BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Bee Keeper? Please correct this travesty of ACD

**Posted by HoosierPhD** July 30, 2012 12:33 am

The writers did an excellent job of "fixing" the ACD's problem of bringing in an archenemy for only one story in the books. I always thought this was very odd, and was glad to see them do a buildup on Moriarty rather than just dragging him in for the "Final Problem", er, "Reichenbach Fall". Now, I hope than can do us all another big ACD 'fix'. In the stories, in the very end, Sherlock is sent off in retirement as a 'beekeeper'. A beekeeper? A man who's mind is like a racing engine retire to herd bees? I always felt this was ACD's revenge to his Sherlock Holmes fans. He gave Sherlock a good and moral send off, the fans rebelled, and he was forced against his will to bring him back. So at the last, he almost insultingly retired him as a beekeeper. Does anyone else (who knows canon) feel this way?

**Posted by The Doctor** July 30, 2012 2:03 am

... following the life of bees might be more insightful than you imagine!

I know a few bee keepers (well, 3) here down under, and there are all pretty outstanding people, liking to discuss the big ideas!

**Posted by Davina** July 30, 2012 7:25 am

I've always thought that as bees live in a very formalised and structured society that perhaps this is why Sherlock was fascinated by their study. It is described as beekeeping but it involves so much more than that. He also retired to write a treatise on deduction.

**Posted by kazza474** July 30, 2012 12:38 pm

Oh dear me, he wasn't just a bee keeper!
That would never do! He studied philosophy & agriculture and wrote the "Practical Handbook of Bee Culture, with some Observations upon the Segregation of the Queen."
I studied bees during my years at Uni (Agriculture strand) It's not as simple as it seems & segregating the Queen certainly does bring its own challenges. As Holmes says " I studied the gangs much as I studied the gangs in London". The world of bees can be a dangerous & evil place even for a Queen.

**Posted by HoosierPhD** July 30, 2012 9:18 pm

Oh, heavens. No slight to beekeepers intended. The work on colony collapse here in the states is worthy of the great one indeed. No, it was just that I expected a more "active" retirement than the ACD one presented. Perhaps he developed emphysema from all that smoking and was far more physically passive in retirement. After all, Mycroft's physical limitations (certainly not seen on the agile Mark Gatiss) was what prevented HIM from being the greatest detective.

**Posted by kazza474** July 30, 2012 11:22 pm

HoosierPhD wrote:
Oh, heavens. No slight to beekeepers intended. ......

ahhh, I shall call off the snipers employed by the BeeKeeper's Association then. They are a sweet bunch until their wings are ruffled, then they have a sting like you wouldn't believe. hehehe

**Posted by The Doctor** July 31, 2012 12:00 am

more "active"

lol, you try moving some hives around, putting those weird dresses on and off, kneeling down to observe at close quarter etc - I was smashed after half a day!

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** August 11, 2012 5:59 pm

Bee keeping is cool!

And yeah, you definitely need some strength to shift hives around when they're full of honey. I've always thought the Sherlock/Bees thing was brilliant. To celebrate this fact I will now post a series of bee related fan art in the Fan Art section. (Check it out).

**Posted by always1895** August 15, 2012 9:34 pm

For an excellent discussion on Sherlock Holmes as lemon beekeeper, check out Sherlockian extraordinaire Susan Rice's little volume Compound of Excelsior which is still available from one of the finest purveyors of Sherlockian books (and other Victorian era Detectives) - George Vanderburgh's Battered Silicon Dispatch Box.

And don't forget that even though Holmes retired to the Sussex Down in 1903, he was back in action at least from 1912 - 1914 for the events leading up to and including "His Last Bow". LAST occurred of course in August 1914 but Holmes had to go undercover starting in 1912 in Chicago, through Buffalo and finally ending up back in England in order to crack a German spy ring while posing as a radical Irish-American named Altamont. Holmes must have kept himself in pretty fantastic shape (mentally, physically and detectively) during his 'retirement' in order to defeat Von Bork's spy network.

Last edited by always1895 (August 15, 2012 9:35 pm)

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** August 18, 2012 8:46 pm

I love it in LAST when he gives the guy a copy of his beekeeping book. Makes me laugh so much.

**Posted by Mattlocked** August 19, 2012 12:09 am

John Cleese and Rowan Atkinson - Beekeeping

**Posted by Molly Hooper** August 19, 2012 4:34 pm

Oh, Mattlocked, that's the funniest thing I've seen in my life!!

**Posted by Lupin** August 20, 2012 6:29 am

Well ACD tried to do a bit of a haphazard fix with The Empty House and The Valley of Fear in extending the hand of Moriarty a bit.

Well, unlike the canon, the series appears to be chronological, so we most likely won't have to see Holmes retirement until much later and, even then, it may not be as developed as it was in The Lion's Mane.

**Posted by Davina** August 20, 2012 8:23 pm

Rowan Atkinson has THE most expressive face. Very funny sketch. Thanks for posting!

**Posted by Davina** August 21, 2012 9:30 am

For anyone who, inspired by the great consulting detective, wants to know more about beekeeping:

**Posted by kazza474** August 21, 2012 9:46 am

Too funny!!
" I took up beekeeping because I love Sherlock" Hope if anyone does, they don't live in an apartment & want to keep the hives there.

**Posted by The Doctor** August 21, 2012 11:53 pm

kazza474 wrote:
" I took up beekeeping because I love Sherlock"

*loves hysterically*

awesome!