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Story Cubes
With Portsmouth City Council's Libraries and Archives Service, we received a grant from the Arts Council to provide events and activities under the project title of City of Stories.
Working with Splodge Designs and local community groups, six story cubes have been created. These have been be used as a game with families, schools and community groups to devise stories based around Sherlock Holmes.
The six cubes have the following themes:
One – Background
All six sides show a vista where the story takes place
Two and Six – Characters
Each side of the cube shows one character from Sherlock Holmes. When one is selected it will be placed within the created story.
Three – A Clue
An image of a clue is shown on each side of the cube.
Four – Sherlock Holmes Tools
This cube includes the items Sherlock Holmes could use to help solve the case. For example a magnifying glass.
Five – Themes
This cube has a theme that has to be included within the story. It could be a ride on a train, the hound of the Baskervilles or a visit to 221B Baker Street.
Stories
After all of the cubes were finished, Splodge Design went back to visit all of the groups again to user test the cubes. Select the group below to see the stories created.
Each cube is rolled and a side from each is chosen to form the basis of the story for the group to create.
Explore the collection
Photograph of the Summer Activities Exhibition contents
Details of the exhibition stand in the Central Library
Photo of Arthur and Jean Conan Doyle with English delegates at the International Spiritualists Congress
Arthur Conan Doyle with James Payn at his home at Maida Vale while working on the dramatization of…
Attacked by pterydactyls, an Illustration from the Lost World
An illustration by Joseph Clement Coll for The Sunday Magazine.
Dinosaurs, Fairies and Conan Doyle Exhibition Stand
An exhibition showing Doyle's diverse interests and life - from the Lost World to the Cottingley…
Stitching a Story Exhibition
Images of the 'Stitch a Story' exhibition at Portsmouth Central Library.
Iris and the Dancing Gnome
The second photo in the Cottingley Fairies series, a story which began as a practical joke in…
Photo of Jeremy Brett
Jeremy Brett played Sherlock Holmes in ITV's television series which ran from 1984-1994.
Photo of Conan Doyle with Stonyhurst Cricket Club
Photograph of Arthur Conan Doyle with members of the Stonyhurst Cricket Club
Photo of Riversdale, Kent Road, Southsea
'Riversdale' is the former home of Dr John Ward Cousins, a friend and colleague of Sir Arthur Conan…
Photo of Conan Doyle's cigar box
Cedar wood and leather cigar box owned by Arthur Conan Doyle (April 2012)
Illustration of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson
Black and White illustration featuring Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson in Holmes' study.
Photo of Kingsley in Uniform
Lieutenant Arthur Alleyne Kingsley Conan Doyle, the son of Arthur Conan Doyle and his first wife…
Adrian Conan Doyle and his wife Anna
Adrian Conan Doyle and his wife Anna sitting in the Sherlock Holmes room with a pipe and…
Photo Arthur Conan Doyle testing the ropes of a hot air balloon
Testing the ropes on the 'City of York' hot air balloon (April 2015)
Arthur Conan Doyle with Major Guggisberg and Mr St Quentin
Arthur Conan Doyle with Major Guggisberg and Mr St Quentin near Windlesham with the 'auto-wheel'…

- 1Photograph of the Summer Activities Exhibition contents
- 2Photo of Arthur and Jean Conan Doyle with English delegates at the International Spiritualists Congress
- 3Attacked by pterydactyls, an Illustration from the Lost World
- 4Dinosaurs, Fairies and Conan Doyle Exhibition Stand
- 5Stitching a Story Exhibition
- 6Iris and the Dancing Gnome
- 7Photograph of Arthur Conan Doyle Skiing
- 8Photo of Jeremy Brett
- 9Photo of Conan Doyle with Stonyhurst Cricket Club
- 10Photo of Riversdale, Kent Road, Southsea
- 11Photo of Conan Doyle's cigar box
- 12Illustration of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson
- 13Photo of Kingsley in Uniform
- 14The Lost World, Strand Magazine
- 15Study in Scarlet
- 16Adrian Conan Doyle and his wife Anna
- 17Photo Arthur Conan Doyle testing the ropes of a hot air balloon
- 18Arthur Conan Doyle with Major Guggisberg and Mr St Quentin
