abbreviations:
I have taken to using Jay Finley Christ’s four-letter abbreviations to refer to the books and stories in the Canon.
agony column:
Holmes often turns to the agony column — ENGR: “Sherlock Holmes was, as I expected, lounging about his sitting-room in his dressing-gown, …
Assizes, the:
Although the term assizes can refer to many things, in Sherlock Holmes it usually refers to the courts of Assizes, meaning a …
baritsu:
The martial art in which Sherlock Holmes claimed proficiency, and with which he defeated Professor Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls. There is no …
barouche, landau:
a four wheeled carriage drawn by two horses with two benches, allowing the passengers to face each other across the middle, with …
barristers, attorneys
Britain has a split legal profession that includes barristers and solicitors (and at one time serjeants at law). Barristers can plead in …
Beeton’s, Mrs. Book of Household Management:
How often have we encountered Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management when researching the Victorian era? Sophie Dahl wrote and presented this …
Bertillon, Alphonse:
Alphonse Bertillon created the science of anthropometry as a means to identify criminals, using physical measurements and photographs. He also pioneered many …
Bradshaw’s Railway Companion:
COPP: “Just look up the trains in Bradshaw”: (George) Bradshaw’s Railway Companion, begun in 1839, were railway time tables (Britain had many …
Brain fever:
Brain fever afflicts several characters in the Canon, most notably Mrs. Barclay in The Crooked Man and Percy Phelps in The Naval …
brougham:
Pronounced “broom,” this is a four-wheeled carriage for two, with a separate seat for the driver and perhaps a footman. Similar to …
Burke’s Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage:
In NOBL, Holmes “picked a red-covered volume from a line of books of reference beside the mantelpiece” and read an entry for …
buying a commission:
From the beginnings of the British army until 1871, most officers bought their commissions. Soldiers could be promoted for merit or after …
cabriolet:
A two-wheeled carriage for two, one of who is the driver, drawn by a single horse. It has a folding top to …
Canon, the :
Collectively the four novels and 56 short stories featuring Sherlock Holmes written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Saying something is not canon …
commonplace book:
This is another one of those wonderful phrases like my particular friend. A commonplace book is simply a scrapbook and Holmes must …
constitutional monarchy:
England is a constiutional monarchy, that is the king or queen is a largely ceremonial position and acts as the head of …
coroner’s inquest or jury:
You’ll see mention again and again in Holmes, Poirot and Miss Marple stories about an inquest being held after Lord Thingummy is …
Debrett’s, look him up in:
Since 1780 (with a few lapses) Debrett’s Peerage and Baronetage has been the who’s who of the English titled, and you see …
gasogene:
A device that made carbonated water for alcoholic drinks. A chemical reaction in the upper chamber forced carbon dioxide in the lower …
hackney, hansom, growler:
A two-wheeled carriage drawn by a single horse and used as a taxi cab and refers to either originally a brougham and …
irregulars:
The Baker Street Irregulars is both the name of the principal Sherlock Holmes society and the street urchins Holmes employed. I would …
letters patent:
These were open letters issued by a monarch conferring some office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or to some …
money:
A pound is 20 shillings, and as there are 12 pence to a shilling (aka sovereign), is also 240 pence. Five shillings …
pastiche:
A novel written in the style of an author and usually borrowing an author’s characters, like Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. It …
pea-souper, a real:
Unfortunately this phrase, to my knowledge, is never uttered in the Canon, but it was undoubtedly a phrase known to Holmes and …
penny dreadfuls:
Also called penny horribles and penny awfuls, these were cheap and usually lurid stories that were popular in the 19th century, the …
phaeton:
A carriage with four large wheels, usually seating two, drawn by a single horse or tandem, often with a folding top. It …
playing the game, the Grand Game:
Maintaining the belief that Sherlock Holmes was a real person, that his biographer was John Watson and that Arthur Conan Doyle was …
primogeniture:
Generally, the law or custom that the first-born or oldest surviving son should be the presumed inheritor. That’s why there are a …