Sherlock Holmes Celebrates 125 Years

The 125th anniversary of the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes has been heralded by Stephen Fry.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created the detective in 1887 while living in Southsea, Portsmouth, where he was working as a GP and turned to writing only due to low patient numbers in his surgery.

The first appearance of Holmes was in A Study in Scarlet which was featured in the Beeton's 1887 Christmas Annual.

Only a few first edition copies of the annual still exist and Portsmouth's copy will go on display this weekend at the City Museum.

The item is part of the world's largest private collection of Conan Doyle books and memorabilia which was donated to the Hampshire city by collector and writer Richard Lancelyn Green.

Blackadder star Fry, who is patron of the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection Lancelyn Green Bequest, said "One hundred and twenty five years of the world's most recognisable, enduring and influential detective. A century and a quarter of Sherlock Holmes."

Due to its fragile condition, A Study In Scarlet is not on permanent display, but will feature in the exhibition along with other items from the collection as well as activities based on Holmes' first outing.

Stephen Baily, Portsmouth Council's head of culture said: "When Conan Doyle first started writing Sherlock Holmes' adventures 125 years ago, he could never have realised he'd created a global icon.

"Through books, films and now the latest television series, Conan Doyle's famous detective still endures and also fascinates new audiences."