CONAN DOYLE DEAD

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1018, 8 July 1930, Page 9

CONAN DOYLE DEAD

ARDENT SPIRITUALIST AND NOVELIST

DETECTIVE STORIES United F.A.—By Telegraph —Copyright LONDON, Monday. The death has occurred of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the well-known novelist, aged 71 years. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a native of Edinburgh, and was educated at Stonyhurst College. After studying medicine in his native city lie practised as a doctor at South sea from ISS2 to 1890. He then went to the Arctic in a whaler as ship’s doctor and visited the west coast of Africa. During the South African war he was physician of a field hospital. He stood twice for Parliament as a Unionist and a tariff reformer. It was in the late 80’s that the world was given the first of the Sherlock Holmes detective stories, which have immortalised the great writer, and which could not fill the great public demand for the clever crime mysteries and subtle plots of the greatest crime investigator of fiction. The remark-

able deductions of the detective were based on those of the Edinburgh doctor. James Hell, whose clinics Doyle attended and who, by observation of what seemed to be trifles, arrived at accurate conclusions about the outpatients on whom he lectured. Conan Doyle has also written some excellent historical novels: “The White Company.” dealing with the English archers in France at the time of the Black Prince. “Micah Clarke.” “The Refugees,” “The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard,” stories of the Napoleonic wars, “Rodney Stone,” a sketch of the days of the Prince Regent, and

“The Great Shadow”; some modern stories, such as “A Duet With an Occasional Chorus,” and several plays, including “The Story of Waterloo.” in which Irving appeared, “The House of Temperley,” “The Fires of Fate.” and “Halves.” He also compiled two books in defence of the South African War. which were translated into 12 languages, 100,000 copies being given away. He was knighted In 1902. lie visited the war zones and wrote on his experiences there. After losing his son in the war he became an ardent Spiritualist, and since 1918 he has devoted his life to writing and lecturing on behalf of his new faith, his books including “A New Revelation.” “The Vital Message.” “The Wanderings of a Spiritualist.” a novel. “The Land of Mist.” and a “History of Spiritualism.”