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Portsmouth Connection
Arthur Conan Doyle came to Portsmouth on a coastal steamer in June 1882. He had travelled from Plymouth, which had been his home and workplace until he fell out with his friend and fellow doctor, George Budd. Conan Doyle arrived in Portsmouth with no job, nowhere to live and little more than £10 to his name. As he disembarked at Clarence Pier, Southsea, he had no plans as to how long he would stay.
Victorian doctors lived on the fees they charged their patients, so Conan Doyle researched into the locations of other established doctors in the town before setting up as a GP at No. 1 Bush Villas, near the junction of Elm Grove and King’s Road in Southsea. For the first few months business was slow, but gradually over time Conan Doyle became more well-known as a doctor, advertising his services whenever he could and making sure that his name was mentioned in the newspaper whenever he attended an accident.
In March 1885, Conan Doyle was consulted about the case of a young man named Jack Hawkins, who he diagnosed as having meningitis. Hawkins soon died, but Conan Doyle’s relationship with the family did not end there. His compassion was stirred for Hawkins’ sister, Louisa, and by August 1886 this compassion had turned into affection, and the two were married. A few years later, Arthur and Louisa’s first child, Mary, was born.
Arthur Conan Doyle threw himself into the life of the town. He joined the Portsmouth Literary and Scientific Society, and gave public talks on Edward Gibbon, Thomas Carlyle, and George Meredith, among others. He also played for the local cricket and bowls teams, and was the first goalkeeper for the team that became Portsmouth Football Club. While living in Southsea he also began a second career, writing fiction. Beginning with short stories, he moved on to write historical novels including Micah Clarke, and the first two Sherlock Holmes tales, A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four.
Find out more in 'The Pompey Lad' online Exhibition
Explore the collection
The Railway Tour of Canada
Doyle and his wife travelled Canada on a tour of the newly opened Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in…
Papier Mache Dinosaurs
One of two paper mache dinosaurs featured in the exhibition showing Doyle's diverse interests and…
Photo of the 1928 Lost World film cast
An exciting and visual tale,The Lost World provided an appealing subject for filming, the first…
Photo of the book cover for Rodney Stone, published in 1896
Published in 1896, this is a Gothic mystery and boxing novel set in the Regency era, a time when…
Sherlock and Watson in disguise
Illustration of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson in disguise
Photograph of Conan Doyle playing cricket at sea
An unusual pitch for a game of cricket - on board RMS Dunottar Castle
Illustration of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson
Black and White illustration featuring Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson in Holmes' study.
Photograph of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle playing cricket at Windlesham Manor
A keen cricketer who played matches for the Marylebone Cricket Club, Conan Doyle also enjoyed more…
Letter from Arthur Conan Doyle to his son, Adrian
This short letter, from around 1926, provides a revealing insight into Conan Doyle’s indulgent…
Photo of Arthur Conan Doyle with Rev. George Vale Owen
Arthur Conan Doyle with the author of Life Beyond the Vale (November 2014)
Arthur Conan Doyle at his Graduation
Photograph of Arthur Conan Doyle taken on the day of his graduation as Bachelor of Medicine at the…
Photograph of Conan Doyle's cricket team
Conan Doyle and his cricket team pictured on a tour of Holland
The Adventure of the Creeping Man
A facsimile manuscript of The Creeping Man has been published, on the 90th anniversary of the…
Black and white still from The Lost World
A reproduction photograph showing a young couple embracing and talking to a man in the doorway.
Photograph of the background for fingerprinted animals
Background image for the children to add their fingerprint animals and images.
Photograph of the Study for Sherlock
Photograph of the Study for Sherlock created by Portsmouth MIND as part of the Sharing Sherlock…
Photo of Arthur Conan Doyle at the Langman Field Hospital
Arthur Conan Doyle visiting staff and patients during the Boer War (December 2014)

- 1The Railway Tour of Canada
- 2Baker Street Post Box Insert
- 3Papier Mache Dinosaurs
- 4Photo of the 1928 Lost World film cast
- 5Photo of the book cover for Rodney Stone, published in 1896
- 6Sherlock and Watson in disguise
- 7Photograph of Conan Doyle playing cricket at sea
- 8Illustration of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson
- 9Photograph of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle playing cricket at Windlesham Manor
- 10Letter from Arthur Conan Doyle to his son, Adrian
- 11Photo of Arthur Conan Doyle with Rev. George Vale Owen
- 12Arthur Conan Doyle at his Graduation
- 13Photograph of Conan Doyle's cricket team
- 14The Adventure of the Creeping Man
- 15Black and white still from The Lost World
- 16Photograph of the background for fingerprinted animals
- 17Photograph of the Study for Sherlock
- 18Photo of Arthur Conan Doyle at the Langman Field Hospital
