Arthur Conan Doyle’s unknown story about Sherlock Holmes found in the UK

SELKERK. An 80-year-old Scotland resident, Walterr Elliott, from the small provincial town of Selkirk, discovered in the attic of his own home Arthur Conan Doyle’s lost story about the famous private detective Sherlock Holmes.

A story entitled "Sherlock Holmes: Discovering the Border Burghs and, by deduction, the Brig Bazaar" consisting of 1300 words was written by Arthur Conan Doyle in 1904. The story, created by the writer specifically for a three-day campaign to raise money to restore the flood-damaged bridge across the river of the town of Selkerka, was first published more than a century ago, but later the work was lost.

The unknown work of the famous author is part of a booklet in which the program of the event and several more of his short stories are published. The publishing house in which this brochure was printed understood how large the writer agreed to take part in their action, and therefore the booklet directly indicated this by typing on the cover the name of the writer with the prefix “famous”. Apparently, the name of the famous writer of detective stories was part of an advertising campaign designed to attract more citizens and, accordingly, a larger fundraiser for the construction of the bridge.

It is worth noting that Arthur Conan Doyle often visited the south of Scotland, he liked to relax in the town of Selkerke and, most likely, with pleasure made his contribution to charity. In addition, one of his stories mentions a trip to Selkirk by Dr. Watson.

As a pamphlet with such unique content appeared in the attic of the Scottish historian Walter Elliott, he does not remember, but claims that, most likely, one of his friends gave it to him about 40 or 50 years ago. Now a rare edition has been submitted for display at the Selkirk Museum. Here, by the way, the picture with the image of the pile bridge leading through the river to Selkirk is also inserted.

If the expert commission confirms that the author of the story is indeed Arthur Conan Doyle, then he will be the first still unknown work of the great author of detectives, published over the past 80 years.

Svetlana Korableva © Gallerix.ru