WIST

Inspector Tobias Gregson

A tall, white-faced, flaxen-haired man, with a notebook in his hand.

"Gregson is the smartest of the Scotland Yarders."

"They are both quick and energetic, but conventional — shockingly so." (Sherlock Holmes)

Strand Publication

When first published in the Strand Magazine this story was entitled 'A Reminiscence of Mr Sherlock Holmes. 1.- The Singular Experience of Mr John Scott Eccles' and '2.- The Tiger of San Pedro.' The title 'The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge' came into being when the story was printed in book form.

Spud

  • A spud: a small, narrow spade for cutting the roots of plants.

Quotation from Eckermann

Quotation from Eckermann’s Voodooism and the Negroid Religions: (This book is fictional)
  • ‘The true voodoo-worshipper attempts nothing of importance without certain sacrifices which are intended to propitiate his unclean gods. In extreme cases these rites take the form of human sacrifices followed by cannibalism. The more usual victims are a white cock, which is plucked in pieces alive, or a black goat, whose throat is cut and body burned.’

Clothing found at Wisteria Lodge

A good deal of clothing with the stamp of Marx and Co., High Holborn, had been left behind. Telegraphic inquiries had been already made which showed that Marx knew nothing of his customer save that he was a good payer.

Names and addresses of neighbours supplied by Allan Brothers

Lord Harringby, The Dingle;
Sir George Ffolliott, Oxshott Towers;
Mr. Hynes Hynes, J.P., Purdey Place;
Mr. James Baker Williams, Forton Old Hall;
Mr. Henderson, High Gable;
Rev. Joshua Stone, Nether Walsling.

Sherlock Holmes - Deductions

“Pray sit down, Mr. Scott Eccles,” said Holmes in a soothing voice. “May I ask, in the first place, why you came to me at all?”
“Well, sir, it did not appear to be a matter which concerned the police, and yet, when you have heard the facts, you must admit that I could not leave it where it was. Private detectives are a class with whom I have absolutely no sympathy, but none the less, having heard your name —”
“Quite so. But, in the second place, why did you not come at once?”
“What do you mean?”
Holmes glanced at his watch.
“It is a quarter-past two,” he said. “Your telegram was dispatched about one. But no one can glance at your toilet and attire without seeing that your disturbance dates from the moment of your waking.”
Our client smoothed down his unbrushed hair and felt his unshaven chin.
Read More...

Sherlock Holmes - Character Illustrations

“My mind is like a racing engine, tearing itself to pieces because it is not connected up with the work for which it was built. Life is commonplace; the papers are sterile; audacity and romance seem to have passed forever from the criminal world. Can you ask me, then, whether I am ready to look into any new problem, however trivial it may prove?” Read More...

Sherlock Holmes - Sayings

“Man or woman?” I (Watson) asked.
“Oh, man, of course. No woman would ever send a reply-paid telegram. She would have come.” Read More...

Mr Henderson, Mr Lucas and Miss Burnet

“Henderson,” the inspector answered, “is Don Murillo, once called the Tiger of San Pedro.” (Juan Murillo)
Read More...

Strange items found in the kitchen at Wisteria Lodge

‘He held up his candle before an extraordinary object which stood at the back of the dresser. It was so wrinkled and shrunken and withered that it was difficult to say what it might have been. One could but say that it was black and leathery and that it bore some resemblance to a dwarfish, human figure. At first, as I examined it, I thought that it was a mummified negro baby, and then it seemed a very twisted and ancient monkey. Finally I was left in doubt as to whether it was animal or human. A double band of white shells was strung round the centre of it.
In silence Baynes led the way to the sink and held forward his candle. The limbs and body of some large, white bird, torn savagely to pieces with the feathers still on, were littered all over it. Holmes pointed to the wattles on the severed head.
“A white cock,” said he. “Most interesting! It is really a very curious case.”
But Mr. Baynes had kept his most sinister exhibit to the last. From under the sink he drew a zinc pail which contained a quantity of blood. Then from the table he took a platter heaped with small pieces of charred bone.’

Telegram from John Scott Eccles

Telegram sent by John Scott Eccles to Sherlock Holmes.

“Have just had most incredible and grotesque experience. May I consult you?
“Scott Eccles,
“Post-Office, Charing Cross.”

Note from Miss Burnet

Contents of note sent by Miss Burnet to Garcia.

“Our own colours, green and white. Green open, white
shut. Main stair, first corridor, seventh right, green baize.
Godspeed. D.”


Colonel Carruthers

“My dear Watson, you know how bored I have been since we locked up Colonel Carruthers.” (Sherlock Holmes)

Five Orange Pips

Another story in the Canon.

Redheaded League

Previous story in the Canon.

Hotel Escurial, Madrid

It was here that the Marquess of Montalva and Signor Rulli, his secretary, were both murdered in their rooms.
aka Mr Henderson
aka Juan Murillo

aka Mr Lucas
aka Lopez

Curzon Square and Edmonton Street

The route by which Mr Henderson and Mr Lucas threw their pursuer of track by entering a lodging-house in Edmonton Street and leaving by the back-gate into Curzon Square.

Guildford Asizes

The Assize Court where Inspector Baynes hoped Mr Henderson and Mr Lucas would be tried for their crime.
This would have been the nearest County Criminal Court at the time.
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San Pedro, Central America

Where Don Murillo, Tiger of San Pedro held a reign of terror for ten or twelve years.

High Gable

The famous old Jacobean grange of High Gable, one mile on the farther side of Oxshott, and less than half a mile from the scene of the tragedy.
Home of Mr Henderson and his family.

Bull Inn, Esher

Holmes and Watson stayed at the Bull Inn, Esher while investigating this case.
  • There is a Bear Inn, High Street, Esher. Perhaps Watson got the name wrong!
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British Museum

Holmes spent a morning in the British Museum looking up Voodoo and Negroid Religions.
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Oxshott Common

Where Aloysius Garcia was found murdered.
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Albemarle Mansion, Kensington

Home of Melville where Scott Eccles first met Garcia.

Popham House, Lee, Kent

Home of John Scott Eccles. Lee is in north west Kent, U.K.

Wisteria Lodge, Near Esher

The house was a fair-sized one, standing back from the road, with a curving drive which was banked with high evergreen shrubs. It was an old, tumble-down building in a crazy state of disrepair. When the trap pulled up on the grass-grown drive in front of the blotched and weather-stained door, I had doubts as to my wisdom in visiting a man whom I knew so slightly.
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Charing Cross Post Office

Mr John Scott Eccles sent a telegram to Holmes from here and Inspector Gregson and Inspector Baynes followed Scott Eccles from there to 221b Baker Street.

Allan Brothers

Chief land agents in the village to whom Holmes applied for details of local wealthy residents.

Melville

A retired brewer living at Albemarle Mansion, Kensington where Scott Eccles first met Garcia.

Jose

Private servant to the Henderson family.

John Warner

Former gardner at High Gable sacked in a moment of temper by his imperious employer, and ultimate rescuer of Miss Burnet.

Daughters of Mr Henderson

Girls of eleven and thirteen.

Constable Downing

Badly bitten by the mulatto during the arrest of the same.

“He chewed Downing’s thumb nearly off before they could master him.” (Inspector Baynes)

Manservant to Garcia

A melancholy, swarthy individual.

Mulatto cook

“A perfect savage, as strong as a cart-horse and as fierce as the devil. He hardly speaks a word of English, and we can get nothing out of him but grunts.” (Inspector Baynes)
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Constable Walters

The Police Constable left on duty at Wisteria Lodge by Inspector Baynes.

Inspector Gregson

An energetic, gallant, and, within his limitations, a capable officer.

Miss Burnet

An Englishwoman of forty or thereabouts.. Governess to Mr Henderson’s two children-girls of eleven and thirteen. Read More...

Mr Lopez

A foreigner, chocolate brown, wily, suave, and cat-like, with a poisonous gentleness of speech.
Read More...

Mr Henderson of High Gable

He is a man of fifty, strong, active, with iron-gray hair, great bunched black eyebrows, the step of a deer, and the air of an emperor — a fierce, masterful man, with a red-hot spirit behind his parchment face. He is either a foreigner or has lived long in the tropics, for he is yellow and sapless, but tough as whipcord. Read More...

Aloysius Garcia

He was, I understood, of Spanish descent and connected in some way with the embassy. He spoke perfect English, was pleasing in his manners, and as good-looking a man as ever I saw in my life. (John Scott Eccles)

Inspector Baynes of the Surrey Constabulary

The country detective was a stout, puffy, red man, whose face was only redeemed from grossness by two extraordinarily bright eyes, almost hidden behind the heavy creases of cheek and brow.

Mr John Scott Eccles

Mr John Scott Eccles of Popham House, Lee was a stout, tall, gray-whiskered and solemnly respectable person. His life history was written in his heavy features and pompous manner. From his spats to his gold-rimmed spectacles he was a Conservative, a churchman, a good citizen, orthodox and conventional to the last degree.

Mrs Hudson

Mrs. Hudson has made some change in that figure eight times, or once in every quarter of an hour. She works it from the front, so that her shadow may never be seen.

Mrs Hudson

“Mrs. Hudson has risen to the occasion,” said Holmes, uncovering a dish of curried chicken. “Her cuisine is a little limited, but she has as good an idea of breakfast as a Scotchwoman.” (Sherlock Holmes)

British Museum, London

The Museum where Mr Henry Baker spent his days.
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Dr John Watson

Companion and chronicler of Sherlock Holmes.

Mrs Hudson

Long sufferring Landlady of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.

Sherlock Holmes

“Well, I have a trade of my own. I suppose I am the only one in the world. I’m a consulting detective, if you can understand what that is. Here in London we have lots of government detectives and lots of private ones. When these fellows are at fault, they come to me, and I manage to put them on the right scent." (Sherlock Holmes) (Study in Scarlet)
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