Sherlock Holmes: Trifles

"a regal and stately lady in Court dress" [CHAS] With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, we find ourselves in a similar place as Sherlock Holmes did in 1901 with the passing of Queen Victoria: at the end of an age. What a perfect opportunity then, to reflect on the thirteen British monarchs who appeared in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Who were they? We found thirteen — some were obvious and others were a little tricky to find. Thanks to the help of Chris Redmond, it's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.

Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. And, we have Chris Redmond's booklet A Sherlockian History of England available as a PDF. Join our community of patrons today.

Links / Notes

• This episode: ihose.co/trifles298
• Queen Elizabeth II (1926 – 2022)
• British Monarchs in the Sherlock Holmes Stories
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• Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com
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"You still smoke the Arcadia mixture of your bachelor days then!" [CROO] When Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson first met, Watson noted he was not averse to strong tobacco and that he usually smoked what he called "ship's" himself. But later, Holmes finds him smoking the "Arcadia mixture" from his bachelor days. Why the switch? And what was it? Robert F. Cairo, Jr. identified the Arcadia mixture in a piece in The Baker Street Journal from 2000. And it's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at [email protected]. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.

Our Patreon supporters can listen to our shows ad-free and every one of them is eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals. Join our community of patrons today.

Links / Notes

• This episode: ihose.co/trifles297
• Other episodes mentioned:
• Episode 71 - Inside 221B: Where There's Smoke
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• Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com
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"I caught a glimpse of a great heart" [3GAB] Without a question, Sherlock Holmes was a master of his craft. When we look at his motivations for pursuing his career—at least on the surface—he seems like he's all business. And yet, we have glimpses of Holmes over the course of his career when he waxes a bit more philosophical. David Stuart Davies' column "A Great Heart" in the latest issue of Sherlock Holmes Magazine got us thinking about it. And it's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.

This is the episode in which we announce our monthly prize: free back issues of The Baker Street Journal. Every Patreon supporter is eligible to win this random drawing. Join our community of patrons to be eligible.

Links / Notes

• This episode: ihose.co/trifles296
• Sherlock Holmes Magazine
• Other episodes mentioned:
• Episode 183 - Justice, Part 1: Unresolved
• Episode 184 - Justice, Part 2: Disproportionate
• I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 206: Sherlock Holmes Magazine
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• Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com
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"the finest assorted collection" [STUD] For nearly a century, there has been a general concordance on which Sherlock Holmes stories are best. It was a tradition started by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the Strand Magazine, no less. Over the years, there have been minor quibbles, but one story has remained at the top of the list. How did these rankings come about and what do they say about successive generations? It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.

In the next episode we'll be holindg the drawing for our monthly prize: free back issues of The Baker Street Journal. Every Patreon supporter is eligible to win this random drawing. Join our community of patrons to be eligible.

Links / Notes

• This episode: ihose.co/trifles295
• The 12 Best Sherlock Holmes Stories, According to Arthur Conan Doyle (Lithub)
• The Best Sherlock Holmes Stories (Best of Sherlock Holmes)
• Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
• Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock DOT com
• Support us on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.

Sponsor The BSI Press Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"he was trying to hide his own identity" [RESI]

Over the years, there have been numerous theories about how Watson (or Mrs. Watson, rather) got his name wrong, substituting "James" for "John." We covered some of them in Episode 7. But this is a Masters Class episode in which we pick a masterful piece of Sherlockian scholarship and discuss it. In this case, it's one that may get to the bottom of this issue once and for all: Thomas Cynkin's article "James Watson, M.D." appeared in Vol. 51, No. 4 of The Baker Street Journal and it's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.

And don't miss a chance at our monthly prize: free back issues of The Baker Street Journal. Every Patreon supporter is eligible to win this random drawing. Join our community of patrons.

Links / Notes

• This episode: ihose.co/trifles294
• "A Remarkable Mixture" by Steven Rothman
• Other episodes mentioned:
  • Episode 7: John, James, and Mary
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• Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock DOT com
• Support us on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.

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"Carina sings tonight at Royal Albert Hall" [RETI] We revisit our previous episodes about music, with a singular investigation: Carina. Mentioned in the last Sherlock Holmes story to be published, Carina sang at Royal Albert Hall. What do we know about the venue? More importantly, just who was Carina? One investigation into her identity caught our attention, and it's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.

And don't miss a chance at our monthly prize: free back issues of The Baker Street Journal. Every Patreon supporter is eligible to win this random drawing. Join our community of patrons.

Links / Notes

• This episode: ihose.co/trifles293
• Royal Albert Hall
• Other episodes mentioned:
  • Episode 40: Sarasate
  • Episode 139: Music in the Canon, Part 1: Composers and Their Works
  • Episode 140: Music in the Canon, Part 2: Musicians, Instruments, and Venues
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• Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock DOT com
• Support us on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.

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 judgment which we have pronounced" [ABBE] You say bow, I say bow. Potato, potato, tomato, tomato, let's call the whole thing off. Of course, that song never made sense in print, just like Lord Donegall's assertion that there are alternative pronunciations to "His Last Bow." We take a look at an old piece of scholarship about this story. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies. And don't miss a chance at our monthly prize: free back issues of The Baker Street Journal. Every Patreon supporter is eligible to win this random drawing. Join our community of patrons. Links / Notes

• This episode: ihose.co/trifles292
• Baker Street and Beyond by Lord Donnegall
• Other episodes mentioned:
  • IHOSE Episode 139: The Strand Magazine
  • IHOSE Episode 208: Collector's Corner - Charles Prepolec
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• Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock DOT com
• Support us on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.

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"stained with violet" [IDEN]

It should come as no surprise that the most common name of female leads in the Sherlock Holmes stories was Violet. We meet four of them in as many stories: "The Copper Beeches," "The Solitary Cyclist," "The Bruce-Partington Plans," and "The Illustrious Client." But what do Misses Hunter, Smith, Westbury and de Merville have in common? And how was it that Conan Doyle was influenced to use this particular name? It's just a Trifle. This topic was suggested by listener Tony. (Thank you, Tony!) If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies. And don't miss our monthly prize: free back issues of The Baker Street Journal. All patrons are eligible for the random drawing. Did you win? Listen to this episode to find out! And become a patron at https://patreon.com/trifles. Links / Notes

• This episode: ihose.co/trifles291
• The Language of Flowers by Kate Greenaway
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"man in the scientific press capable of criticizing it" [VALL] Every month, we feature an episode called "Masters Class" that looks at an exemplary piece of Sherlockian scholarship that stands out for its workmanship. This time, we look at Isaac Asimov's essay "The Dynamics of an Asteroid," published in Baker Street and Beyond. He looks at the prevailing scientific knowledge of the time and ponders just what Moriarty was suggesting in his treatise. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies. Links / Notes

• This episode: ihose.co/trifles290
• Baker Street and Beyond by Michael Harrison
• Other episodes mentioned:
  • Episode 219 - Moriarty's Mathematics
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• Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock DOT com
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Sponsor The eBSJ Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

"a curious lisp in her utterance" [HOUN] In the canon of Sherlock Holmes stories, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gave us settings and characters that spring to life in our minds. His vivid descriptions help us to visualize the places and people that Holmes encounters. However, there's one subtle example that might go unnoticed by the untrained eye. Listener Anna Brindisi-Behrens, a speech pathologist by trade, brought it to our attention. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies. Links / Notes

• This episode: ihose.co/trifles289
• Canadian Holmes
• Other episodes mentioned:
  • Episode 134 - South Americans and Sherlock Holmes
• Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
• Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock DOT com
• Support us on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.

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