Editor’s Note

The twenty-five Sherlock Holmes cases that were eventually rewritten as “Martin Hewitt” adventures by Holmes’s neighbor and journalist friend, Brett, had numerous facts altered before publication. In addition to changing Holmes’s name, description, and location of residence, Brett also altered a number of dates in these stories as well, making it appear that the narratives were spread out over a number of years, rather than over just one year.

This chronology for the “Martin Hewitt” stories shows when the adventures actually took place throughout 1876, during the time that Brett lived at upstairs from Holmes at 24 Montague Street:

1876

Jan 19-20 “The Case of the Dead Skipper”

Late Jan “The Nicobar Bullion Case”

Feb 15-18 “The Affair of Mrs. Seton’s Child”

Late Feb “The Case of the Dixon Torpedo”

Early Mar “The Stanway Cameo Mystery”

Mid-Mar “The Case of the Late Mr. Rewse”

Early Apr “The Case of the Lost Foreigner”

Mid-Apr “The Case of Ward Lane Tabernacle”

Apr 17-18 “The Affair of the Tortoise”

Apr 24-25 “The Quinton Jewel Affair”

Apr 28 “The Ivy Cottage Mystery”

May 1 “The Case of Laker, Absconded”

June 21-23 “The Loss of Sammy Crockett”

Mid-July “The Case of the ‘Flitterbat Lancers’ “

July 25-27 “The Case of Mr. Geldard’s Elopement”

Early Sept “The Lenton Croft Robberies”

Early Sept “The Case of the Missing Hand”

Mid-Sept “The Affair of Samuel’s Diamonds”

Mid-Sept “The Case of Mr. Jacob Mason”

Mid-Sept “The Case of the Lever Key”

Sept 23 “The Case of the Burnt Barn”

Sept 25 “The Case of the Admiralty Code”

Sept 25-27 “The Adventure of Channel Marsh”

Early Oct “The Case of Mr. Foggatt” Part I

Late Nov “The Case of Mr. Foggatt” Part II

Nov 29-30 “The Holford Will Case”