Watson?
From Dame Jean Conan Doyle Sir: I was interested in Isabel Quigly's review on Ivor Brown's book about my father (June 10) and Roger Woddis's letter (June 24). Whilst I agree with Mr Woddis that, for the reason he gave, it is unlikely that my father based Dr Watson on a real-life doctor of that name, I have never agreed with my brother Adrian's theory that Major Wood was the prototype for the stalwart doctor. ' Woodie ' was a young man of twenty-one years of age, if that, when the first Sherlock Holmes story was written. Undoubtedly, later in life, he became very like the mental picture of Dr Watson which Roger Woddis and I share, although I doubt if he would have resembled Isabel Quigly's Watson.
As regards my father, Isabel Quigly indulged in such a flight of fancy regarding his physical ap pearance that I could hard11 believe my eyes. I hope that cale day she will read John Dickso,,t1 Carr's biography The Life of $_,° Arthur Conan Doyle and see theo the excellent illustrations, photo, graphs of him at various stages ? his life. He had the physique, loos, and personality to dominate 0, gathering, even if it had include?, such characters as Sherloc° Holmes, Brigadier Gerard or even Professor Challenger. A fella writer, Horace Annesley Vachell: described him "as a king amongst men." I remember hearing my fathet;1 questioned about the origins of Pi Watson, reply that he was his ide° of the average decent Englishalo° of the professional classes; honest, loyal, courageous but unimagia tive. Jean Conan DoYte Home Green, Littlestone-on-S0 Kent
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