BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Mistakes & potholes in Doyle's stories ?

**Posted by BHavers** January 18, 2015 9:08 pm

I've just read "The five orange pips" and was astonished to find a little but basic mistake: Mary, Watson's wife, is supposed to be visiting her mother ... who died when Mary was a child, according to "The sign of the four".
Both stories were published the same year, probably written the same year. But Doyle had forgotten this detail about Mrs Watson's mother.

Did you find other mistakes?
Thanks!

**Posted by nakahara** January 19, 2015 12:54 pm

There were many of them, because Arthur Conan Doyle had trouble remembering small details of his short stories. Some of these mistakes are notorious:

John is shot into his arm in Afghanistan in "Study in Scarlett", then complains about his aching leg which is supposed to be the same injury in "Sign of Four".

Mrs. Hudson turns Mrs. Turner in "Scandal in Bohemia"

John Watson is suddenly James in "The Man with a Twisted Lip"

All three Moriarty brothers likewise share the first name James.

And there were many, many more.

**Posted by BHavers** January 19, 2015 8:37 pm

Thanks Nakahara!

I will read again some stories, I hadn't noticed "Mrs Turner" for example.
Watson made three funny lists about Sherlock's skills (or lack of). Sherlock made files and notes about people.
Maybe I should begin a list of Doyle's missed details .

**Posted by kittykat** January 21, 2015 4:39 pm

I love how the show references some of these mistakes ^^

**Posted by BHavers** January 23, 2015 3:45 pm

Hi Kittycat. I probably missed theses references, but at least, now, I understand Watson's psychosomatic aching LEG.