22 Mind-Blowing Facts About Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
22. Sherlock Holmes Did Not Make Him A "Sir"
Conan Doyle was knighted in 1902, but not because of his Sherlock Holmes novels - it was in fact due to his work defending Britain's involvement the Boer War. His books - The War in South Africa: Its Cause and Conduct and The Great Boer War - impressed King Edward VII so much that Conan Doyle was made a "sir". Interestingly, however, some commentators believed the King was such a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes that he knighted Conan Doyle in order to convince the writer to pen further stories!
NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.
Conan Doyle was knighted in 1902, but not because of his Sherlock Holmes novels - it was in fact due to his work defending Britain's involvement the Boer War. His books - The War in South Africa: Its Cause and Conduct and The Great Boer War - impressed King Edward VII so much that Conan Doyle was made a "sir". Interestingly, however, some commentators believed the King was such a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes that he knighted Conan Doyle in order to convince the writer to pen further stories!