Arthur Conan Doyle

Early Life and Education

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a prolific British writer and physician known for creating the character Sherlock Holmes and writing the novel series in crime fiction. Doyle was born on May 22, 1859, in Edinburgh, Scotland to Charles Altamont Doyle and Mary Foley. During his childhood, due to his father’s alcoholism, Doyle was separated from his family. He lived with his mother’s friend and attended Newington Academy. Later in 1867, Arthur Conan Doyle reunited with his family and he was sent to Jesuit preparatory school, Hodder Place in Lancashire for further education. He attended Stonyhurst College till 1875 and received a basic education in math and classics.

Medical Career

Before his career as a writer, he pursued an early career in the field of medicine. Doyle studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh from 1876 to 1881. He published his first academic article “Gelsemium as a Poison,” in 1879 while pursuing his medical studies. Doyle continued his medical career and set up practices in Portsmouth, and in London as an ophthalmologist but failed as he had no patients.

Creation of Sherlock Holmes

In 1887, Arthur Conan Doyle published his first and most significant literary work with the creation of Sherlock Holmes, the ingenious detective who appeared in the novel “A Study in Scarlet.” He wrote his first work in three weeks when he was 27. Doyle continued to write sequels of the novels, some of them were “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” and “The Sign of the Four.” Doyle was talented in writing historical novels, science fiction, adventure stories, and non-fiction works. Some of his works include “The White Company” in 1891, “Sir Nigel” in 1906, “The Lost World” in 1912, “The Poison Belt” in 1913, and “The Great Boer War” in 1900.

Honors and Recognition

In 1902, he was knighted by King Edward VII for his notable contributions to British Literature and became Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He also received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of Edinburgh in the same year. In 1903, he founded the Crimes Club which was a private social club with a specific focus on discussing topics related to crime and detection, criminals, and criminology.

Interest in Sports

Apart from his literary career, Doyle also had a keen interest in sports. He played as the goalkeeper in the Portsmouth Association Football Club. He also played cricket for the Marylebone Cricket Club with other writers like J. M. Barrie, P. G. Wodehouse, and A. A. Milne. He founded the Undershaw Rifle Club and was selected as one of the judges for a major bodybuilding competition in 1901. Doyle was also a boxer and was invited to referee the James Jeffries–Jack Johnson heavyweight championship fight in 1909. Overall, Doyle played a variety of sports like golf, rifle shooting, football, cricket, and boxing.

Death and Legacy

Arthur Conan Doyle passed away on July 7, 1930, due to a heart attack at the age of 71 in his home, in Crowborough, Sussex, England. His death was the end of a very innovative career as a writer and physician. His contributions to the fields of literature, sports, and medicine were appreciated by fans all around the world.