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Who Is Sherrinford Holmes?
Mar. 21st, 2012 11:12 amThis isn't from an in-character standpoint, but more meta. For those of you who might be unfamiliar with the theory of Sherrinford Holmes, here are the facts:
--We know that Sherlock Homles has an older brother, seven years his senior, named Mycroft Holmes.
--We know that Mycroft has a 'minor position' in the British Government, likely as a civil servant.
--We know that the ancestors of the Holmes family were country squires, as Sherlock mentions in the Adventure of the Greek Interpreter.
So, as the Holmes family are country squires, it stands to reason that, in the Victorian Era, they would still have a manor or estate. Not only that, but it would have been a full time job for the eldest son to manage the estate and finances. Mycroft does not, however, do that--he works as a civil servant, which was a very popular job for the second oldest son in a well-to-do-family.
It can then be concluded that there is a third Holmes brother, older than Mycroft. Given the relationship between Mycroft and Sherlock in the canon, we can also assume that this brother is a) even more skilled at deductions, and b) even more resilient/against the idea of actually solving cases.
The proposed name 'Sherrinford' was invented by William S. Baring-Gould, author of one of the foremost Sherlock Holmes 'biographies.' It is, supposedly, the first name that ACD was toying with for his detective character, before settling on Sherlock.
Now, how does Sherrinford tie into the BBC verse? From what I can tell, his non-canonical role in the book (to 'free up' Mycroft and Sherlock from caring over the estate) is closed off, or at least completely irrelevant. Consider the following:
First, we need to look at the concept of a squire. Squiredom (or squirey, or whatever the term is?) has had three major meanings over the ages: A knight's assistant in the Medieval era, a sign of the gentry during the Victorian era, and a general sign of courtesy today. Even if the Holmes family did used to be country squires, it doesn't mean that they have a big manor to look over today. Finances change, estates are turned over the the National Heritage, and really, do either Mycroft or Sherlock strike you as the sort to want to be associated with 'nobility?'
Secondly, from what we can see of Mycroft's home in Scandal in Belgravia, it's nice. Very nice. It's even possibly the Holmes estate itself.
Thirdly, from the conversation between Mycroft and Sherlock in Study in Pink, Mummy's probably still alive. It may well be that she's off living at the estate.
And again, this is all assuming that there even is still an estate. It's possible that the Holmes family is just really smart, and not of 'noble blood' at all. It's possible that they've turned it over to the National Heritage. It's possible that they burned it down and roasted Jammy Dodgers and had an effigy shaped like Moriarty in the blaze--who knows.
Granted, it's still possible that Sherrinford exists, somewhere, it just means that his 'role' is completely changed. He might be dead, a disgrace, working at a sandwich shop.
Or, who knows, he might be a she and one of the foremost guns-for-semi-hire, combining Mycroft's international politics and Sherlock's more hands-on approach.
--We know that Sherlock Homles has an older brother, seven years his senior, named Mycroft Holmes.
--We know that Mycroft has a 'minor position' in the British Government, likely as a civil servant.
--We know that the ancestors of the Holmes family were country squires, as Sherlock mentions in the Adventure of the Greek Interpreter.
So, as the Holmes family are country squires, it stands to reason that, in the Victorian Era, they would still have a manor or estate. Not only that, but it would have been a full time job for the eldest son to manage the estate and finances. Mycroft does not, however, do that--he works as a civil servant, which was a very popular job for the second oldest son in a well-to-do-family.
It can then be concluded that there is a third Holmes brother, older than Mycroft. Given the relationship between Mycroft and Sherlock in the canon, we can also assume that this brother is a) even more skilled at deductions, and b) even more resilient/against the idea of actually solving cases.
The proposed name 'Sherrinford' was invented by William S. Baring-Gould, author of one of the foremost Sherlock Holmes 'biographies.' It is, supposedly, the first name that ACD was toying with for his detective character, before settling on Sherlock.
Now, how does Sherrinford tie into the BBC verse? From what I can tell, his non-canonical role in the book (to 'free up' Mycroft and Sherlock from caring over the estate) is closed off, or at least completely irrelevant. Consider the following:
First, we need to look at the concept of a squire. Squiredom (or squirey, or whatever the term is?) has had three major meanings over the ages: A knight's assistant in the Medieval era, a sign of the gentry during the Victorian era, and a general sign of courtesy today. Even if the Holmes family did used to be country squires, it doesn't mean that they have a big manor to look over today. Finances change, estates are turned over the the National Heritage, and really, do either Mycroft or Sherlock strike you as the sort to want to be associated with 'nobility?'
Secondly, from what we can see of Mycroft's home in Scandal in Belgravia, it's nice. Very nice. It's even possibly the Holmes estate itself.
Thirdly, from the conversation between Mycroft and Sherlock in Study in Pink, Mummy's probably still alive. It may well be that she's off living at the estate.
And again, this is all assuming that there even is still an estate. It's possible that the Holmes family is just really smart, and not of 'noble blood' at all. It's possible that they've turned it over to the National Heritage. It's possible that they burned it down and roasted Jammy Dodgers and had an effigy shaped like Moriarty in the blaze--who knows.
Granted, it's still possible that Sherrinford exists, somewhere, it just means that his 'role' is completely changed. He might be dead, a disgrace, working at a sandwich shop.
Or, who knows, he might be a she and one of the foremost guns-for-semi-hire, combining Mycroft's international politics and Sherlock's more hands-on approach.
