Sherlock Holmes: Trifles

“His collaboration may be very necessary” [ILLU]     

There's a curious phrase in the beginning of A Study in Scarlet that requires a little more consideration. Do you know what it is? John Ball, Jr. did. 

And his theory about what that phrase signified is an intelligent and plausible one, lifted from a 1954 issue of The Baker Street Journal and The Baker Street Reader. Along the way, we uncover a surprising fact about Ball. And it’s anything but a Trifle.

All of our supporters are eligible for our monthly drawings for Baker Street Journals and certain tiers receive thank you gifts. Join our community today.   Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts.   Links / Notes John Ball Jr. (Wikipedia) The Baker Street Reader (Abebooks) The eBSJ All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Join our community on Patreon or Substack to hear bonus material and be eligible for drawings.    Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra  Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band  Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0      

“we shall certainly have to go to Norwood” [SIGN] 

The latest in our travel series takes us to Norwood. In particular, the Norwood in The Sign of Four. Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, and Mary Morstan take a cab to a seedier part of London, and then a four-wheeler south to Norwood.

How long would it have taken them? And what else might we find in this London suburb? Michael Harrison assists with an essay from In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes, and it’s just a Trifle.

 

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Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts.

 

Links / Notes

In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes by Michael Harrison

The Crystal Palace Fire

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Music credits

Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra 

Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band 

Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

“consult me over that Manor House case” [GREE]    In addition to fascinating cases and clients, the Sherlock Holmes stories saw some wonderful house names. How did some of them get their names?   We look at the history of house names, call out the story names that were also house names, and mention a few of our favorite lesser-known country houses in the Canon. It's just a Trifle.   Oh, and just for our Patreon and Substack supporters, we have some additional analysis in a bonus episode. All of our supporters are eligible for our monthly drawings for Baker Street Journals and certain tiers receive thank you gifts. Join our community today.   Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts.   Links / Notes

History of UK House Names English Country House Names Explained Experience Sherlock Holmes Filming Locations Up Close All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Join our community on Patreon or Substack to hear bonus material and be eligible for drawings.    Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra  Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band  Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0      

“one of biscuits” [GLOR]    It's not often we find ourselves with a Muppets crossover, but after stumbling across a few trifling references in the Sherlock Holmes stories, we began to think about the Cookie Monster in Baker Street.   Of course, there were no cookies in Baker Street. Only biscuits. Where might we find mentions of biscuits in the Canon? And what do we know about their variety and history? It's just another treat – a Trifle.   Oh, and just for our Patreon supporters, we have a link to a very special Cookie Monster-themed Sherlockian item. All of our supporters are eligible for our monthly drawings for Baker Street Journals and certain tiers receive thank you gifts. Join our community today.   Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts.   Links / Notes

Playlist: Trifles episodes about food All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Join our community on Patreon or Substack to hear bonus material and be eligible for drawings.  Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra  Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band  Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0      

“the weaver by his tooth or the compositor by his thumb” [COPP]    On the third week of every month, we look at a piece of Sherlockian scholarship in a series we call "Mr. Sherlock Holmes the Theorist." In this episode, the article "The Effect of Trades on the Body" by Remsen Ten Eyck Schenck from Vol. 3, No. 1 of The Baker Street Journal in 1953 serves as our anchor.   Schenck offers a look at one of the monographs Holmes mentioned in The Sign of Four and proceeds to compare it with medical literature to draw conclusions about Holmes's work. And it's just a Trifle. Don't miss the bonus material we have for you - available on both Patreon and Substack. All of our supporters are eligible for our monthly drawings for Baker Street Journals and certain tiers receive thank you gifts. Join our community today. Become a Patron! Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts.   Links / Notes

Find Schenck's article in the eBSJ Episode 43 - Sherlock Holmes' Monographs All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Join our community on Patreon or Substack to hear bonus material and be eligible for drawings.    Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra  Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band  Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0      

“whatever luggage you intend to take” [FINA]     We're back on the rails this week, with our monthly travel-related episode. This time, we turn to an article written by H.J. Curjel for The Sherlock Holmes Journal, Vol. 12, Nos. 3 & 4, Summer 1976.    Specifically, we review his survey of stories in which railway journeys long and short took place, and specifically those in which luggage was mentioned or when people traveled without luggage. 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.  

All of our supporters are eligible for our monthly drawings for Baker Street Journals and certain tiers receive thank you gifts. Join our community today.

    Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes Arthur Conan Doyle's Portable Writing Desk (I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere) All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Join our community on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   Sponsor We are open to sponsorship. Please get in touch with us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com.    Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0        

“half-humorous, half-cynical” [DEVI]     Celebrate our terquasquicentennial with us as we take a full look at "half" mentions in the Canon. While there are nearly 400 instances of the word, there are a select few that tell us something about hte personality of Sherlock Holmes.    Namely, that Sherlock Holmes used the term "half" strategically when he wanted to sound a certain way. 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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes Holmes and a Train Bluff (Simanaintis Says) All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Join our community on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   Sponsor We are open to sponsorship. Please get in touch with us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com.    Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0        

“the secret societies must have done it” [STUD]     Here and there across the Sherlock Holmes stories, we find ourselves embroiled in the intrigue that involves secret societies. Many are of foreign origin, and they're almost always associated with death and violence.   What are these organizations and in which stories can we find them? 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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes Episode 266 - Final Illumination on the Lucca Code I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 30: The Sherlockian with Graham Moore All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Join our community on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   Sponsor We are open to sponsorship. Please get in touch with us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com.    Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0        

“His body was absolutely corpulent” [GREE]     Join us for another "Mr. Sherlock Holmes the Theorist" episode, in which we bring a piece of Sherlockian scholarship about a trifling issue to you.    This time, we look at Anna Brindisi Behrens' article "Corpulence in the Canon: Beyond Stereotypes" from the Winter 2023 issue of The Baker Street Journal (Vol. 73., No. 4). It's a look beyond the obvious, and as always, 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.  

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    Links / Notes The Baker Street Journal Henry VIII, a turkey leg, and the Mandela Effect All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Join our community on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   Sponsor We are open to sponsorship. Please get in touch with us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com.    Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0        

“not far from Frinton.” [RETI]     It's travel time again! The second episode of every month in Season 8 is travel-themed, and we ride the rails again with "An Essex Adventure" by A. Godfrey Hunt from The Sherlock Holmes Journal, Vol. 21, No. 1 (Winter 1992).    Here we have the case of Holmes getting a client-cum-suspect out of the way. And in doing so, he sent Josiah Amberley with Watson on a wild goose chase to Essex. Why Essex, though? 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.  

All of our supporters are eligible for our monthly drawings for Baker Street Journals and certain tiers receive thank you gifts. Join our community today.

    Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes The Sherlock Holmes Journal All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Join our community on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   Sponsor We are open to sponsorship. Please get in touch with us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com.    Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0        

“chalk his billiard-cue” [MISS]     Back in Season 3, when we did a series on Games and Sports, we had one episode on billiards in the Sherlock Holmes stories. In this case, we were inspired by an article in the Sherlock Holmes Journal specifically mentioning Watson's billiard-playing habits.   When did Watson start playing billiards? Who was Thurston? And other than at his club, where is it likely that he engaged in the game? 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.  

All of our supporters are eligible for our monthly drawings for Baker Street Journals and certain tiers receive thank you gifts. Join our community today.

  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes "The Cuerious Incidence of Watson's Billiard Playing" by Donald Jewell, The Sherlock Holmes Journal, Vol. 20, No. 3 (Winter 1991) Other episodes mentioned Episode 132: Billiards All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Join our community on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   Sponsor We are open to sponsorship. Please get in touch with us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com.    Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0        

“here’s a hunting crop handy” [IDEN]     In the last episode, we reflected on Sherlock Holmes chasing James Windibank out of Baker Street. While he did so, he referenced his handy hunting crop.    Hunting crops, do (ahem) crop up in the Canon from time to time. Who used them and why? What are they used for when not being brandished as weapons? 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.

 

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet?    Links / Notes Sidney Paget's hunting crop Other episodes mentioned Episode 145: Shooting and Hunting Episode 215: Walking Sticks and Canes All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Join our community on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   Sponsor We are open to sponsorship. Please get in touch with us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com.    Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0        

“You’ll be interested to hear that I am engaged.” [CHAS]     The name of this show was inspired in part by William Hyder, BSI ("A Most Valuable Institution"), who includes a half sheet of a trifling matter in the dinner packet of the Baker Street Irregulars each year. And as has become our tradition, each January, we use his Trifle.   Our attention turns to Hosmer Angel / James Windibank from "A Case of Identity," who led on Miss Mary Sutherland with whiskers, tinted glasses, a whispery voice, and a typewriter, before abandoning her. Holmes had no patience for a man who'd treat a woman this way. Until...  And that'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.  

All of our supporters are eligible for our monthly drawings for Baker Street Journals and certain tiers receive thank you gifts. Join our community today.

  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes 221B: Studies in Sherlock Holmes by Vincent Starrett "Behind the Times" from Round the Red Lamp by Arthur Conan Doyle Other episodes mentioned (from Season 4) Episode 185: The Women of Influence Episode 190: The Working Girls Episode 194: Ladies of Title Episode 199: The Victims All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Join our community on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   Sponsor We are open to sponsorship. Please get in touch with us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com.    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 no other boarder” [VALL]     The third episode of every month in Season 8 finds us revisiting familiar ground: episodes under the "Mr. Sherlock Holmes the Theorist" category, as we revisit old Sherlockian scholarship.   This episode brings us to an overlooked chapter of a familiar book. It's James Keddie's "The Other Boarder" from Vincent Starrett's 221B: Studies in Sherlock Holmes, in which he brings in a surprising discovery from "Behind the Times." 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.  

All of our Patreon supporters are eligible for our monthly drawings for Baker Street Journals and certain tiers receive thank you gifts. Join our community today.

  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes 221B: Studies in Sherlock Holmes by Vincent Starrett "Behind the Times" from Round the Red Lamp by Arthur Conan Doyle Other episodes mentioned: Episode 139: Music in the Canon, Part 1 Episode 140: Music in the Canon, Part 2 Episode 164: Was Sherlock Holmes an American? Episode 359: Dr. Watson's Secret All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Join our community on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   Sponsor We are open to sponsorship. Please get in touch with us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com.    Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0        

“We traveled by the Underground” [REDH]       We're kicking off a new monthly series for Season 8: travel. Highly appropriate, as we travel to New York for the Baker Street Irregulars Weekend.   In this case, our travel is local within London. That is, the Underground. For as much as we associate Sherlock Holmes and London, his travel on the Underground was a bit limited. The late John Baesch, BSI helps us explore 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.  

All of our Patreon supporters are eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals and certain tiers receive thank you gifts. Join our community today.

  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes The Original Empty House: Mind the Gap (I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere) All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Join our community on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   Sponsor We are open to sponsorship. Please get in touch with us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com.    Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0        

“I have myself found it a very soothing atmosphere” [GREE]     It's easy to think of Sherlock Holmes as an automaton — Watson himself called Holmes that exact word, remarking “There is something positively inhuman in you at times.”   And yet, if we consider the detective's demeanor with clients and the types of activities he found solace in, we find a softer side of Holmes. 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.  

All of our Patreon supporters are eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings for Baker Street Journals and certain tiers receive thank you gifts. Join our community today.

  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes Tactical Communication (I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere) All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Join our community on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   Sponsor We are open to sponsorship. Please get in touch with us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com.    Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0        

“Oh, my God! what a blind fool I have been!” [BERY]       Well, this is it. The final entry of Season 7 and of 2023. And it marks our 365th episode.    We reach the final episode in a quartet of episodes that took us as many months to complete, honoring Alfred Hitchcock as an inspiration. And we look back at the origins of the show, what some of the running themes have been, and where we'll take it in Season 8. It's just a Trifle.   Thank you to our loyal listeners, who are enthusiastic and encouraging. There's lots ahead, particularly for our Patreon community. Stay tuned!   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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes Playlists on SoundCloud Episode 352 – Lions  Episode 356 – Tigers  Episode 361 – Bears All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   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 charming coquettish intimacy” [3GAB]     The final installment in this season's Masters Class is another Christopher Morley essay, "Watson à la Mode," from Vol. 1 No. 1 of The Baker Street Journal (1946).   We discuss Morley's keen analysis of Watson's eye for fashion and an extraordinary conclusion about his marriages. It's just a Trifle.   Oh, and we've issued a challenge to Trifles Patreon supporters, due before the next issue drops. A prize awaits!   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. Join our community today.

    Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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 compliments of the season” [BLUE]     Here it is, 12 days before Christmas — the perfect time to celebrate with you. So we're doing it in style.   Listener Jim Zych was kind enough to share his trifling monograph "The 12 Sherlockian Days of Christmas," so we thought we might adapt it for you. So take a numerical journey through the Canon with us. 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. Join our community today.

        Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock The 12 Days of Christmas (Wikipedia) Some of our favorite variations: The 12 Gifts of Christmas (Allan Sherman) The 12 Days of Christmas (Bob & Doug McKenzie) The 12 Pains of Christmas (Bob Rivers) Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“washed their hands of the matter” [GREE]    We like to think that the practice of hand washing is a universal occurrence. After a couple of years of a pandemic, it was certainly ingrained into the public's awareness (we hope).   But when it comes to life in the Sherlock Holmes stories, where do we find instances of manual hygiene? And when were some individuals positively slovenly? 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. Join our community today.

    Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Maimonidies and the need for hand washing (National Library of Medicine) Joseph Lister's contributions to hygiene (Science Museum) Ignaz Semmelweis (Wikipedia) Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“bear in mind” [MUSG]  Image credit: Russell Stutler   Can you think of the instances when bears are mentioned in the Sherlock Holmes stories? We'll give you a minute.   No? There are four specific mentions, but blink and you'll miss them. We cover them in this episode, along with exploring just why there are no bears in the United Kingdom. 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 bonus material following this episode, just for our Patrons. Join our community today.

      Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock This Here Is Your Life, Sherlock Holmes: Parody from the Voice of Yogi Bear Beargarden (Wikipedia) Henry III's Polar Bear (National Trust) Why a Bearskin Rug? (John H. Watson Society) Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“By Jove, Watson; I’ve got it!” [CHAS]    Last month, we contemplated the significance of the exclamation "By George!" So this month, we give ourselves over the gods as we explore "By Jove!"   What's the significance of a Jovian exclamation, what's the connection to being jovial, and who is described as such in the Sherlock Holmes stories? 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. 

  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock By Jove! Thor and Jupiter in the Sherlock Holmes Stories Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“This terrible secret” [FIVE]    Dr. Watson was a master of inconsistencies. Or perhaps sloppiness. Or, according to Christopher Morley, intentional obfuscation. With a little chronological detective work, he may have figured it out.   Just what was Watson's secret, and why was he keeping it? He did it so well that not only did he keep it from his readers, but from Sherlock Holmes himself. It's the lastest Masters Class 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.  

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Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“Now, then, give him the pencil.” [GREE]    Writing implements are a part of daily life. They are today and they were when Watson was writing the stories.   And from the very first story, Watson picks up a pencil to jot some notes. Where else do we find pencils, and how do they play into the importance of some of the Sherlock Holmes stories? 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.  

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  Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles      Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles358 The History of the Pencil (British Museum) The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance by Henry Petroski El Casco pencil sharpener (Amazon) Faber-Castell Perfect Pencil 9000 with Built-in Pencil Sharpener and Extender (Amazon) All of our social links: linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“bag of tigers” [EMPT]    We continue to clean up and cover a few more animals that we missed in previous seasons. The tiger was another foreign curiosity for Victorians, being native to Asia – from the Russian Far East through parts of North Korea, China, India, and Southeast Asia to Sumatra (yes, that Sumatra).   While tigers in the Sherlock Holmes stories are few and far between, they're certainly mentioned. In what context? And where exactly? 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.  

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Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles356 Playlist: Animals Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“I’m a free-born American” [STUD]    It's the final quarter of our Masters Class series, and this is the first of three essays we're going to bring you from the pen of Christopher Morley. Morely is important not only because he founded the Baker Street Irregulars, but because of his stature as a writer and person of his time.   His essay "Was Sherlock Holmes an American?" first appeared in 1934 but it has enjoyed a life far beyond its original appearance. And it sets the tone for how interested and invested Sherlockians can make something of 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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles355 Related episodes: I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 272: Legends of the BSJ: Christopher Morley Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“By George, it’s marvellous!” [GOLD]  "By George!" It's an expression you've heard and read thousands of times, most likely. And it comes up in the Sherlock Holmes stories, naturally.   We found "by George" in 10 stories. Which ones were they? Who utters it? And what does it mean? Take the quiz along with us. 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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles354 By George! (Grammarphobia) Related episodes: Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“a set of excellent teeth” [RESI]       Around these parts, we've surveyed the implications of teeth, teeth marks and other clues for the purpose of investigation and detection (listen to Episode 206), but we never looked comprehensively at teeth.   In this episode, our discussion ranges from Oscar Wilde's choppers to the history of unfair stereotypes, to pondering how one can tell the cut from a tooth from the cut of a dull knife, and more. 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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles353 Oscar Wilde's Teeth (Writers in London in the 1890s) Testy Teeth! Dental Interventions in 19th Century London (Museum of London) "Teeth" by Spike Milligan (AllPoetry) Related episodes: Episode 206 - Smile When You Say That (Season 4) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“you used to shoot lions” [MAZA]   Back in Season 5, we had a recurring feature: each month, we looked at a particular exotic animal from the Sherlock Holmes stories. Langur, mongoose, baboon, jellyfish, worms — a menagerie, for sure. The full playlist is in our links.    But we missed lions. Given our recent episode focusing on the terrible tragedy in "The Veiled Lodger," it made us realize there are more lions than just Sahara King in the Canon. 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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles352 Related episodes: Playlist: Animals (Season 5) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways. 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        

“He thought the tutor” [3STU]   The final installment in our Masters Class series featuring the work of Michael Harrison takes us into the world of Jack the Ripper via The World of Sherlock Holmes. Ripperologists have racked their brains for a century and a half with respect to the identity of Jack the Ripper.    Even more puzzling is why Sherlock Holmes never got involved in the case. Or, as Harrison surmised, never seemed to get involved. It involves a connection with the British royal family and a sense of timing. 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.  

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Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles351 The World of Sherlock Holmes by Michael Harrison Clarence: Was He Jack the Ripper? by Michael Harrison Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale Related episodes: Episode 342 - 221 B, Baker Street Episode 346 - Why Didn't I Check Montague Street? Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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 most terrible human tragedies” [VEIL]   Having inadvertently left "The Veiled Lodger" out of our discussion about suicide in Episode 349, we put more focus on it in this episode. The introduction identifies it as "one of the most terrible human tragedies."    Is it a tragedy in the classical sense, involving a fall from greatness that evokes pity and terror, or is it merely a sad story? And aren't most of Holmes's cases tragedies in the looser sense? What are some other tragic stories in the Canon? 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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles350 Related episodes: Episode 55 - Unpublished Cases: Weird Animals Episode 273 - Grief Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“I only breathe it among ourselves—a suicide” [GOLD]   LISTENER ADVISORY: This episode contains mentions of suicide, which some listeners may find disturbing.   September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and as part of our series on monthly observances, we take a look at suicides in the Canon.   Sherlock Holmes was never called in to investigate a suicide, but he encountered a few, along with a number of instances when suicide was attempted, assumed, and ruled out.    Suicide is never a trifle, and if you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please dial 988.   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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles349 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“at the Manor House in consultation with his two colleagues” [VALL]   One of the great bits of fun of scanning the Sherlock Holmes stories is trying to determine the locations for some of the stories. In the case of The Valley of Fear, one of these identifications was made early on by Harold Wilmerding (H.W.) Bell.   But his commitment to the Canon would be dashed a decade and a half later by a serendipitous discovery from the pen of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself, plus some intrepid footwork by James Montgomery. Just which house was the inspiration for Birlstone Manor? 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.  

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Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles348 The Real House that Inspired Birlstone Manor Previous episodes mentioned: Episode 326 - Dueling Topics: Watson's Gender Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“Cut out the poetry, Watson” [RETI]      The Hound of the Baskervilles holds a special place for many people. It is a gothic tale of horror, mystery, and the supernatural. A fine example of Conan Doyle's ability to tell a good story. Trevor Raymond, BSI, M. Bt.  thought it even lent itself to poetry.    We share two of his versions of The Hound in poetic form — as if written by two famous poets — plus discuss the likely sense of the public's reaction when Holmes was off the scene for eight years and then reappeared in The Strand. 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.  

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Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles347 Previous episodes mentioned: I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 270: CrimeReads with Olivia Rutigliano Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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 walked into my room in Montague Street” [MUSG]      The Masters Class is now in session! For the second time, we turn to a Michael Harrison essay: this time, we wander the streets of London.   Michael's examination of Sherlock Holmes's rooms when he first came down to London is as workmanlike as it is eye-opening. 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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles346 Previous episodes mentioned: Quarter Day Is at Hand Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways. 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 last howl of agony” [HOUN]      Modern times give animals nearly as many rights as humans, but such was not the case in Victorian times. Unfortunately, there are numerous occasions when animals are made to suffer at the hands of humans in the Sherlock Holmes stories.   Who are the animals in question and what nefarious purposes did their sad fates serve? 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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles345 I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 48: Dangerous Work Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways. 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        

“as his car swung round the village street” [LAST]    As you know, most of the Sherlock Holmes stories were set squarely in the Victorian era. Only a handful extended beyond 1900, and only one mentioned automobiles.   However, that's not to say that Conan Doyle wasn't intensely interested in the newfangled machinery, In fact, he wrote two stories that featured cars and even had a few harrowing experiences of his own. 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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles344 "One Crowded Hour" (Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia) "How It Happened" (Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia) Conan Doyle's near-fatal automobile accident (Mental Floss) The Prince Henry Tour of 1911 (Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“called me in seven times” [ABBE]    There's something magical about the number seven. Whether or not it appears more than other numbers in the Sherlock Holmes canon is beyond our research capabilities.   However, there are some interesting and memorable associations with the number seven that we thought worth noting, thanks to a clever identification by Ruth Buchholtz in "Seventy-Seven Canonical Sevens" (BSJ, Vol. 8, No. 1, 1958). 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.  

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  Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles343 Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“this evening at 221B, Baker Street” [BLUE]  Image credit: Russell Stutler   It's time once again for the Masters Class, the episode each month in which we look at an exemplary piece of Sherlockian scholarship and discuss its merits.   This is our first of three forays into the work of Michael Harrison as found in his book In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes. His unique perch between generations in London is the perfect view to understand what 221B Baker Street was like. 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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles342 In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes by Michael Harrison Kingdom of Redonda (Wikipedia) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways. 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        

“this quick succession of strange surprises” [SIGN]    There are some trifles that are too trifling to stand on their own. Then again, Burt and Scott tend to have the ability to stretch out any bit of minutiae into an exposition.   Three topics came to our attention lately, and we felt they were deserving of a quick discussion: the seven schemes in "The Missing Three-Quarter," the size of the dog in "The Lion's Mane," and a questionable denial in "The Red-Headed League." Taken together or separately, they're 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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles341 Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“What do you say, dear?” [BOSC]    One of the earlier cases in The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes, "The Boscombe Valley Mystery" is filled with wonderful scenes and phrases that carry us through the entire Sherlock Holmes canon.   It doesn't get the same level of attention as some of the other stories from that collection, but there's a series of items that are oddities — even Trifles.   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.  

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Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles339 Episode 307 – The Boscombe Valley Mystery The Last Supper scene from History of the World Part I Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“a nice taste in wines” [LAST]    In this month's Masters Class, we turn for the final time to a work of Edgar W. Smith's, "Up From the Needle," as featured in Vol. 2, No. 1 (1947) of The Baker Street Journal.    Edgar takes us away from the canard of Sherlock Holmes as a drug addict and gives us an oenophile's assessment of Sherlock Holmes as a wine fancier. 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.  

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  And we have a bonus track for our patrons, where the conversation continued.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles338 Soundcloud playlist: Alcohol Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“It is, of course, a trifle” [TWIS]    Sometimes there are moments in the Sherlock Holmes stories when we just take Holmes at his word, giving little thought to the logic behind it. We simply trust him.   But when it comes to "The Man with the Twisted Lip," it seemed a little odd that he had to stay out at Neville St. Clair's home, seven miles from the heart of London. What was going on there? 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.  

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Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles337 Previous episodes mentioned: Episode 7 - John, James, and Mary Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“I've learned not to cry over spilled milk” [SIGN]    Between recent episodes on Eggs and Breakfast, it seems like we've had our fill of comestibles. Well, this isn't a podcast to be trifled with, so we're headed to the dairy.   We look at instances of milk and butter in the Sherlock Holmes stories while investigating the trouble with the dairy industry in Victorian England. 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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles336 Ice Cream: The Inside Scoop (British Museum) Why People in Victorian England Added Poisonous Acid to Milk (Tasting Table) Observations on London Milk (British Library) When Milk Was Full of Calf Brains (The Atlantic) Trout in the Milk (The Eagle's Call) Previous episodes mentioned: Episode 331 - Eggs Episode 259 - Did Sherlock Holmes Have a Sense of Humor? Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“Is alcohol permitted?” [MAZA]      We've explored a number of angles around alcohol in the Sherlock Holmes stories, but it recently struck us that there are glimpses of alcoholism in the Canon. Victorians were no different in their struggles with alcohol, although the disease wasn't recognized as one at the time. Where in the stories can we find evidence or mentions of alcoholics? Why did Holmes ask Watson for permission to drink? And who drank like a fish? 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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.  Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles335 Drinking in Victorian and Edwardian Britain: Beyond the Spectre of the Drunkard by Thora Hands (PDF) The Blue Ribbon Army: Gospel Temperance in England by Lilian Lewis Shiman (Historical Magazine of the Protestant Episcopal Church) Playlist: Alcohol (SoundCloud) Episode 21 - Pubs and Taverns, Part 1 Episode 22 - Pubs and Taverns, Part 2 Episode 63 - Inside 221B: Drink Up! Episode 86 - Wine and Spirits Episode 87 - The Good Doctor Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“I travelled for two years” [EMPT]      This month's Masters Class features the second in our three essays by Edgar W. Smith. In Vol. 1 No. 3 of The Baker Street Journal from 1946, Smith wonders about Sherlock Holmes's travels between 1891 and 1894.   More specifically, he compares global events and geographical and cultural realities to Holmes's story, and something isn't quite right. Where does Smith place Sherlock Holmes for two of those years during the hiatus? 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.  

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Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles334 Sherlock Holmes and the Fall River Tragedy by Owen Haskell Episode 332 - Police Precautions Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“We have touched on three” [TWIS]    Since this is Episode 333 and since there are three stories in the Canon that incorporate the number three in their titles, we thought it was time to turn our attention to the "magic number," as three is known.   Why that number of students, gables, and Garridebs? What's the significance of the number three that it should occupy such a prominent role in the story titles? What other appearances of the number are worth noting? 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.  

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Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles333 Three Is a Magic Number (YouTube) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“Why not take police precautions against him?” [FINA]      When reading "The Final Problem," it's difficult not to be caught off-guard. After all, it opens with Watson telling us these are the last words he'll write about Sherlock Holmes.   But when we step back and look at the story with sober eyes, we realize that the police story Holmes tells Watson just doesn't add up. 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.  

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Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles332 The Franco-Midland Hardware Company Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“when I have exterminated that fourth egg” [VALL]    While we discussed breakfast in the last episode, we felt we paid more attention to the toast than the eggs. And there was one quote in particular that didn't make the cut.   We recall that quote, search for an egg-seller in the Sherlock Holmes stories, and ponder the evolution of chickens and eggs in the history of human cuisine. Which came first? 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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles331 Eggs - Some Victorian recipes (from The Dictionary of Daily Wants, 1859) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“we had breakfasted” [CHAS]    For all the meals we hear about in the Sherlock Holmes stories – not to mention Mrs. Hudson having a good idea of breakfast – what were some of the regular morning comestibles?   Come to think of it, there weren't many breakfasts mentioned in the Canon aside from one very consequential one. Can you think of others? 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.  

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Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles330 Alistair Cooke's Letter From America: Don't Name It, Cure it - 12 July 2002 Dining with Sherlock Holmes by Julia Carlson Rosenblatt and Frederich Sonnenschmidt SoundCloud playlist: Food Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“an anonymous communication from a quarter” [VALL]    Just who was it that wrote "His Last Bow"? We know it wasn't Watson, as there were observations about him in the third person and a narrative of actions that didn't include him.   In our monthly Masters Class series, we turn to the first of three pieces by the eminent Sherlockian Edgar W. Smith, who takes us on an exemplary journey of observation and deduction. 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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles329 I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 262: Embellishments in the Sherlockian Spring Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“a varied collection of weapons” [CROO]      Watson was wounded by a Jezzail bullet, Holmes fired a patriotic 'V.R.' into the wall at Baker Street, and the two leveled their pistols at the hound in the climactic scene.   But as we peruse the Canon, we find that there is a wide variety of weaponry. In some cases, a choice of weapon (or discerning one) was downright imaginative. 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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles328 "See My Vest" Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“one by one passed through into the little garden” [STUD]    Whether we think of British gardens as landscaped acres of greenery or as the source for finer botanical specimens such as roses, the Sherlock Holmes stories are littered with these examples of outdoor offerings.    April is National Garden Month, so we survey the Canon. From the plantings of John Ferrier to untended weeds of Josiah Amberley and everything in between, we talk about the importance of gardens in Victorian times. 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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles327 Inspired by The Botanical Holmes: A Monograph on Plants in the Time of Sherlock Holmes, Volume 6 in The Sherlock Holmes Natural History Series by Donald Girard Jewell. Related Episodes: Episode 274 - Trees, Part 1: Over the Oak / Under the Elm Episode 276 - Trees, Part 2: Branching Out Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“Old woman be damned!” [STUD]    One of the wonderful things about examining and reexamining the Sherlock Holmes canon is that we can find things that take on special meanings to us. And two different people can interpret the same thing in vastly different ways.    Listener Erik Deckers suggested that we find a topic that was interpreted wildly differently by two Sherlockians. So we started out with this doozy of a duel between Rex Stout and Julian Wolff. 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.  

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  Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles326 Watson Was a Woman That Was No Lady Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“any emotion akin to love” [SCAN]    Sherlock Holmes doesn't seem to have a high opinion of women, although he does a fine job of understanding them when it comes to their expressions, reactions, and motivations. Irene Adler aside, what can we infer about the love life of Sherlock Holmes?    It's a question that Trevor Hall raised in Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies, and it's the last in a series of Masters Classes about his essays. 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.  

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  Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles325 Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies by Trevor Hall Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“a feeling of vague expectancy” [LAST]    "Beware the Ides of March." So went the warning from the soothsayer to the title character in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.     But when it comes to the Sherlock Holmes canon, where do we find feelings of foreboding? Who had premonitions and what happened as a result? 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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles324 The Ides of March (HISTORY) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“that is my special hobby” [HOUN]    We all have hobbies. Indeed, our interest in Sherlock Holmes is a perfect example.   What do we know about hobbies and hobbyists in the Canon? There are those who have professional hobbies and personal hobbies, and then there's the story about how Sherlock Holmes's hobby led to his profession. 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.  

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Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles323 Smoot (Wikipedia) Baker Street Elementary: Hobby Horse Related episodes: Episode 314 – Mentors in the Canon Episode 38 – Photography  Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“I found myself in dream-land” [SIGN]    Regular sleep patterns seem to be a rarity in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Watson dozed off while Holmes remained vigilant or was prevented from sleeping by something he saw; various clients described something disturbing their sleep.   Such instances of sleepless days and nights, rude awakenings, and other sleep-related issues give us plenty somnia interrupta examples to discuss in the Canon. 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.  

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  Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles322 Nocturnal Surprises Related episodes: Episode 178 – Insomnia Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“the title by which I have just called myself is not exactly my own” [SCAN]    We're treated to a variety of colorful characters in the Sherlock Holmes canon. Some are figments of Conan Doyle's imagination while others are dangerously close to historical figures.   We took a look at a few names in "A Scandal in Bohmeia" and made some educated guesses about who or what was behind people like the Atkinson brothers, the King of Bohemia, and yes, Irene Adler. 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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles321 A Study in Sources by Donald Redmond The Strange Reason Nearly Every Film Ends by Saying It’s Fiction (Slate) Karen Wilson on IHOSE Episode 111: Hip Hop Holmes About that famous meeting at the Langham Hotel Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“Your merits should be publicly recognized.” [STUD]      We continue with our monthly series of Masters Class episodes, going back to Trevor Hall's Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies.    In this case, we look at Sherlock Holmes's skill in his chosen line of work. What was he good at and how did he come by these talents. Certainly some were hereditary, but others required study.  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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles320 IHOSE Episode 182: The Polyphonic Motets of Lassus Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies by Trevor Hall Other Trifles episodes mentioned: Episode 58 - Sherlock Holmes's Index Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“toward the Triple Alliance” [NAVA]      When we're introduced to the victim in "Wisteria Lodge," it happens first by telegram — a telegram he himself signed "John Scott Eccles." Later, we hear him referred to as "Mr. Scott Eccles" and "Mr. Eccles."   What are we to make of this? Is it a compound surname, or was it Watson playing fast and loose with names? John Scott Eccles isn't the only tripartite character we meet in the Canon, either. 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.  

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Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles319 Arthur Conan Doyle's Family Tree A Study in Sources by Donald Redmond The Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes Podcast Eccles cakes Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“over many nations and three separate continents” [SIGN]    We all know about Mary Morstan from The Sign of Four, of her marriage to Watson, and of Watson's "sad bereavement" after Sherlock Holmes returned from his hiatus in "The Empty House."   But there is evidence in a number of stories to show that Watson has been married more than once. Evidence from scholars such as Baring-Gould, Bell, Blakeney, Brend, Bristowe (and that's just the B's!), as well as Roberts, Sayers, Simpson, and others. But exactly how many marriages were there? You may be startled to hear how many we identify. 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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles318 Related episodes: Episode 23: Married Life with Dr. Watson Episode 61: John Watson, Ladies Man Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

“gazing with great reverence at the famous detective” [HOUN]    When Sherlock Holmes describes himself to Watson, he says that he's a consulting detective, and then goes on to differentiate himself from two other kinds of detectives.   What did it take to become a detective, and why was Holmes different? And what other terms did he and Watson use to describe his trade along the way? It's just a Trifle.   In a happy coincidence, after we recorded we discovered the latest meeting of The Shingle of Southsea covered this topic. Link below.   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.  

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  Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles317 The Life of a Victorian Detective "What Does It Mean to Be a Consulting Detective?" (The Shingle of Southsea) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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        

 

“pictures of the old masters” [ILLU]    It's the first of our monthly Masters Class episodes for Season 7, and we're kicking off a series of three discussions of works by a single author. As a reminder, these episodes take a piece of well-regarded Sherlockian scholarship and deconstruct it.   In this case, we look to Trevor Hall and his book Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies. The first up is Hall's attempt to discern more about Sherlock Holmes's childhood years. Does he succeed?  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.  

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Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles316 Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies by Trevor Hall Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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      

“observe the spatulate finger-end” [SOLI]    Quick: in which Sherlock Holmes stories do we find the mention of a piano? You might think you know, but you also might likely be wrong.   The piano was an important part of middle-class life in Victorian England, part of an education and part of a way to attract spouses. But there's just a passing mention in a single 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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles315 The Social History of the Piano Victorian Women and the Piano: Domesticity and Transgression Woody Allen's marching cello (YouTube) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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      

“this insignificant-looking man inspired me” [GREE]    We all have examples of mentors in our lives. People who inspire us and coach us, helping us to grow. What examples do we see of this in the Sherlock Holmes stories?   From excellent examples to counter-examples, there are a handful of instances of experience and knowledge being passed from one person to another. It's National Mentor Month, the first of our monthly observances in Season 7 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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles314 Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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 unknown gentleman who lost his Christmas dinner” [BLUE]    Poor Henry Baker has always been a sad, sympathetic character. Deprived of his hat and his peace offering to his wife at Christmastime, he was a victim of an unintended crime.   It seemed like the proper time of year to reflect on what life must have been like for Mr. Baker, both in the aftermath of the fracas as well as in the run-up to it. 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.  

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  Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles313 Other episodes mentioned: Episode 313 – The Route of the Blue Carbuncle Episode 52 – The Second Morning After Christmas Playlist of Christmas episodes Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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      

“a long-suffering woman” [DYIN]      Have you considered how much (or little) we know about Mrs. Hudson, and what we take for granted? For example, her first name was Martha, she was widowed, and she retired with Sherlock Holmes.  The answers to those are: no, not sure, and definitely not. Catherine Cooke's masterful article from the Summer 2005 Baker Street Journal combines the fanciful, the factual, and the historical to arrive at the truth. 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.  

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  Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles312 A Remarkable Mixture Other episodes mentioned: Episode 203 – The Location of 221B, Part 1 Episode 204 – The Location of 221B, Part 2 Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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   --    

“Good old Dr. Starr!” [3GAR]    One of the creepiest looking characters in the Sherlock Holmes stories was Col. Lysander Stark, who chased after Victor Hatherly with a meat cleaver in "The Engineer's Thumb." But then we run across the name Lysander Starr in "The Three Garridebs." What gives? We track the history of the name and explore some possible origins for its use. 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.  

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  Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles311 A Study in Sources by Donald Redmond Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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   --    

“found in the banks of the Amoy River in southern China” [BLUE]    The blue carbuncle had quite a journey. Before it even arrived in the action of the story, the piece of crystallized charcoal was the object of "two murders, a vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and several robberies." But once it's in London and disappears from the Countess of Morcar's possession, where does it go? Gavin Brend takes us on the wild journey. 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.  

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      Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles310 Seventeen Steps to 221B by James Edward Holroyd Related episodes: Episode 305 - Our Client's Foot Upon the Stair Episode 309 - Rambling About IHOSE Episode 243: On the Trail of Sherlock Holmes Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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   --    

“devoted to a series of walks” [WIST]    In at least four separate cases, we know that Holmes and Watson were out strolling around London. How does this square with Holmes's aversion toward exercise?   And what about other occasions in the countryside? Was Holmes a man of nature, was he gathering information, or was it something else? 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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles309 Related episode: IHOSE Episode 200: Enola Holmes Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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   --  

“revealing what they are” [ENGR]      "By a man’s finger nails, by his coat-sleeve, by his boot, by his trouser knees, by the callosities of his forefinger and thumb, by his expression, by his shirt cuffs—by each of these things a man’s calling is plainly revealed."    So Sherlock Holmes tells us in A Study in Scarlet. In this episode, we apply Holmes's methods to the attire of some of his clients. 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.  

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  Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles308 Related episodes: Episode 96 - Trick or Treat Episode 148 - Aliases and Disguises Episode 198 - Clothing in the Canon Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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   --    

“That sounds a little paradoxical.” [BOSC]      The fourth short story in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, "The Boscombe Valley Mystery," gives us a host of sayings and tenets of Sherlock Holmes's philosophy. But there are also a number of things that seem contradictory.    In this Masters Class episode, Nick Utechin's look at another mystery within this story serves as an exemplary bit of scholarship that deserves a deeper look. 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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles307 "Occasionally to Embellish": Some Writings on Sherlock Holmes (Wessex Press) Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.     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 cry for help and a splash in the water” [FIVE]      Water, water everywhere. And that just makes us think. Of the Sherlock Holmes stories, of course.   Since England is an island, it stands to reason that in the Sherlock Holmes canon, we encounter a good deal of water. But it's what's commonly associated with water that'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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles306 The Best of the Pips Volume II: More Papers on the Sundial - The 1999 Baker Street Journal Christmas Annual The unsolved mystery of Skeleton Lake Other episodes mentioned: Remembering Bob Thomalen Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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   --    

“heard upon the stairs” [SCAN]      So much of how we think about Sherlock Holmes is due to the scenes where we find Holmes and Watson at home in Baker Street.   And thanks to the illustrations of Sidney Paget, we have a pretty good idea of what that ought to look like. James Edward Holroyd wrote about this in "Our Client's Foot Upon the Stair." 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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles305 Seventeen Steps to 221B by James Edward Holroyd Other episodes mentioned: IHOSE Episode 156: The Complete Paget Portfolio Inside 221B Playlist Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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   --    

“numerous candles did something” [HOUN]      We equate gas lamps with Sherlock Holmes — even electric lights. But we don't often think about the number of candles in the stories.   More than the number: the role played by many candles. While they may seem like simple wax objects that provide illumination, in Sherlock Holmes's case, they often provided a very different kind of illumination. 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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles304 Candles of the Canon (and off to bed) (Sherlock Peoria) Closing soon: this brief survey about the availability of The Grand Game Volume One Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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   --    

“the line of his pedigree” [EMPT]      Colonel Sebastian Moran was called "the second most dangerous man in London" and was a formidable adversary of Sherlock Holmes. And yet, we know remarkably little about him, aside from a brief biographical entry in Holmes's index.   Nicholas Utechin takes us on a journey from India to Eton and from Crimea to Oxford that gets at "The Colonel of the Matter" in this Master Class episode. 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.  

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  Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles303 Beyond Baker Street (Abebooks) Other episodes mentioned: I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 249: Remembering Nicholas Utechin I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 250: A Sherlockian Semiquincentennial Please take this brief survey about the availability of The Grand Game Volume One Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   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   --    

“to reconstruct this midnight drama” [MUSG]    A quick look through the Sherlock Holmes stories finds a good number of incidents taking place around midnight.    Why is this the case? Who could we expect to find out and about at such an hour? It's unlikely that they would have been respectable people. But it is 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.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles302 The Anti-Society: An Account of the Victorian Underworld by Kellow Chesney Please take this brief survey about the availability of The Grand Game Volume One Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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 victim of an unfortunate accident” [FIVE]      For our "Mr. Sherlock Holmes the theorist" episode, we take a step back into 1947 to "Clients in Jeopardy" by Henry C. Clark, appearing in The Second Cab.   There were at least four instances in which Sherlock Holmes knew his clients were in danger, yet he sent them on their way. In which stories do we find these people, and are there others? 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.  

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  Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles301 Brief survey about the availability of The Grand Game Volume One Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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   --  

“the wondrous strength-giving serum” [CREE]      For our 300th episode, we thought we'd do something just a Trifle different. Following the theme of our previous episode, we're focused again on "The Adventure of the Creeping Man."   This time, however, we turn to a satirical piece that appeared in The Baker Street Journal: a piece in the style of a pharmaceutical ad for the wonder drug known as "Langurtin." It appeared in the Autumn 1997 issue (Vol. 47 No. 3) and was created by Jeff and Wanda Dow.   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.  

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  Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles300 Brief survey about the availability of The Grand Game Volume One Previous episodes mentioned: Episode 299 – Lowenstein of Prague Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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   --  

“an obscure scientist who was striving in some unknown way” [CREE]      In this month's Masters Class, we turn to a Morley-Montgomery Award-winning article from The Baker Street Journal in 1973: "Lowenstein of Prague" by Jan C. Prager and Albert Silverstein.   In "The Creeping Man," a certain H. Lowenstein is reviled for supplying Professor Presbury with an experimental substance. Who was Lowenstein, in actuality? And was he truly the culprit in the matter? 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.  

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Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show.    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles299 The eBSJ A Clever Publicity Play for 'The Creeping Man' Brief survey about the availability of The Grand Game Volume One The Morley-Montgomery Award Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   Sponsor The Grand Game Vol. 2   Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0   --  

“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.  

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  Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles298 Queen Elizabeth II (1926 – 2022) British Monarchs in the Sherlock Holmes Stories Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free on Patreon and become eligible for our regular giveaways.   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   --  

“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 trifles@ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.  

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    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles297 Other episodes mentioned: Episode 71 - Inside 221B: Where There's Smoke Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com Listen to us ad-free 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   --  

“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 Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.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 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 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 eBSJ   Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

“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 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

“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 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

“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 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  

“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 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 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  

“one might think that you were afraid of our finding something out” [PRIO]  The first week of the month means it's time for another round of Mr. Sherlock Holmes the Theorist, in which we take a look at a piece of old Sherlockian scholarship and discuss it anew. In this case, it's Trevor Hall's essay "A Note on The Priory School" from his book Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies.   Hall manages to find a clue buried later in "The Blanched Soldier" and traces it back to "The Priory School." What he found is enough to shock even the most devoted fans of Thorneycroft Huxtable, M.A., Ph.D., etc. It's just a Trifle.     Links / Notes

This episode: ihose.co/trifles288 Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies by Trevor Hall Sherlock Holmes: Fact or Fiction? by T.S. Blakeney Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Email us at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.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   --  

“run down to the advertising agency and have this put in the evening papers” [BLUE] We know Sherlock Holmes valued the agony column; we discussed that previously on Episode 50. Looking back at a paper by an advertising executive from the mid-20th century — a real-life Mad Man — we find the makings of an expert copywriter and marketer.   We even identify a media buyer. All of this and more, related to advertising in the Canon. It's just a Trifle.     Links / Notes

This episode: ihose.co/trifles287 The Best of the Pips (The Five Orange Pips) Seven on Sherlock (Thayer Cumings) Aboriginals (Linda & Harrison Hunt) Related episodes: Episode 286 - Strange Business Episode 109 - Brands in the Canon Episode 50 - The Agony Column 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  

 

"some hocus-pocus" [SIGN]  

The last time we were together, we examined Sherlock Holmes's Tours de Force (Episode 282), in which we discussed a number of ways he wowed people with his unique skills.

As we look closer, there are instances when people accuse him of practicing magic, sorcery, or wizardry. What are those examples, and what might have happened to Sherlock Holmes, had he lived in a different era? It's just a Trifle.

  Full show notes: https://ihose.co/trifles283 Thank you to our sponsor, The Baker Street Journal.   Please support Trifles on Patreon: https://patreon.com/trifles