The Sign of Four - Facts

 

At the beginning of the book we find Holmes in his home at Baker Street. 221B Baker Street is the London address of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. When the Sherlock Holmes stories were first published, street numbers in Baker Street did not go as high as 221.

When Mary Morstan come to see Holmes and Watson, he tells them about her father's disappearance. She was supposed to meet him at Langham Hotel, but he never appeared. The Langham, London, is a 5-star hotel in London. It is situated in the district of Marylebone. It was in the first years the largest and most modern hotel in the city, featuring 100 water closets, 36 bathrooms and the first hydraulic lifts in England.

Captain Morstan has been an officer on the Adaman Islands. The Andaman Islands are a pristine Indian archipelago in the Bay of Bengal known for their sparkling turquoise waters, white-sand beaches, and world-class scuba diving. Located off the eastern coast of India, this tropical paradise is an ideal getaway for nature lovers and adventure seekers.

In her visit Mary asks Holmes and Watson to accompany her to meet the person who had written her anonymously. The meeting point was near the Lyceum Theatre. The Lyceum Theatre is a West End theatre located in the City of Westminster. 

When they meet Thadeus Sholto, he tells them that they need to go and see his brother who lives in Upper Norwood. Upper Norwood is an area of south London. 

Thadeus reveals the story of his father and Captain Morstan, and when he and his brother discovered that Mary had been wronged, they sent a pearl found in a chaplet that was part of the treasure that their father said was in the house. A chaplet most commonly refers to a string of prayer beads used in Christian devotion, or the specific set of prayers recited while using them. 

Mary works as a governess in Lower Camberwell. Camberwell is an area of South London. 

Holmes and Watson use a dog to follow the scent of creosote as one of the men had been hidden in a barrel and creosote was used for its preservation. Creosote is derived from the distillation of tar from wood or coal and is used as a wood preservative.

The criminals use a steam launch to escape. Historically, a "steam launch" was a type of small, open, or partially decked boat propelled by a steam engine. Popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, they were commonly used on rivers and lakes for pleasure or as utility tenders for larger ships.

Watson refers to the launch as a clipper. A clipper was a type of mid-19th-century merchant sailing vessel, designed for speed. 

When Small confesses everything, he mentions that he was taken by the Queen's shilling. The Queen’s Shilling (or King’s Shilling when the monarch is male) was a historical British enlistment payment of one shilling given to recruits joining the armed forces. Originating around the English Civil War, accepting the coin officially locked a person into military service. The practice was officially terminated in 1879.