With my surname being Watson, I have heard far too many people say "Elementary, my dear Watson" over the years. They all say it as if they were the first to do so.
About 25 years ago, by what seemed an odd coincidence at the time, my immediate manager was called Mr Holmes. My job at the time was to visit clients and install digital communications hardware and software, and one of my clients was to visit the Abbey National Building Society, who at the time had offices at 221 Baker Street, London. You will remember that Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson shared a flat at 221b Baker Street. When I realised that this was my job for one particular day, I spoke to my manager, and suggested that we go together, it would get the company some unusual publicity, Holmes and Watson arriving at 221b Baker Street. He liked the idea but was unfortunately too busy to accompany me. It was an interesting visit as at the time, they had a small collection of Holmes and Watson memorabilia and still received the occasional letters from people who thought that Sherlock Holmes was a real person.
My second anecdote is more in keeping with this forum. One of the things that started me on my research was a desire to know more about my grandfather who had the middle name Sedcole. I soon found out that he had an elder brother called William Holmes Watson, and I liked the idea that my ancestors had a bit of a twinkle when it came to names. I then thought a little bit more about it, and realised that my grandfather's brother was born in 1867, when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was only 8 years old. It was just an amazing coincidence. Sherlock Holmes didn't exist until 1886. I often wonder what the family must have thought.
I wonder if anyone else has an example of a child being named, and then the name taking on a whole new significance in later years.
Martin
