The Baker Street Secret
WRITTEN BY TOM CAMPBELL, SHS
January 1, 2022
January 1, 2022
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There are many things in life that we take for granted, mainly because the details that are presented don't seem to be important. For example, why did Arthur Conan Doyle (ACD) choose 221 as the number for the Baker Street address of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H. Watson? The answer to that question is not necessarily important, but it is a mystery, none the less. The purpose of this paper is to provide a possible solution to that mystery, which I call "The Baker Street Secret".
ACD's first story was A STUDY IN SCARLETT, in which he introduced Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H. Watson. By design, Holmes would act as the world's first and only Consulting Detective, while Watson would record his adventures as a series of stories for readers to enjoy. So it was only natural that they share a flat centrally located in London, and Baker Street is the perfect choice. It runs south to north, basically dividing London into two parts. But what street number should be assigned to that Baker Street flat? |
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Every Sherlockian knows that 221B Baker Street is an address that did not really exist when Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H. Watson rented rooms there. According to Wikipedia, an examination of an 1890 map of London will reveal that the number 85 was the highest street number issued on Baker street at the time. So why did ACD choose 221?
The most accepted answer is that ACD intentionally selected a fictitious street address so that no one could claim to live in the same residence once occupied by the great detective. But while I agree with that premise, it really doesn't answer the question. Why did ACD choose 221? Why not 220, or 222? Was his selection of 221 purely random? Personally, I don't think so. Based on everything I have learned about ACD, his choice of 221 for the Baker Street address was calculated, systematic, and completely in keeping with his character and personality.
ACD was not only an intelligent and creative person, but also an accomplished physician, author, and spiritualist. He was highly educated and very well read, and possessed an inquisitive mind, which he put to good use throughout his entire life. It's not hard to believe that a man of this caliber would be well versed in mathematics and cryptology, and have a working knowledge of numerology.
ACD'S knowledge of mathematics and cryptology was demonstrated in many of the stories he wrote over the years. His inquisitive mind made him very adept at creating and solving ciphers, including those based on simple substitution. With such a working knowledge of these two sciences, I feel certain that ACD was well versed about prime numbers.
In the case of the Baker Street address, ACD would have known that 221 is a product of two prime numbers, 13 and 17. In other words, when these two factors are multiplied together, the result is 221 (13 x 17 = 221). And if the factors 13 and 17 represent the number of letters in each of the primary occupant's name, then the address would forever be associated with Holmes and Watson. For example, the name "Dr. John H. Watson" has 13 letters (spaces and periods don't count because they are not letters), which is one of the two factors. But because the name "Sherlock Holmes" only has 14 letters instead of 17, this number/letter substitution theory seems to break down... or does it?
ACD originally chose the name "Sherrinford Holmes" for his famous detective, a name which has 17 letters, proving this number/letter substitution theory to be correct. But it's my understanding that ACD's first wife, Louisa, strongly disliked the name "Sherrinford". So at her request, ACD changed the name to "Sherlock" just before publication of A STUDY IN SCARLETT. Since he had already named 221B Baker Street in the story, he decided to keep it, as his way of protesting the name change. It was also his way to SECRETLY keep the name "Sherrinford" forever associated with the great detective. So now you know "The Baker Street Secret."
One final thought about the number 221... there is no doubt in my mind that Holmes and Watson were two "aces" when it came to solving crimes and mysteries. And if he was a gambler, ACD would probably have known that the odds of drawing two aces from a standard deck of 52 cards is 1:221. But that's another theory for another day.
The most accepted answer is that ACD intentionally selected a fictitious street address so that no one could claim to live in the same residence once occupied by the great detective. But while I agree with that premise, it really doesn't answer the question. Why did ACD choose 221? Why not 220, or 222? Was his selection of 221 purely random? Personally, I don't think so. Based on everything I have learned about ACD, his choice of 221 for the Baker Street address was calculated, systematic, and completely in keeping with his character and personality.
ACD was not only an intelligent and creative person, but also an accomplished physician, author, and spiritualist. He was highly educated and very well read, and possessed an inquisitive mind, which he put to good use throughout his entire life. It's not hard to believe that a man of this caliber would be well versed in mathematics and cryptology, and have a working knowledge of numerology.
ACD'S knowledge of mathematics and cryptology was demonstrated in many of the stories he wrote over the years. His inquisitive mind made him very adept at creating and solving ciphers, including those based on simple substitution. With such a working knowledge of these two sciences, I feel certain that ACD was well versed about prime numbers.
In the case of the Baker Street address, ACD would have known that 221 is a product of two prime numbers, 13 and 17. In other words, when these two factors are multiplied together, the result is 221 (13 x 17 = 221). And if the factors 13 and 17 represent the number of letters in each of the primary occupant's name, then the address would forever be associated with Holmes and Watson. For example, the name "Dr. John H. Watson" has 13 letters (spaces and periods don't count because they are not letters), which is one of the two factors. But because the name "Sherlock Holmes" only has 14 letters instead of 17, this number/letter substitution theory seems to break down... or does it?
ACD originally chose the name "Sherrinford Holmes" for his famous detective, a name which has 17 letters, proving this number/letter substitution theory to be correct. But it's my understanding that ACD's first wife, Louisa, strongly disliked the name "Sherrinford". So at her request, ACD changed the name to "Sherlock" just before publication of A STUDY IN SCARLETT. Since he had already named 221B Baker Street in the story, he decided to keep it, as his way of protesting the name change. It was also his way to SECRETLY keep the name "Sherrinford" forever associated with the great detective. So now you know "The Baker Street Secret."
One final thought about the number 221... there is no doubt in my mind that Holmes and Watson were two "aces" when it came to solving crimes and mysteries. And if he was a gambler, ACD would probably have known that the odds of drawing two aces from a standard deck of 52 cards is 1:221. But that's another theory for another day.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
My theory has been PARTIALLY debunked by William Treacy, of THE STRANGER'S ROOM Facebook page. William pointed out that ACD used the number 221 before he changed the name of Sherlock's sidekick from "Ormand Sacker": to "Dr. John H. Watson". "Ormand Sacker" only has 12 letters, not 13, therefore it does not satisfy my theory.
Since that time, I have discovered the actual reason why ACD chose the number 221B as the address on Baker Street. To read it for yourself, click on the button below:
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