Sherlock Holmes is, famously, “the man who never lived and so can never die”, but that has not stopped decades of enthusiasts searching for evidence of his true identity. So, what if we told you that Portsmouth Libraries has the only known photograph of the great detective and that the provenance is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself?

Well, perhaps not quite. But that’s what it looked like when researchers trawling through the Richard Lancelyn Green collection at Portsmouth Central Library came across a photograph labelled “Sherlock Holmes” in an album compiled by Conan Doyle. The red leather-bound album records the Salisbury Plain manoeuvres of September 1898, a vast war-game exercise conducted by the British army to test its readiness for future conflicts. Conan Doyle was an enthusiastic eyewitness, invited to attend by his friend the military historian and journalist, Major Arthur Griffiths.

During the stay, at which Griffiths and Conan Doyle hobnobbed with the senior military figures of the day, this innocuous snap was taken. It shows Conan Doyle holding up a bicycle and is labelled, in Conan Doyle’s distinctive hand, “Sherlock Holmes.” But what does it mean? Is Sherlock the imaginary pedaler? Or is Conan Doyle really Sherlock Holmes? The game is afoot – or a-pedal!

Whatever the case, the photograph is of such interest to Sherlockians that a limited-edition postcard has been produced and can be purchased from the Library shop. All proceeds will go to the collection to enable more people to visit, research and enjoy the Richard Lancelyn Green bequest and the life and work of Portsmouth’s adopted son, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

   

The Imaginary Pedlar Postcards
   

Two photos, one of a postcard showing Doyle on a bicycle and the front cover of a red book that reads: Salisbury Plain Manoeuvres Sept. 1898

Postcards are £3 each + £1 postage to the UK or £5 for international shipping.

To purchase a postcard, please complete the payment form by first visiting the Portsmouth City Council website, and from here clicking 'All other payments'. Then on the next page scroll down to and click 'Miscellaneous', then 'Portsmouth History Centre' and finally 'Conan Doyle - Postcards'.

Screen recording showing clicking all other payments then miscellaneous then Portsmouth History Centre then finally Conan Doyle - Postcards

Once you reach the form page, please calculate your postage and fill out all the fields, being sure to include your email address and quantity ordered in the comments box. For international orders please add your full address, including post code/zip code, to the comments box as well.

in the first and second fields please put your name, your street in the third, your flat if applicable in the forth, your town/city in the fifth, your postcode or PO1 2DX if you are shipping internationally then the next two fields are pounds and pence and in the last field please put the quantity of your order, your email address and if you are international shipping your full address

If you have a problem with the form please email: sherlock.holmes@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.

  

  

  

Related

0 Comments

Comments

Comments are disabled for this post.