were some of the incarnations he undertook? Can you remember the four named aliases he assumed? It is just a Trifle... Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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/trifles96 RadioPublic Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"a small monograph upon the uses of dogs in the work of the detective" [CREE] There are a handful of dogs sprinkled throughout the Sherlock Holmes stories. And while a few of them are used in a traditional police-tracking way, the great detective found other uses for them. Whether friendly, hostile, or just plain silent, dogs were vital to helping Sherlock Holmes solve some of his cases. It's just a Trifle... Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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/trifles95 RadioPublic The Cynological Mr. Holmes: Conanical Canines Considered: Dog-Lore and Dog-Love in the Sherlockian Saga by Michael Harrison Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"the peculiar persecution of John Vincent Harden" [SOLI] The famous year of 1895 holds many wonders. Many of the cases in The Return of Sherlock Holmes took place in this year, and as you would imagine, many of the untold tales are mentioned during that timeframe. And it would seem that if one has three names — John Hector McFarlane, John Scott Eccles, or in this case John Vincent Harden — there's some dirty work afoot. How is it that a tobacco millionaire can come to be persecuted in a peculiar way? It's just a Trifle... Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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/trifles93 RadioPublic Sherlock Holmes: The Peculiar Persecution of John Vincent Harden by Dan Andriacco I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 141: Baker Street Beat Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"Pray take a seat" [MAZA] As we glance around the sitting room at 221B Baker Street, the famous lodgings of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, there's no lack of seating. In fact, one might have the pick of any number of seating styles. From armchair to basket chair, settees to sofas, we explore the seating arrangements found in Sherlock Holmes's flat. We discuss who sat where and when, and how one particular chair gave away a criminal. These are just Trifles... Have you left us a rating and review on iTunes 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/trifles93 Wessex Press Archie and Edith Bunker's chairs at the American History Museum Christopher Morley: Minty's Varsity Chair I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 153: The Rooms at 221B Baker Street Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"he could send some telegrams" [PRIO] "My correspondence certainly has the charm of variety," said Sherlock Holmes in "The Noble Bachelor." He could have been easily referring to the medium as well as the message. For Holmes was an inveterate sender and receiver of telegrams. What was the messaging industry like in those days? And why did Holmes have Watson read his correspondence to him from time to time? That's what we explore in this episode of Trifles. 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/trifles92 Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"either a very bad joke or an insult" [SILV] We occasionally hear "Mr. Cocksure" and "jack-in-office" thrown about as epithets in the Sherlock Holmes stories. But by and large, there is very little profanity in these Victorian and early Edwardian detective tales. But Sherlock Holmes manages to insult and put down some of his rivals, in a decidedly cool and casual way. Explore the sometimes harsh language that was meant to insult in this episode of Trifles. 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 Substack. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles91 Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"come on to the Continent with me" [FINA] Watson occasionally accompanied Sherlock Holmes onto the Continent (i.e., Europe), but there were many other instances when Holmes's work took him there without Watson. And we, along with Watson, were later treated to tantalizing hints as to what happened. What were some of these places and what were the untold and exotic tales that Sherlock Holmes was involved with? They are the topic of this episode of Trifles. 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/trifles90 Episode 66: Sherlock Holmes's Honorifics The Alternative Sherlock Holmes: Pastiches, Parodies, and Copies The Island of Uffa identification by James O'Leary via Doyleockian Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"off to violin-land, where all is sweetness and delicacy and harmony" [REDH] One of the most off-hand but arresting comments that Sherlock Holmes made was that he owned a Stradivarius violin. That he had purchased for a mere 55 shillings! What do we know of Stradivarius instruments, and about Holmes's own ability on the violin? 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 Substack. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles89 Stradivarius (Wikpedia) The tale of Roman Totenberg's stolen Stradivarius (NPR) Top image via the Falk Archive - KFA Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"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 --