Thank Holmes It's Friday - 27th June - The Industrial Age
It’s that time again—Thank Holmes it’s Friday! On this day in 1894, the U.S. Congress established the first Monday of September as Labor Day. This move highlighted the surging workers' rights movements in industrial nations like the U.S. and Britain, a time mirrored in Sherlock Holmes's Victorian-era adventures.
Holmes's thrilling mysteries not only entertain but also reveal the anxieties and social dynamics of Victorian England—a time transformed by the challenges of industrialisation. We see stark class divisions, the plight of the poor (often as victims or minor characters), the consequences of unchecked greed, and the rigid social expectations of the time. Sometimes these conditions are even integral to the plot or character motivations:
Poverty and Desperation:
Many of Holmes' cases reveal the struggles of characters driven to crime by poverty or the harshness of industrial life. While Holmes doesn’t critique the system directly, readers see the squalor, unemployment, and desperation hidden beneath Victorian prosperity. In "The Man with the Twisted Lip,"a beggar's life illustrates how easily one can vanish into London’s underbelly, facing grim realities without stable work. Similarly, "The Blue Carbuncle" tells the story of a humble goose vendor whose world is upended by a jewel theft.
Class Divisions:
The striking difference between the rich and the struggling is also subtly present. Holmes moves effortlessly between the grand houses of the aristocracy and the grimy streets of the East End, exposing the vast social chasm. While he serves the wealthy, his informants—the "Baker Street Irregulars"—are young street urchins at the bottom of society. Their role highlights the troubling reality of impoverished children in London.
The Effects of Industry:
Factories, railways, and new technologies play a role too in the backdrop of Sherlock Holmes' adventures! While not the main focus, they highlight the bustling industrial age. Take "The Engineer's Thumb,"for example—it plunges into a fascinating industrial setting, expertly weaving in a gripping individual crime that captures your imagination! Meanwhile, "The Speckled Band" immerses you in a country estate transformed by a railway line, unleashing new challenges and potential perils.
And arguably, the closest Holmes comes to addressing a real-world labour conflict is in the "Valley of Fear". The latter half of the novel is set in an American mining community controlled by a secret society called the "Scowrers," heavily inspired by the Molly Maguires, a real 19th-century Irish secret society in the Pennsylvania coalfields that used violence to protest the poor working conditions and exploitation by mining companies.
Beyond the gaslit streets, our own exclusive Sherlock Holmes collection plunges you into the very social fabric of the Industrial Revolution. Discover fresh mysteries where the game is afoot against the backdrop of an evolving world, shedding light on the prevailing challenges of a bygone era. Explore more titles here, and remember, our thrilling 3-for-2 deal on the entire back catalogue vanishes on June 30th!
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DOWNLOAD FOR FREE It's August 1889, London. Amidst the Great London Dock Strike, a man is found fatally stabbed near the Ten Bells pub. While police dismiss it as a brawl, the victim's brother suspecting murder, hires Sherlock Holmes. Joined by Watson and Inspector Lestrade, Holmes delves into London's East End, where escalating tensions between dock owners and workers mask a deeper, deadly conspiracy. |
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