Sherlock Holmes: Trifles

“he sang your praises very loudly” [STOC]   As early as A Study in Scarlet, we discover that Sherlock Holmes "was as sensitive to flattery on the score of his art as any girl could be of her beauty." Then once again toward the end of the Canon, in "The Red Circle," Watson reminds us that "Holmes was accessible upon the side of flattery." We previously covered some of the insults and invective that Holmes had to endure. But what about praise? What about epithets that were acclamatory rather than derogatory. It is just a trifle.   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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.       Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles131 Episode 91 - How Insulting Steve Clarkson's The Canonical Compendium G

“a member of an aristocratic club” [BERY]    From golf clubs to gentlemen's clubs...  Ask any Sherlockian to name a club in the Canon and they'll invariably say the Diogenes Club (that's right after Tonga's club. You don't have to be a Penang lawyer to get that one.). And there were a number of fictional clubs as well.  But one club that gets just a passing mention is Watson's club. Which one was it? Speculation abounds, so we gave it a shot. It's just a trifle.  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.   We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.   Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles130 The Gentlemen's Clubs of London (Amazon) List of gentlemen's clubs in London (Wikipedia) Get your own "Signs of Four" merchandise from our s

"It is always a joy to meet an American." [NOBL]  Americans have been avid fans of Sherlock Holmes since the earliest days. The novels were pirated and the short stories were syndicated to reach millions of American readers.  And Sherlock Holmes himself was a fan of Americans. There's a wide variety of Americans and American locales that popped up in the Canon quite frequently. And those are worth trifling over.    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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic.   And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or  PayPal.   Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles129 Get your own "Signs of Four" merchandise from our store. Over 20 designs to choose from on mugs and a variety of colored t-shirts.   Sponsor The Baker Street Irregulars Press   Music cr

“'Fore God, Mr. Holmes, it’s all right,” [SHOS]     Sherlock Holmes and golf don't necessarily go together. That is clearly represented by the few times that the sport is mentioned in the Sherlock Holmes stories.   His creator, Arthur Conan Doyle, had a few connections to golf. Together, we explore these scant details and come up with enough for another episode of Trifles in our monthly look at games and sports.     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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.   Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles127 Victorian Schooling Board Schools Standards of Education from 1872 Get your own "Signs of Four" merchandise, as seen below. Over 20 designs to choose from on mugs and a variety of colored

“Light-houses, my boy! Beacons of the future!” [COPP]     We first hear of boarding-schools in "The Naval Treaty," in which Watson mentions his fellow alumnus Percy Phelps, who needs Sherlock Holmes's help. And of course, the Priory School (from the adventure of the same name) is private boarding school of some note.   When did boarding-schools come to be? What changed in the legislation of England at the time that made education more of a thing? We explore the societal forces that came to bear on schools at the time.     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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon  or PayPal.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles127 Victorian Schooling Board Schools Standards of Education from 1872 Get your

“the calculation now was a simple one” [MUSG]   The questions in the Musgrave Ritual lead us to answers that are nearly as cryptic as the questions themselves. Among the questions was "Where was the shadow?" The answer, of course, is "Under the elm."   But how was Sherlock Holmes able to calculate the location of the object of the Musgrave Ritual, given the lack of an elm and the passing of over 200 years? It's one of the trifles in the Canon.   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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic.   Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles126 Get your own "Signs of Four" merchandise   Sponsor The Baker Street Journal   Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: 

“an autograph letter of thanks from the French” [GOLD]     France and England have always had a close relationship, if contentious at times. Is it any small wonder that we find plenty of French influences in the Sherlock Holmes stories?   From quoting French philosophers to referencing French detectives and from earning French accolades and casually revealing French relatives, Sherlock Holmes was well versed with all things French. We investigate a few trifling examples.     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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles125 Ken Ludwig on IHOSE Get your own "Signs of Four" merchandise   Sponsor The BSI Press International series   Music credit

“He could carve a bit and gild and frame, and do odd jobs.” [SIXN]     There were scores of jobs mentioned in the Sherlock Holmes stories, but we focus on some of the more trifling titles in this episode.   You've heard of doctors and lawyers and even consulting detectives as professions. But what about gamekeepers? Or yeggmen? Mendicants (amateur or otherwise), tide-waiters and an abbess await your inquiry as well.    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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles124 Episode 36 - Tradesmen in the Canon Get your own "Signs of Four" merchandise   Sponsor The BSI Press Professions series   Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US

“I would not have missed it for a good deal” [BERY]     Eight episodes ago, we talked very specifically about a card game: whist. But we're aware that there's more to cards than whist, and there are additional references in the Sherlock Holmes Canon.   A brief review of a number of Sherlock Holmes stories will show "card playing" as well as one or two specifically named card games. Oh, and what about a card game specifically related to Sherlock Holmes? It's all here in 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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic.   And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.   Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles123 Episode 115 - Whist Écarté Get your own "Four Violets" merchandise   Sponsor The Baker Street Journal   Music credit

“less poisonous than one might expect” [BRUC]     From the very first Sherlock Holmes story, we're introduced to poisons and their role in crime and detective fiction. From there, it's a hopscotch of poisonings and poisons in the Canon.   From alkaloids to airborne toxins, we come across a variety of substances that cause harm, both intentionally and accidentally. What are they? Tune in and you may pick up a Trifle or two...     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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles122   Sponsor The Baker Street Irregulars Press Professions Series   Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washin

“old coins, apparently” [MUSG]     This is National Coin Week, according to the American Numismatic Association. What better week to consider old money in the Sherlock Holmes stories?   The terminology and math can be confusing to us today. Quid? Sovereign? Shilling? How do these relate to each other and how much buying power did they have? Greg Ruby, BSI of The Fourth Garrideb put a bug in our ear and that became a Trifle...     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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles121 So, How Much is a Quid, a Bob, and a Crown, Really? Old English Money British Currency System, Old British Money, and Slang   Sponsor The Baker Street Journal   Music

“distinctly Australian” [BOSC]     To readers of the Sherlock Holmes stories in the late Victorian era, Australia was an exotic and dangerous place. It was not all that far removed from the days of transportation, when some criminals and the destitute were put on ships bound for the land Down Under.   Australia makes a number of appearances in the Canon. What do these have in common and what inferences can we make? These are but a Trifle...     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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles120 Hyde Park Barracks (Sydney) Convict Sydney Exhibit I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 97: The Sydney Passengers Trifles Episode 27 - Rebellion! Sponsor T

“two on the lawn” [CROO]  Sherlock Holmes and tennis — they go together like...like... Well, we're here to tell you that while combining the great detective with a lawn sport is actually elementary.   There are a handful of passing references to this sport in the Canon, and pointing them out is merely a Trifle...    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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles119 History of Tennis History of Tennis Shoes Nicholas Meyer on I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere   Sponsor The Baker Street Journal   Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band Copyright: Creative

“we can't have tomfoolery of this kind” [FIVE]     The beginning of April dependably brings April Fools' Day. And while there weren't outright hi-jinks in the Sherlock Holmes stories, there were a fair share of instances where individuals were fooled.   You might think that it's Watson who's fooled frequently, but there were a number of times when Sherlock Holmes himself had the wool pulled over his eyes. We explore examples that add up to a little more than a Trifle...   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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.       Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles118   Sponsor The Baker Street Journal   Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publish

“It is Porlock's writing” [VALL]   The opening of The Valley of Fear introduced us to a mysterious individual: Porlock, who sent a cryptic note to Sherlock Holmes to warn him of doings afoot at Birlstone. Sherlock Holmes didn't look into Porlock's identity too closely, but we do have a number of clues and inferences that may lead us to an identification. Or that may at least narrow things down a bit. It's just a Trifle...   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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic.   Subscribe via Ear Apple Podcasts Spotify RadioPublic Google Podcasts RSS And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.   Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles117 Sponsor The Baker Street Journal   Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Cham

“The dancing Irish deviltry” [VALL]   The Irish make scant appearances across the earlier Sherlock Holmes stories, but once we pass The Valley of Fear, it's as if Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's brogue has been released onto the pages.   We explore some of those instances — including the subtle and passing ones early on — and just how Sherlock Holmes found himself inside of an Irish secret society in America.    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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic.   And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.     Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles116 The Adventure of the Stalwart Companion by H. Paul Jeffers Sponsor The BSI Press International Series   Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publish

“the game was whist” [EMPT]   We continue our monthly investigation into Games and Sports in the Sherlock Holmes stories, and in this case, we turn our attention to a card game. Specifically, whist.   There aren't too many instances of card games in the Canon, but whist comes up a couple of times. How was it played? We discuss that, and something of a trifle with respect to the game of whist that was discovered in "The Devil's Foot."    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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon  or PayPal.   Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles115 Whist (Wikipedia) I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Let's Make a Deal (George Carlin)   Sponsor The Baker Street Journal   Music credits Performers: Uncredited violini

“volumes of poetry” [ENGR]    When we think of poetry, it's a style of writing that transports us, particularly emotionally, to another plane of existence. Poetry is like the rose over which Sherlock Holmes had a moment of reverie in "The Naval Treaty": "But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its color are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it." Holmes wasn't known for his poetic moments. In the story that proceeded the excerpt above ("The Greek Interpreter"), Holmes admonished Watson for projecting humility onto Holmes: "To the logician all things should be seen exactly as they are, and to underestimate one’s self is as much a departure from truth as to exaggerate one’s own powers." So there wasn't much room for poetry in the Sherlock Holmes stories. We manage to pick out a few of the finer points. They are, as usual, a Trifle...   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. We're avai

“There has been some villainy here” [COPP]   A look at some of the villains in the Sherlock Holmes stories, beginning with the first real heavy that we encounter. Sherlock Holmes said "When a doctor goes wrong, he is the first of criminals." And Dr. Grimesby Roylott did not disappoint: he killed a man and served hard time for it, had a temper, kept wild animals, associated with gypsies, and more. Perhaps it's just a bit more than a Trifle... 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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon  or PayPal    Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles113 RadioPublic   Sponsor The Baker Street Journal   Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington,

“Have we any Italians on the staff?” [SIXN]  Italians seem to surround us in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Restaurants, music, artisans, and of course criminals.  But Sherlock Holmes himself had some familiarity with Italy, both before and after his experience at the Reichenbach Falls. How far does this association with Italy go? Well, it's just a Trifle...   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.  We're available everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and RadioPublic. And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.   Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles112 The Napoleon Bust Business Again Italy and Sherlock Holmes RadioPublic   Sponsor The BSI Press International Series   Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States