The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes

I've been enjoying the excellent TV series, "The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes" on Talking Pictures TV, and I wanted in this poem to evoke something of that atmosphere, of the period when "there were many detectives in late Victorian England", as the opening narrative states.

This series was largely adapted from a collection of then obscure, but genuine Victorian short stories collated and edited by Hugh Greene, who is also credited as the series creator. He was a retired Director General of the BBC and the brother of Graham Greene.

Thames Television released a set of thirteen stories that aired on British television weekly from September to December 1971. It proved to be so popular that a second set of thirteen stories was produced and aired from January to April 1973.


The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes

Come the Bobbies on their beats
In the smog, and down the lane
Murder awaits in gas-lit streets
Behind the grubby window pane

Detective gentleman out about
Walks the streets, down the lane
Following on the death note shout
The dying victim cries in pain

A crime is done, the clues are there
The blood stained body in the lane
The police see, but are not aware
They miss the clue, the second stain

It is Dr Thorndyke who solves this case
He sees all clues, the faintest trace