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April. “The Speckled Band“.

Summer. Uncertain date but likely time for “The Wandering Corpse” by John Taylor.

1884

The Missing Year. It is possible that this was the year of the cases known as “The Delicate Case of the King of Scandinavia“ and “The Service of Lord Backwater“.

1885

January. “The Case of the Incumbent Invalid“ based on “the dreadful business of the Abernetty family“.

April/May. “The Copper Beeches“. Although set by many commentators in April 1890, this is clearly an earlier case into which Watson slipped references to later cases for the purposes of his introductory argument.

1886

April. “The Yellow Face“. This is the earliest case to make reference to Holmes’s cocaine habit, though Watson had clearly known about it for some while. This year probably saw other cases alluded to by Watson including “The Woman at Margate“, “The Darlington Substitution Scandal“, “The Arnsworth Castle Business“ [written up as “The Adventure of the Red Widow” by Adrian Conan Doyle], “Vittoria, the Circus Belle“ and “The Adventure of the Suspect Servant.”

1887

In “The Five Orange Pips” Watson refers to a long series of cases in 1887 including “The Paradol Chamber“ [written up as “The Case of the Paradol Chamber” by Alan Wilson who linked it with Vigor the Hammersmith Wonder; and also by June Thomson who set it in November 1887 just after Watson’s marriage]; “The Adventure of the Amateur Mendicant Society“ [also written up as “The Case of the Amateur Mendicants“ by June Thomson set in June 1887 and under the same title by Ken Greenwald, set in November 1887]; “the loss of the British bark Sophy Anderson”, “the singular adventures of the Grice Patersons in the island of Uffa“ (included here as “The Adventure of the Silver Buckle“) and “the Camberwell poisoning case“ [recorded as “The Adventure of the Gold Hunter” by Adrian Conan Doyle and John Dickson Carr, and as “The Case of the Camberwell Poisoning“ by June Thomson where it is set in Spring 1887 but confusingly after Watson’s marriage, and as “The Case of the Camberwell Poisoners“ by Ken Greenwald set in October 1887]. Also during this year was the “death of Mrs Stewart of Lauder“ in which Holmes suspected Colonel Moran to be involved. In “The Norwood Builder” Holmes reminds Watson of the case of “the terrible murderer, Bert Stevens“ who wanted Holmes to get him off. 1887 was probably also the year of the “Tankerville Club scandal“ where Major Prendergast was accused of cheating at cards; it may also have been the year of “The Bishopgate Jewel Case“ which Holmes later used as an example in his lectures; and quite likely the year when Holmes and Watson captured “Archie Stamford, the forger“ an episode referred to in “The Solitary Cyclist”. January. “Charles Augustus Milverton“. Although included in The Return of Sherlock Holmes, this story has all the feel of a pre-Hiatus story. Watson needs introducing as a “friend”, meaning his work was not well known at that time, but he was sufficiently close to Holmes to be referred to as a “partner” and for Holmes to state that “we have shared this same room for some years”. Watson introduces the story by saying “it is years since the incidents … took place.”

Spring. “The Netherland-Sumatra Company“ and “The Colossal Schemes of Baron Maupertuis“, cases which led to Holmes’s ill-health [written up as “The Case of the Maupertuis Scandal” by June Thomson]. It may be to this period that “The Horror of Hanging Wood” by John Taylor belongs and one of the best known cases, “The Giant Rat of Sumatra“, for which the world is not yet prepared [written up as “The Case of the Sumatran Rat” by June Thomson who sets it after 1888 as Mycroft is referred to; and as “The Giant Rat of Sumatra” by Richard L. Boyer who sets it in September 1894].

April. “The Reigate Squires“.

August. “The Secret of Shoreswood Hall” by Denis O. Smith.

September. “The Adventure of the Silver Buckle“.

October. “Silver Blaze“. Although usually ascribed to October 1888 I prefer the earlier dating and must assume