Lucy Worsley's Holmes vs. Doyle

The public had wanted Arthur to channel his inner Sherlock for years.

After all, he was great at coming up with clear solutions to fictional mysteries.

Arthur liked to complain that people were always harassing him to solve real-life crimes.

He'd say, "Don't these silly people know that I'm not Sherlock Holmes?"

At the same time, though, I think he was flattered, and sometimes he couldn't resist getting sucked in.

In 1907, he received another letter from a fan, who'd read "The Hound of the Baskervilles" while in prison.

His name was George Edalji.

George believed he'd been wrongly accused of a crime, and he thought that Arthur Conan Doyle was the man to help.

So what would Holmes do?

Well, naturally, he'd visit the scene of the crime.

Arthur headed for the West Midlands and the mining village of Great Wyrley.

Great Wyrley.

Worsley, voice-over: In 1903, Great Wyrley had been terrorized by a spate of attacks on animals.

Someone was slashing the bodies of horses, leaving their insides trailing until they died.

The police had arrested the local vicar's son George Edalji, himself a solicitor.

They seized his coat and his muddy boots, claiming they linked him to the crime.

George spent 3 years in prison, and although he'd been released, he wasn't cleared.

That meant he couldn't get work as a solicitor.

He wanted Arthur to clear his name.