10 JULY 1953, Page 20

Holmes, Sweet Holmes

SIR,—There is no mystery about Picklock Holes. The name was invented by my father, the late R. C. Lehmann, and' his Adventures of Picklock Holes ran serially in Punch and was subsequently pub- lished in book form in 1901 by Bradbury Agnew. I have, however, looked through the volume and cannot find any use of the phrase "Elementary, my dear Watson " (or rather " Holes ").—Yours