Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the creator of, who some would say, is the most well-known fictional detective: Sherlock Holmes. Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories would see the detective deduce information about a case from the smallest details which others wouldn't care to notice or consider as relevant. This methodology, paired with Holmes' assistant Dr. John Watson to provide medical detailing, created a sense of rational logic and reason to not only the stories, but to Sir Arthur himself. Sir Arthur was born during 1859 within Edinburgh, Scotland, and would go on to become one of the most well paid authors of his time. Although the famous author had first dabbled in writing through his school days, he first became a professional doctor after attending the University of Edinburgh; a detail which further emphasises a reputation for the way of science and logic.

Due to having a lack of patients, Doyle found he had plenty of spare time for working on his writing and the character of Sherlock Holmes was created. Doyle viewed his more literary works as those of importance instead of the Holmes stories, so he eventually killed off the detective so that he could pursue what he viewed as being better things; only to revive the character following a large monetary offering from an American publisher to do so. Doyle became involved in wartime affairs, politics, and the trials of those he felt had been wrongly convicted; even leading his own investigations to prove their innocence.

However, there was another side to Sir Arthur's life which highly contradicted the logic and reason his medical background and detective writings seemed to suggest. Sir Arthur was not only a supporter of the spiritualist movement; but he conducted lectures, and he wrote books based on the subject. This promotion, coupled with the author's connotation with logic, greatly assisted in the spread of the spiritualism belief. Sir Arthur ended up falling out with the famous magician Harry Houdini on the topic, and he even openly supported other paranormal phenomena such as the existence of fairies. He believed Harry Houdini possessed supernatural powers of his own which were being displayed within his routine, and Houdini even wrote "there is nothing that Sir Arthur will believe that surprises me" due to how outlandish some of the author's beliefs were.

History

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was born to an Irish Catholic family on the 22nd of May 1859 at Picardy Place; located in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. His parents were Charles Altamont Doyle and Mary Josephine Elizabeth Foley Doyle; both of which married during 1855. Arthur's dad, Charles, was a civil servant in the Edinburgh Office of Works and with having some artistic talent he was also an architect, designer, and book illustrator. Charles suffered from epilepsy, and so did suffer from severe seizures. When he lost his job he turned to alcoholism and was eventually admitted to an asylum during 1891. He died within the asylum during the year of 1893. Arthur's mum was Irish and a descendant of the famous Percy family of Northumberland in the line of Platagenet. Some other relatives include a grandfather who was a famous caricaturist, and an uncle who was a well known illustrator.

During 1864, the Doyle family was dispursed due to Charles' alcoholism and so the children were temporarily housed across Edinburgh. The family came back together again during 1867, and during this time they lived at 3 Sciennes Place. Regarding Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's name, there is debate to if his surname is 'Conan Doyle' or 'Doyle'. Steven Doyle, editor of 'The Baker Street Journal', has written the following on the matter: "Conan was Arthur's middle name. Shortly after he graduated from high school he began using Conan as a sort of surname. But technically his last name is simply 'Doyle." When Arthur was knighted, he was gazetted as 'Doyle' and not as the compound 'Conan Doyle'. Also, the baptism entry in the register of St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh, gives 'Arthur Ignatius Conan' as his given name and 'Doyle' as his surname. This entry also lists Michael Conan as his godfather. Plus, the catalogues of the British Library and the Library of Congress both treat 'Doyle' as Arthur's surname.

I have found contradicting information regarding how many siblings Arthur had. One source has said he was the second of ten children, but another has claimed he was the second of seven children; the other six being Annette, Caroline, Constance, Innes, Jane, and Bryan Mary. Having done further research specifically into his siblings, it seems Arthur actually had eight siblings. These siblings were Ann, Catherine, Mary, Caroline, Constance, John, Jane, and Bryan. Doyle's seven sisters were Ann, Catherine, Mary, Caroline, Constance, Jane, and Bryan. John, also known as Innes, was Arthur's only brother. In order from eldest to youngest, the order of the siblings goes Ann, Catherine, Arthur, Mary, Caroline, Constance, John, Jane, and finally Bryan. Catherine died a few months after she was born, and Mary died two years after she was born.

Arthur's education began at home in a small Edinburgh school. As Arthur's parents were not well-off, its been said that Arthur had wealthy uncles which funded for his education outside of Scotland. Three brothers of his dad, James, Henry, and Richard, had distinguished themselves in England and Ireland. James wrote 'The Chronicles of England', Henry was director of the 'National Gallery' in Dublin, and Richard was one of the most famous illustrators of the Punch magazine. During 1868, at the age of 9, Arthur Conan Doyle began seven years of Jesuit education in Lancashire, England. He was specifically sent to England to attend Hodder Place, which was a Jesuit preparatory school to prepare his admission into Stonyhurst College, between the years of 1868 and 1870. He then studied at Stonyhurst College, where he was bullied by his classmates and underwent corporal punishment, until he graduated from the college during 1876. During 1875, Arthur spent his final year of school studying in Austria at a Jesuit school to improve his German. The school he attended in the town of Feldkirch, Austria, was called Stella Matutina.

Arthur displayed an interest in literature during his school days as he was interested in the writings of Walter Scott, Jules Verne, and Macauley. Later in life, he also became an admirer of Edgar Allen Poe and Emile Gaboriau. Doyle even founded a small magazine titled 'The Stoneyhurst Figaro', and while attending Stella Matutina Arthur edited a student paper there called the 'Feldkirch Gazette'. When he wrote an editorial criticising the teacher's custom of censoring the boy's letters, the paper was then shut down. It's believed that Doyle was prepared for entry into the University of Edinburgh's medical school through the influence of his mum's lodger; Dr. Bryan Charles Waller, a student of pathology. Dr. Tsukasa Kobayashi has suspected that Doyle's mum had a long affair with Waller, and it has been said that Waller had a deep impact on Doyle. It was then during the year of 1876 that Arthur Conan Doyle began his medical studies at the University of Edinburgh, and while attending this university he met the future fellow authors James M. Barrie and Robert Louis Stevenson. Barrie would go on to write 'Peter Pan', and Stevenson would go on to write both 'Treasure Island' and 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'. By the time Doyle reached university, he had completely rejected Christianity and preferred to be agnostic.

Between the years of 1876 and 1881, while still attending the University of Edinburgh medical school, Doyle spent time working in Aston; what was then a town located in Warwickshire, now Birmingham. He also spent time during these years working in Sheffield, and in Rayton-XI-Towns located in Shropshire. Plus, he spent time during these years studying practical botany at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh. During the year of 1877, Doyle became clerk to Dr Joseph Bell at Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary. Doyle based the character of Sherlock Holmes on Bell, who was a professor of surgery that Doyle recognised could tell what was wrong with a patient just by looking at them. The Holmes character was also influenced by Sir Henry Littlejohn who taught forensic medicine to Doyle. On his medical education and experience with Dr. Bell, Arthur Conan Doyle has written the following:

"I was educated in a very severe and critical school of medical thought, especially coming under the influence of Dr Bell of Edinburgh who had the most remarkable points of observation. He prided himself that when he looked at a patient he could tell not only their disease, but very often their occupation and place of residence. Reading some detective stories I was struck by the fact that their results were obtained in nearly every case by chance. I thought I would try my hand at writing a story in which the hero would treat crime as Dr. Bell treated disease and where science would take the place of chance."

Another figure who inspired a literary character for Doyle was Professor Rutherford. This professor's Assyrian beard, booming voice, and broad chest inspired the character Professor George Edward Challenger. The earliest existent fiction of Doyles is 'The Haunted Grange of Goresthorpe' which was unsuccessfully submitted to 'Blackwood's Magazine'. His first published work was during 1879, titled 'The Mystery of Sasassa Valley'. This was a short story Doyle published anonymously, and a second short story titled 'The American's Tale' was also published anonymously in the Christmas special of the 'London Society' during the December of 1880.

It was during his third year of medical school, the year of 1880, that Doyle worked as a medical assistant in Sheffield, Birmingham, and Shropshire. It was also during this year that he joined the crew of a Greenland whaler, called the 'Hope of Peterhead', in the post of the ship surgeon. This ship was sailing for the Arctic circle and it's believed Doyle incorporated the feeling of adventure this voyage gave him into his short story 'The Captain of the "Pole-star".' This short story was first published in the 'Temple Bar' magazine during the January of 1883. He returned to medical school from his voyage during 1880, and during 1881 Doyle recieved Bachelor of Medicine and Master of Surgery qualifications from the University of Edinburgh. It was by the year of 1881 that Doyle had publicly denounced his Roman Catholic faith, and 1881 is also the year in which Doyle attended a lecture on spiritualism.

On the 22nd of October 1881, Doyle graduated and enlisted as a medical officer aboard a steamer called the 'SS Mayumba' which sailed from Liverpool to Western Africa. This voyage was Doyle's first paying job as a doctor, but it was unpleasant for Doyle as the ship encountered a storm, plus a fire broke out onboard. Doyle also became seriously ill, possibly from malaria, while in Lagos. It was during 1882 that Doyle had a brief and disastrous partnership with a colleague called Dr. George Turnaville Budd after joining a medical practice in Plymouth where he had settled. After arguing with his partner, and as funds nearly ran out, Doyle opened his own practice of Ophthalmology in Southsea, located in Portsmouth. While here, Doyle struggled to aquire patients and so later tried to specialise as an eye doctor in London; but he failed to establish himself there too.

It was during the mid-1880s that Doyle spent more time writing, started studying psychic phenomena, and became married to Louisa Hawkins, also known as 'Touie', on the 5th of August 1885. Louisa was the sister of one of Doyle's patients, and they went on to have two children together; Mary Louise, and Arthur Alleyne Kingsley who was simply known as 'Kingsley'. Also during 1885, Doyle recieved an M.D. upon completing his thesis 'An Essay Upon the Vasomotor Changes in Tabes Dorsalis'; this qualification meaning he was officially a doctor of medicine. Doyle was still struggling to make it as a writer during 1885, but due to the lack of patients he still had lots of time to read, write, and publish some stories with little success. Louise encouraged Doyle to persevere in his writing and he followed her advice. During 1886, Doyle finished his first novel, titled 'The Firm of Girdlestone', but failed to find a publisher. This novel was later serialised between 1889 and 1890 in 'The People' newspaper.

The first Sherlock Holmes story was written in just three weeks during the year of 1886. This novel-length story was 'A Study in Scarlet', and it was rejected by several publishers before 'Ward, Lock & Co' bought it for £25. They then published it during the November of 1887 in their 'Beeton's Christmas Annual'. This first Sherlock Holmes story went completely unnoticed at the time. It is thought the name 'Holmes' may have been based on the American jurist and fellow doctor Oliver Wendell Holmes, and that the name 'Sherlock' may have come from Alfred Sherlock; a prominent violinist of his time. As for the character Dr. John Watson, this character was named after a real Dr. John Watson who was a fellow Southsea doctor, plus Portsmouth Literary and Scientific Society member who served time in Manchuria. As for how Doyle wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories, he worked backwards from the solution of a case.

It's been said that it was during the year of 1887 that Doyle submitted two letters about his conversion to spiritualism to a weekly periodical called 'Light'. These paranormal beliefs Doyle held were a huge contrast to the Sherlock Holmes character as the fictional detective was logical, cold, calculating, and went under the title of being the 'world's first and only consulting detective'. Doyle addressed these paranormal beliefs in a short novel titled 'The Mystery of Cloomber' which was published during 1889. Doyle had early interest in both scientifically supportable evidence and certain paranormal phenomena, and these contradicting beliefs are something he is said to have struggled with through his life.

Doyle also worked on historical novels such as 'Micah Clarke', which was published during 1889, and this saw some success for Doyle. Due to this, he devoured the chronicles of the Middle Ages such as Froissart and Philippe Commynes. As a result, Doyle then wrote 'The White Company' which was published during 1891. During 1889, Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde were hired to write two stories while attending a dinner hosted by J.M. Stoddart; an American agent of the Lippincott's Monthly Magazine. Wilde wrote 'The Picture of Dorian Gray', and Doyle wrote 'The Sign of Four'; both of which were published during 1890. 'The Sign of Four' was published in the Lippincott's Magazine, but Doyle's later stories appeared in the Strand Magazine. It has been said that it was during the year of 1889 that Arthur Conan Doyle became a full time writer; but this information appears to be false. It was also during this year that he co-founded and joined the Hampshire Society of Psychical Research.

It's been said that during the year of 1890, Doyle stayed in Vienna for a few months to further improve his medical knowledge. It's also been said that when back in England, he moved to London on Montague Place and the young doctor's office opened at 2 Devonshire Place, but he still had few patients so kept writing. This is slightly contradicting to the full-time writer timeline so it's unclear on if the dates around him being a full-time writer and when he lived in London are correct. Another source has said Doyle practiced medicine until 1891, and it's from this year that he became a full-time writer. Due to information around when Doyle discovered 'The Strand Magazine', it seems the 1891 date for him being a full-time writer is correct. During the 1890s, other aspects of Doyle's medical education and experiences appeared in three of his semi autobiographical novels. These novels were 'The Firm of Girdlestone', published during 1890, a collection of medical short stories titled 'Round the Red Lamp', published during 1894, and 'The Stark Munro Letters', published during 1895.

During the January of 1891, Doyle discovered the first issue of 'The Strand Magazine' and decided to write to the publisher to propose new detective stories as short stories. These included 'A Scandal in Bohemia', and 'The Red-Headed League'. He then provided five other short stories and renewed his contract for six additional stories at the rate of one per month. This gave Doyle success with his writing and so he abandoned medicine and devoted himself entirely to writing. Surprisingly, Doyle wanted his name to remain associated with more literary works and not with Sherlock Holmes. During the November of 1891, Doyle wrote to his mum saying "I plan to kill Holmes in the sixth adventure. He prevents me from thinking to better things". His mum then started finding Doyle more plots, and so Holmes got a reprieve.

During the December of 1892, Doyle moved to Davos which is in Switzerland. This move was done because his wife was unwell and so the Swiss Air was healthier for his wife who was diagnosed with Tubercolosis during 1893. Their residence in Switzerland was not far away from the Reichenbach Falls; the location where Holmes died during 'The Adventure of the Final Problem' when falling with Professor Moriarty following a series of twelve new stories. This 'final' adventure for Sherlock Holmes was published during 1893. Doyle claimed that the success of Holmes overshadowed the merit he believed his other historical fiction deserved. Most notably, these works included his tale of 14th century chivalry 'The White Company', published during 1891, it's companion piece 'Sir Nigel', published during 1906, plus his adventures of the Napoleonic war hero Brigadier Gerard and the 19th century skeptical scientist Professor George Edward Challenger. For quite some time, Doyle refused to resurrect Holmes despite both public outcry and his mum's pressure.

Also during the year of 1893, Doyle joined the British Society for Psychical Research which had been formed in Cambridge during 1892. Members of this group included prominent scientists, philosophers, ministers of parlaiment, and the future prime minister Arthur Balfour. During 1894, Doyle gave a series of lectures in the US and shared Thanksgiving with Rudyard Kipling, author of 'The Jungle Book', in Vermont. During this time, Doyle taught Kipling how to play golf. Doyle also corresponded with Robert Louis Stevenson who told Doyle that he was telling the Sherlock stories to Samoan natives. During 1894, Doyle's play 'A Story of Waterloo' was performed in London with Henry Irving at the Lyceum Theatre. While living in Davos, Doyle gave a demonstration of ski which he had discovered during a trip to Norway. This was the first time such 'snow shoes' were introduced in the Alps. During this time, Doyle also wrote 'The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard' and 'Rodney Stone', both of which where published during the year of 1896.

During the Autumn of 1895, Doyle stayed in Egypt for several months to try and improve the health of his wife before they both then moved to rural Surrey for the same reason. Their house at Hindhead, Surrey, was called 'Undershaw'. This house was built to Doyle's designs and was completed during 1897. On the location, Doyle wrote: "If we could have ordered Nature to construct a spot for us we could not have hit upon anything more perfect". Doyle then went on holiday in Italy with H.G. Wells, author of 'The Time Machine' and 'War of the Worlds', during 1898. Arthur Conan Doyle also had a keen interest in sports with his main passion being cricket. He played ten first-class matches for the Marylebone cricket club between the years of 1899 and 1907. He also played for amateur cricket teams, including the Authors XI which included P.G Wodehouse, J.M. Barrie, and the Winnie the Pooh author A.A. Milne.

Doyle also established the Undershaw Rifle Club after installing a 100 yard shooting range at his home. This range was open to local men as Doyle believed the Boer War had demonstrated a lack of firearms skill from the English. Doyle went on to be part of the Rifle Clubs Committee of the National Rifle Association. He was also interested in both boxing and bodybuilding, and was himself an amateur boxer. During 1901 Doyle was among three judges of the first ever major bodybuilding competition held at the Royal Albert Hall, located in London. As mentioned earlier, he was also interested in the Alps and Alpine sports; especially skiing.

At one point during the 1890s, while living in Egypt, Doyle became a war correspondent in the country for the Westminster Gazette when conflict between the British and the Dervishes escalated. These events inspired the novel 'The Tragedy of the Korosko' which was first published in 'The Strand Magazine' from May 1897 to December 1897. During the October of 1899, war broke out in South Africa between the British Empire and the two Boer republics; the South African Republic, also known as the Transvaal, and the Orange Free State. This marked the start of the Boer War, and Doyle engaged during the December of 1899; but the Middlesbrough Yeomanry Regiment put him on a waiting list. A friend of Doyle's, John Langman, wanted to raise a fifty-bed hospital in South Africa and offered Doyle to supervise the operation. This led to Doyle leading the hospital in Bloemfontein, the capital of the Orange State, from March until August of the year 1900.

Various non-fiction works from Doyle included military writings such as 'The Great Boer War', published in 1900, and 'The British Campaign in France and Flanders', which was published in six volumes between the years of 1916 and 1920. Doyle also wrote about subjects such as the Belgian atrocities in the Congo during Leopold II's reign in 'The Crime of the Congo', which was published during 1909, along with his own involvement in the real-life criminal cases of George Edalji and Oscar Slater. During the October of 1900, Doyle ran for election in Edinburgh for the role of MP. One policy Doyle supported was that of retaining Ireland within the UK, and he believed that women who paid taxes should have the vote. Regardless, he was defeated and so never became an MP.

The 1901 census records Doyle with both his mum and a woman called Jean Leckie, not his wife, at the Ashdown Forest Hotel in Sussex and not at the Undershaw residence. It is said that Doyle had been in love with Jean since 1897 while in Surrey, but that he had also always maintained a friendly relationship with her in respect for his wife. People have speculated around the truth of this and if Arthur was having an affair, as possibly indicated by the census records, while his wife's health deteriorated. It was during 1901 that Arthur Conan Doyle briefly brought Sherlock Holmes back in 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' which was serialised between the August of 1901 and the May of 1902 in 'The Strand Magazine'. This story was written at Doyle's Undershaw home, and it did not serve to resurrect the detective; but rather it instead discussed events which occured shortly before Holmes and Moriarty met their ends.

During the year of 1902, Doyle accepted the post of Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Surrey. Then, on the 24th of October 1902, Doyle was knighted by King Edward VII for his work with the field hospital in Bloemfontein, South Africa, during the Boer War along with other services such as his writings on the subject. After he returned to England, Doyle had written two books dedicated to the war titled 'The Great Boer War', which was published during 1901, and 'The War in South Africa: Its Cause and Conduct', which was published during 1902. The second book, which has been referred to as a pamphlet, was against those who accused the English of abusing the Boers through actions such as rapes and use of dum-dum bullets. It has been said that it was the position of this second book rather than Doyle's participation in the conflict which earned him the title of Knight Bachelor. Regardless, from this point on he was known as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

It was during the year of 1903 that Sherlock Holmes officially rose from the dead after an American publisher offered Doyle the equivalent of $1.6 million to resurrect the character. Due to this decision, thirty-three new Sherlock Holmes stories were published between the September of 1903, with 'The Adventure of the Empty House', and the March of 1927, with 'The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place'. Despite the resurrection, Doyle still persisted with activities outside of Sherlock Homes as both 1903 and 1910 saw him become involved with investigations into men he felt had been wrongly accused; one of whom was called George Edalji. Also, during the January of 1906, Doyle ran for elections again but suffered another defeat. The health of Arthur Conan Doyle's wife, Louisa, deteriorated as a tumour occured which caused partial paralysis. She gradually weakened and then died on the 4th of July 1906; and so, during 1907, Doyle left Surrey and moved to Sussex where he lived until his death during 1930.

It's been said that Doyle was plunged into a state of prostration near depression following the death of his wife. It was then that he launched himself into investigating the George Edalji case. George was a young notary of Indian origin who was sentenced to seven years of prison for mutilating cattle and sending anonymous letters. Doyle led his own investigation into the case and proved George's innocence. Doyle's campaigning for political causes and against the miscarriage of justice led to the founding of the Court of Criminal Appeal in both England and Wales during 1907. It was during the year of 1910 that Doyle intervened to restore the truth in the Oscar Slater case where a German Jew was accused of murder and sentenced to death. Doyle noted serious irregularities in the police investigation and sought to prove Oscar's innocence. Doyle didn't completely succeed, however he did manage to reduce the death sentence to life imprisonment.

Doyle's political involvement was profound as not only did he publish works such as 'The Crime of the Congo', but he also sent several articles to newspapers, and corresponded with both the President of the United States and the Emperor of Germany. The year after the death of Doyle's wife, he married Jean Elizabeth Leckie during the September of 1907. The couple lived in Crowborough, Sussex, where Jean gave Arthur three children called Denis, Adrian, and Jean. Their home at Crowborough was called Windlesham. Then, during 1911, Doyle drove his 16 horse-power Dietrich-Lorraine from Germany to England for fifteen days during the Prince Henry Tour. It was during 1912 that Doyle created the character 'Professor Challenger' who first appeared in the novel 'The Lost World'.

Relating to 'The Lost World' is a hoax Doyle is accused of being part of. More specifically, Richard Milner, an American historian of science, presented a case that Doyle may have been part of the Piltdown Man hoax of 1912. This hoax involved a counterfeit humanoid fossil which fooled the scientific world for forty years. Milner suspected Doyle's motive for the hoax was revenge on the scientific establishment for debunking one of his favourite psychics, and he claimed 'The Lost World' appeared to contain several clues which cryptically referred to Doyle's involvement in the hoax. However, more recent research has suggested that Doyle was not involved in the hoax.

During 2016, researchers at the Natural History Museum and Liverpool John Moores University analysed DNA evidence which showed the amateur archaeologist Charles Dawson to be responsible for the hoax. Charles had originally 'found' the remains, but he hadn't been suspected as the hoax was seen as too elaborate for him to have devised. The DNA evidence showed a supposedly ancient tooth Charles had 'discovered' during 1915 at a different site had come from the same jaw as that of the Piltdown Man. This suggested Charles had planted them both, and the tooth was later proven to be planted as part of the hoax. Dr Chris Stringer, an anthropologist from the Natural History Museum, has said the following about the hoax:

"Conan Doyle was known to play golf at the Piltdown site and had even given Dawson a lift in his car to the area, but he was a public man and very busy and it is very unlikely that he would have had the time (to create the hoax). So there are some coincidences, but I think they are just coincidences. When you look at the fossil evidence you can only associate Dawson with all the finds, and Dawson was known to be personally ambitious. He wanted professional recognition. He wanted to be a member of the Royal Society and he was after an MBE. He wanted people to stop seeing him as an amateur."

During 1914, due to the outbreak of World War One, Doyle formed a local volunteer unit that would later officially become 'The Crowborough Company of the 6th Sussex Volunteer Regiment'. He served in this regiment as Second Class, although wanted to go to the front. He was refused this due to his old age of fifty-five years, but this didn't stop him from covering the war in his writings. He acted as a war correspondent, published a pamphlet titled 'To Arms!', and through the war he wrote it's history day by day. For this, he was put in direct communication with generals on the battlefield. During 1916, Doyle visited the English, Italian, and French fronts; even having the chance to meet Clemenceau.

During 1916, Doyle's eldest son, Kingsley, was severely wounded at the Battle of the Somme. He later died of pneumonia linked to the influenza epidemic on the 28th of October 1918. On the 19th of February 1919, Doyle's brother, Brigadier General Innes, also died of pneumonia. Following Kingsley's death, Doyle turned even more so to spiritualist studies, and it's been said that it was during the October of 1916 that Doyle announced in his journal 'Light' that he had converted to spiritualism. Doyle actually became the leader of a spiritualist movement, and this was spurred on for Doyle after he attended a séance in which he believed he had been contacted by his son, Kingsley.

During 1916, Doyle interviened in another case to obtain the grace of Sir Roger Casement, a leader of the Irish insurgents who joined the Germans. Doyle was not successful and could not save him, and so Sir Roger was executed after being accused of treason. Continuing with Doyle's spiritualism involvement; he donated the majority of his literary efforts and profits later in his life to the campaign. This begun with 'The New Revelation', published during 1918, and 'The Vital Message', published during 1919. Doyle viewed his most important efforts to be his campaign in support of spiritualism; a religion which combined with psychic research was a belief that spirits continue to exist and can be contacted by the living. He also chronicled his travels in supporting the spiritualist cause in 'The Wanderings of a Spiritualist', published during 1921, 'Our American Adventure', published during 1923, 'Our second American Adventure', published during 1924, and 'Our African Winter', published during 1929. Doyle also wrote a two volume book titled 'The History of Spiritualism' which was published during 1926. Other books about spiritualism from Doyle include 'Case for Spirit Photography', published during 1922, and 'Pheneas Speaks', published during 1927.

Arthur Conan Doyle became the world's most renowned proponent of spiritualism and faced considerable opposition for his conviction during 1920 in a debate with the humanist Joseph McCabe. Spiritualists joined in criticising Doyle's article 'The Evidence for Fairies' which was published in 'The Strand Magazine' during 1921. They also criticised his book 'The Coming of the Fairies', which was published during 1922, in which he voiced support for the claim that two young girls, Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths, had photographed real fairies they had seen in the Yorkshire village of Cottingley. This event was later established to have been a hoax from the girls.

It was during 1920 that Arthur Conan Doyle first met the magician Harry Houdini. Houdini deliberately hid his feelings about spiritualism from Doyle, and this is why their friendship managed to last a number of years despite their opposing beliefs on the subject. Between 1920 and 1923, Doyle gave a series of lectures about spiritualism in Australia, the USA, and Canada. He also introduced Houdini to a number of mediums during an extended tour of Great Britain, and this prompted Houdini to write; "The more I investigate the subject, the less I can make myself believe". The beginning of the end for the friendship between Doyle and Houdini came from a séance Doyle arranged for Houdini to take part in on Sunday the 18th of June 1922.

Arthur and his wife, Jean Conan Doyle, attended the séance with Jean serving as the medium. Bess Houdini, Harry's wife, is also said to have attended the séance. The séance, unknown to anyone attending aside Harry, was held on his mum's birthday. He made sure to tell no one present, and then found it odd that his mum, who Jean claimed to have contacted, made no reference to it being her birthday in the automatic writing produced. Harry Houdini did believe in an afterlife, but he was still skeptical on the matter. Lady Doyle filled in fifteen sheets of automatic writing which she claimed had come from Harry's mum, Cecelia Weiss. Houdini became convinced Lady Doyle was a fraud because not only was there an absence of a birthday reference, but his mum was a rabbi's wife and so would not have begun the writing with the Christian symbol of a cross. Plus, although she had barely spoken a word in English, it seemed her English had greatly improved in the afterlife as she was seemingly fluent in the language writing things such as "I am almost overwhelmed by this joy". It didn't sound like his mum to Harry, and so he left without saying anything to Arthur.

Although feelings were initially held back, both Houdini and Doyle started arguing privately over medium cases within months of the séance. By the spring of 1923, they were exchanging sharp letters within the 'New York Times'. Their friendship eventually seemed beyond repair when their tours crossed in Denver and a public feud occured. Doyle called Houdini "the bravest man in our generation" and condemned him for being biased and public hungry. Houdini meanwhile wrote "there is nothing that Sir Arthur will believe that surprises me". An example of Houdini's statement is the fact that Doyle became convinced that Houdini possessed supernatural powers which were being demonstrated during his magic routines.

During 1924, Doyle detailed what he valued most in his life in his autobiography titled 'Memories and Adventures'. He had also written about the importance which books held for him in 'Through the Magic Door', which was published during 1907. Also during 1924, Doyle opened a bookshop dedicated to spiritualism. This shop was called 'The Psychic Bookshop' and was located in London. It was in this location that he handled the editing of his own works. As he was driven by public clamour, Doyle did continue to write Sherlock stories through 1926. 'The Land of Mist', published during 1926, was the latest adventure of Professor Challenger and it covered a spiritualism topic. By 1926, Doyle had contributed to the founding of the spiritualist temple in Camden, London. Doyle spent more time on lectures in the final years of his life. He lectured during 1925 in Paris at the International Spiritualist Congress, then during 1928 in London in the Congress he chaired himself, then in South Africa, Rhodesia, Holland, and the Scandinavian countries.

During 1929, Doyle suffered from a heart attack after visiting Scandinavia and was diagnosed with Angina Pectoris. Despite doctor's warnings and advice, Doyle went on a spiritualism tour through the Netherlands during 1929 and returned with severe chest pains which rendered him almost entirely bedridden. He had also spoken at a ceremony commemorating the Armistice, but then spent weeks in bed. Arthur Conan Doyle's final book was published during 1930 and it was titled 'The Edge of the Unknown'. Doyle recovered slowly, but eventually died at dawn of a heart attack on the 7th of July 1930 while at Windlesham; his home in Crowborough, Sussex. It is said his last words to his wife at his side were 'you are wonderful'.

At Doyle's funeral, his family and members of the spiritualist community celebrated rather than mourned. Then, on the 13th of July 1930, thousands filled London's Royal Albert Hall for a séance during which Estelle Roberts, a spiritualist medium, claimed to have contacted Doyle. Also during his life, Doyle had formed a society to campaign for a change in the divorce law with Thomas Hardy, the author of 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' and 'The Mayor of Casterbridge'. Doyle had also been close friends with J.M. Barrie, who he had written an opera with, and Bram Stoker, who wrote 'Dracula'. Plus, Doyle was a friend and confidante of George Meredith, a great victorian novelist. Eventually, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle became one of the best paid writers of his time, and despite wanting to do away with the character; he is best known for having created the detective Sherlock Holmes.

My Thoughts

I feel Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is someone who should be discussed more frequently in the modern paranormal world. Quite often I see conflicts between those who are skeptical and those who believe, similar to how Doyle and Houdini both argued over the topic. However, if you look at Doyle's beginnings in spiritualism, he was a figure that promoted rational thinking and science. True, he wasn't skeptical on the matter, but he did display a dichotomy due to his medical background, detective writings, and criminal case involvement. These elements of Doyle's life were a huge contrast to his paranormal beliefs, especially as he believed in both the Cottingley fairies and that Houdini had supernatural powers, despite Houdini telling him the opposite. This dichotomy could be a factor as to why he was such a proponent of the spiritualist movement, and Doyle's promotion of the subject could be a root factor as to why the belief in spirit communication is still so commonplace today.

I think it's clear that Doyle was greatly effected by the events of World War One, especially around having lost family members. This grief could explain his stubbornness to believe in the paranormal to the extent he did, and it could explain why there was such a contrast between his writings and his beliefs. This is one reason why I feel Arthur Conan Doyle needs to be discussed more in the paranormal world. Not only is he an example of a dichotomy which can be held within an individual, but he also provides an insight into a mind which, despite it's medical and detective knowledge, still believed in things others considered to be absurd and irrational. James Randi, a magician and investigator into claims of the paranormal, said, "No matter how smart or how well-educated you are, you can be decieved"; and I feel Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is an excellent example of this.

So, I hope people within the modern paranormal community discover this article and use it as a lesson of caution and as a guide of how to progress the field. I feel had Doyle been more skeptical, he would have been excellent at finding the truth towards if the paranormal does exist; but instead his personal circumstances gave him a biased outlook and a need for it to be real. So, having read about Doyle's life, I hope people acknowledge their own biases and recognise that their beliefs may be influenced by factors beyond their control. Then, I hope they apply the logic and reason Doyle showed in his writings towards paranormal happenings they witness, whether that be on an investigation, for footage they've discovered, or even for a photo they've seen. I find the most important thing to remember, and something which helps me to overcome my own biases, is that debunking one photo, or one video, or one investigation, or even one investigation team does not mean you are debunking the entirety of the paranormal field.

By pruning a plant, you are not destroying the plant; you are simply helping it grow.

Thank You!

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