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Dr. Watson | Sherlockian Quotes | Other Main Characters

Essential Facts:
What we need to know about Dr. Watson
Born: August 7, 1852
Died: 1939
Birthplace: Unknown
Best known as: Sherlock Holmes' assistant.
Occupation: Doctor of medicine, former army surgeon, physician, biographer and assistant to Sherlock Holmes

Quote by Dr. Watson:

"Has anything escaped me? I trust that there is nothing of consequence which I have overlooked?"
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Dr. Watson
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Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson
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" In 1878 I took my degree of Doctor of Medicine of the University of London, and proceeded to Netley to go through the course prescribed for surgeons in the Army."
- Dr. Watson describing his medical career
Detailed Biography
What every fan should know
Dr. John Hamish Watson is the loyal and trusted friend, companion and chronicler of Sherlock Holmes, a late 19th-century fictional detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.


Early Years

His father was Henry Watson and it is thought that his mother passed away when he was quite young.His father, elder brother ( Henry Jr) and he are thought to have gone to Australia after his mother's death and he was therefore familiar with the goldfields there as mentioned in 'The Sign of Four'.

After leaving school he attended the University of London Medical School to undertake a medical degree. As part of his training he worked at St Batholomew's Hospital in London as a staff surgeon and had a dresser called Stamford. From 'A Study in Scarlet : " In 1878 I took my degree of Doctor of Medicine of the University of London, and proceeded to Netley to go through the course prescribed for surgeons in the Army."

Army Career

Watson was at first attached to the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers who were stationed in India . He was to be an assistant surgeon. However, before he could join his regiment the second Afghan War had started. When he arrived at Bombay (Mumbai) his regiment were already far into enemy territory where he could not follow. As a result he was attached to the Sixty-Sixth Foot (Berkshires).

He took part in the Battle of Maiwand on July 27 1880 during which he was wounded by a 'Jezail Bullet' , Jezail being a type of musket . He would have been captured by the enemy but for the courageous actions of his orderly, Murray. He recovered from his wound but contracted enteric fever and was gravely ill. He was eventually sent home by the Army Medical Board and traveled back to England on the troop ship Orontes.


Meeting Sherlock Holmes

Back in England, Watson was staying in a private hotel in the Strand, London but his army pension of eleven shillings and sixpence a day did not stretch as far as he would like and by January 1881 he decided to look for cheaper lodgings. He met Stamford once again by accident in the Criterion Bar who told him of someone looking to share the cost of a place in Baker Street, a certain Mr Sherlock Holmes as recounted in 'A Study in Scarlet'.

Dr. Watson
Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson in the 1939 film "The Hound of the Baskervilles"

Holmes and Watson

Watson first started to become involved in the singular occupation of his fellow tenant in March 1881 with the investigation of the murder of Enoch Drebber which Watson was to relate in 'A Study in Scarlet'. From then on Dr. Watson continued to be associated with the Great Detective, even finding his second wife through his association with Holmes, meeting the future Mrs Watson, Mary Morstan in July 1888 during the adventure of 'The Sign of Four'.

Description and Appearance

After Watson returns from Afghanistan, he is described to be "as thin as a lath and as brown as a nut." His main description is given in "The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton": "... a middle-sized, strongly built man--square jaw, thick neck, moustache ...". In The Hound of the Baskervilles, he says that he is "reckoned fleet of foot". In the story "His Last Bow", he is described as "thickset".



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chrisco97 		Latest page update: made by chrisco97 , Dec 22 2011, 6:28 PM EST (about this update About This Update chrisco97 Edited by chrisco97


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Keyword tags: Detective Sherlock Holmes
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Jen_Plushenko Nigel Bruce 4 Dec 4 2011, 12:37 PM EST by Andrew_Dragon
Thread started: Feb 25 2010, 9:52 PM EST  Watch
Aww... love the picture of Nigel Bruce. He may not have been the "perfect" Watson in the sense that he did not follow perfectly after the Dr. Watson invisioned by Doyle in his novellas, but Nigel Bruce is most definitely the "perfect" Watson in the sense that he is the most entertaining, loveable Watson I think has ever been presented to us fans on the big screne. He and Basil Rathbone were spectabulous!!
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Anonymous Dr Watson's date of biirth 7 Sep 4 2010, 5:42 AM EDT by Rami7
 
Thread started: Mar 11 2010, 10:17 AM EST  Watch
I think you've got Dr Watson's birth date wrong - you mean 1852, not 1862. He would hardly have qualified as a Doctor at the age of 16 !! If in doubt, check other sites - Watson was always supposed ro be slightly older than Holmes.....
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Anonymous THANKyou 3 Apr 25 2010, 7:47 PM EDT by Anonymous
 
Thread started: Oct 13 2009, 1:13 PM EDT  Watch
this helped me on my English prodject, Thanks
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