Our Company Name
Customers often ask how we arrived at
Baker Street Resources for our company name. Those of you who are Sherlock Holmes fans are
of course aware that
Holmes resided at 221b Baker Street in London, along with his sidekick and valuable assistant, Dr.
Watson. "This is a material fact and relevant to the outcome", as Holmes might have
said.
When we started our business in 1998,
we wanted a company name people would remember and could relate to. Sherlock
Holmes, who was unequaled at solving problems for his troubled clients, immediately came to mind. Since Holmes'
clients often showed up at his doorstep, we decided that Baker Street suited us perfectly.
With the addition of Resources, our name
was complete. Though our customers are not as desperate as Holmes' clients tend to be, they often need
help finding the right solution, which happens to be what we do best. And like Holmes, we always
enjoy a happy ending!
Just
Who Was Sherlock Holmes?
Why, of course, Sherlock Holmes was the man who put
the 'detect' in detective and practiced forensic science and criminal profiling years ahead
of his time. Holmes was the world's first 'consulting detective'
and the subject of a series of 60 memoirs chronicled by his good
friend and associate, Dr. John D. Watson. Residing at 221b Baker
Street, Holmes and Watson solved numerous cases from 1887-1927. In 1887, the first Sherlock Holmes mystery,
'A Study in
Scarlet', was published in Beeton's
Christmas
Annual. Most of Holmes's adventures appeared in The Strand
Magazine, along with many of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's other
short stories,
articles, interviews and even a poem. The Holmes series made
Doyle, the man behind Holmes and his adventures, a wealthy man.
After a very successful run, Doyle tired of his hero
and decided to end the series in 'The Final Problem'. At the conclusion of this episode,
Holmes and his arch-enemy, Professor Moriarity fought hand-to-hand at Reichenbach Falls and plummeted
to their deaths. Later Doyle decided to pen a flashback which became Sherlock Holmes' best known
case, 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'. Under heavy pressure from his fans, Doyle resurrected
Holmes in 'The Empty House', then continued on with the series. Holmes later told Watson,
"Well then, about that chasm. I had no serious difficulty in getting out of it, for the very
simple reason that I never was in it." But it was indeed the end of Moriarity.
The last of the 60 Sherlock Holmes
chronicles, 'The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place,' appeared in March 1927, yet Doyle's
stories have lived on. If you haven't read Holmes, just pick up a copy of
'The Complete Sherlock
Holmes', which presents all 60 stories in chronological order. You're sure to become a
fan!
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
This well-known incident, from
the story
'Silver Blaze', is typical of Holmes' thought process. While investigating the theft of
Silver Blaze, an expensive race horse, from its stable, Inspector Gregory of Scotland Yard queried
Holmes, "Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?" Holmes replied,
"To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time." Inspector Gregory replied, "The
dog did nothing in the night-time", after which Holmes said, "That was the curious
incident!" The failure of the dog to bark when Silver Blaze was stolen indicated that the dog knew
the thief, a crucial material fact which reduced the number of suspects and eventually helped Holmes
solve the case and return Silver Blaze to his rightful owner.
Notable Quotes & Maxims of Sherlock Holmes
Those who have read
Doyle's 56 short stories and 4 full length
novels have enjoyed the many notable quotes of Sherlock Holmes.
Here are some of our favorites.
"I suppose I am the only one in the
world. I'm a consulting detective, if you can understand what that is."
"It is an old maxim of mine that when you have
excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
"You see, but you do not
observe."
"It is my business to know things.
Perhaps I have trained myself to see what others overlook."
"I never guess. It is a shocking
habit."
"Come, Watson, come! The game is
afoot. Not a word! Into your clothes and come!"
(Regarding Professor Moriarity) "It is a
question of cubic capacity. A man with so large a brain must have something in it."
"It is stupidity rather than courage to refuse
to recognize danger when it is close upon you."
"Although he (Lestrade) is absolutely devoid of
reason, he is as tenacious as a bulldog when he once understands what he has to do."
"You have a grand gift of silence, Watson. It
makes you quite invaluable as a companion."
"Watson here will tell you that I never can
resist a touch of the dramatic."
"You know that a conjurer gets no credit when
once he has explained his trick; and if I show you too much of my method of working, you will come to
the conclusion that I am a very ordinary individual after all."
On the Lighter Side - A Camping Mystery
Holmes and Watson were on a well-deserved camping
trip after an intense lengthy investigation. After setting up their tent, they enjoyed a good meal with
a bottle of wine, then retired for the night. Some hours later, Holmes awoke and nudged his faithful
friend, "Watson, look up and tell me what you see."
Watson replied, "I see millions and millions of
stars, Holmes."
"And what does that tell
you, Watson?" Holmes asked.
Suspecting that
Holmes was testing his knowledge, Watson pondered for a moment. "Well Holmes,
astronomically it tells me that since there are millions of stars, there are possibly millions of
planets. Theologically, I can see that God is all-powerful and that we are small and
fairly insignificant. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the
time is about a quarter past three. Meteorogically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day
tomorrow. Why, Holmes, what does it tell you?"
After a moment of
silence, Holmes spoke. "It
tells me, my dear fellow, that someone has stolen our tent!"
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