Dr. Watson's Lighthouse Reflections

Abstract

In two stories in the Sherlock Holmes Canon, Dr. Watson referred to the lighthouse.

In “The Man with the Twisted Lip”, Watson said, “Folk who were in grief came to my wife like birds to a light-house.” In “The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger”, Watson threatened to tell “the whole story concerning the politician, the lighthouse, and the trained cormorant.”

The paper discusses both of those references.

Among the points made about the first reference is that it supports a conclusion that, at the date of narration of the story, Dr. and Mrs. Watson were no longer living together.

Among the points made about the second reference is that Michael Harrison’s claim that the politician being referred to was Winston Churchill is unsupported by the evidence.

Keywords: Sherlock Holmes Canon, lighthouses, Dr. Watson's marriage, Winston Churchill