Arthur Conan Doyle's application for a ticket for The British Museum Library

England, 1 April AD 1891

The creator of Sherlock Holmes applies to use the Library

All prospective users of The British Museum Library had to apply in writing, stating their reasons for study there. At the time he applied for a reader's ticket, Arthur Conan Doyle was already well-known as the creator of the great detective Sherlock Holmes, but he had not yet given up his work as a doctor, and in this letter of application he gives his occupation as 'physician'.

As well as his detective stories, Conan Doyle wrote many historical novels. At the time he wrote this letter he was probably carrying out research for his novel The White Company, which is set at the time of the Thirty Years' War (1618-48) in Europe.