Shoscombe Old Place.
The case begins Tuesday, May 26, 1903.
Why?
A CURRENT MATTER AND A PAST ONE
"In the St. Pancras case you may remember that a cap was found beside the dead policeman. The accused man denies that it is his. But he is a picture-frame maker who habitually handles glue."
"My friend, Merivale, of the Yard, asked me to look into the case. Since I ran down that coiner by the zinc and copper filings in the seam of his cuff they have begun to realize the importance of the microscope."
"In the St. Pancras case you may remember that a cap was found beside the dead policeman. The accused man denies that it is his. But he is a picture-frame maker who habitually handles glue."
"My friend, Merivale, of the Yard, asked me to look into the case. Since I ran down that coiner by the zinc and copper filings in the seam of his cuff they have begun to realize the importance of the microscope."
WATSON’S FORMER VACATION HOME
"I know it well, for my summer quarters were down there once."
"I know it well, for my summer quarters were down there once."
SIR ROBERT’S RIDING PAST:
"He is about the most daredevil rider in England — second in the Grand National a few years back."
"He is about the most daredevil rider in England — second in the Grand National a few years back."
STATEMENT OF THE MONTH:
"Thus it was that on a bright May evening Holmes and I found ourselves alone in a first-class carriage and bound for the little "halt-on-demand" station of Shoscombe."
"Thus it was that on a bright May evening Holmes and I found ourselves alone in a first-class carriage and bound for the little "halt-on-demand" station of Shoscombe."
THE RECENCY OF SIR ROBERT’S LATEST OUTRAGE:
"We only found it out yesterday—after I had written to you. Yesterday Sir Robert had gone to London, so Stephens and I went down to the crypt.
"We only found it out yesterday—after I had written to you. Yesterday Sir Robert had gone to London, so Stephens and I went down to the crypt.
LENGTH OF SERVICE OF THE MAID:
"There is her maid, Carrie Evans. She has been with her this five years."
"There is her maid, Carrie Evans. She has been with her this five years."
DAYS AND NIGHTS OF MR. JOHN MASON:
"Because I have seen him, Mr. Holmes. It was on that second night."
"We only found it out yesterday — after I had written to you. Yesterday Sir Robert had gone to London, so Stephens and I went down to the crypt."
"We expect him back to-day."
"When did Sir Robert give away his sister’s dog?"
"It was just a week ago to-day."
"Because I have seen him, Mr. Holmes. It was on that second night."
"We only found it out yesterday — after I had written to you. Yesterday Sir Robert had gone to London, so Stephens and I went down to the crypt."
"We expect him back to-day."
"When did Sir Robert give away his sister’s dog?"
"It was just a week ago to-day."
THE TIMING OF SIR ROBERT’S STORY:
"Well, Mr. Holmes, my sister did die just a week ago."
"If I could stave things off for three weeks all would be well."
"Well, Mr. Holmes, my sister did die just a week ago."
"If I could stave things off for three weeks all would be well."
WHAT THE BARING-GOULD ANNOTATED SAYS:
May 6, 1902.
May 6, 1902.
WHAT ZEISLER, THE KING OF CHRONOLOGY, SAYS:
May 6, 1902.
May 6, 1902.
THE BIRLSTONE RAILWAY TIMETABLE:
"The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place" begins in May, according to Watson, and two weeks and one day before the Derby, according to Sir Robert’s desire for three week’s time when his sister died. To figure out which year Sir Robert’s Derby took place, one could calculate the phases of the moon, the times the moon would rise on all the appropriate evenings and the amount of light each of those moonrises would project through recorded cloud cover in Berkshire. Or one could take the route Holmes takes in this case and just go fishing.
Wait a minute . . . Holmes goes fishing during this case? He hasn’t been fishing since Trevor senior first put him on to the detective biz, way back in "The Gloria Scott"! Sherlock Holmes suddenly deciding to go fishing while on the job is a perfect example of what a 9-to-5 office denizen would call "vacation mode." He can see the finish line, and he’s starting to slack off in anticipation of it. He’s headed for that life of nature in Sussex, and sees an opportunity to slip a little nature in early.
On that basis, and that basis alone, this case has to take place in 1903, the detective’s last year in active practice. Derby Day in 1903 took place on June 3, which then places the case’s beginning two weeks and a day earlier on Tuesday, May 26, 1903.
"The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place" begins in May, according to Watson, and two weeks and one day before the Derby, according to Sir Robert’s desire for three week’s time when his sister died. To figure out which year Sir Robert’s Derby took place, one could calculate the phases of the moon, the times the moon would rise on all the appropriate evenings and the amount of light each of those moonrises would project through recorded cloud cover in Berkshire. Or one could take the route Holmes takes in this case and just go fishing.
Wait a minute . . . Holmes goes fishing during this case? He hasn’t been fishing since Trevor senior first put him on to the detective biz, way back in "The Gloria Scott"! Sherlock Holmes suddenly deciding to go fishing while on the job is a perfect example of what a 9-to-5 office denizen would call "vacation mode." He can see the finish line, and he’s starting to slack off in anticipation of it. He’s headed for that life of nature in Sussex, and sees an opportunity to slip a little nature in early.
On that basis, and that basis alone, this case has to take place in 1903, the detective’s last year in active practice. Derby Day in 1903 took place on June 3, which then places the case’s beginning two weeks and a day earlier on Tuesday, May 26, 1903.
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