A Study in Scarlet

John H. Watson

Also known as Dr. Watson · Watson

The narrator, a former army surgeon who served in Afghanistan and shares rooms with Sherlock Holmes. He records the case in his journal.

Murray

Watson’s orderly in Afghanistan, who saved him after he was wounded at Maiwand.

Young Stamford

Also known as Stamford

A former dresser under Watson at Barts who introduces him to Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes

Also known as Mr. Sherlock Holmes · Holmes · The writer of “The Book of Life”

A consulting detective with exceptional powers of observation and deduction. He shares rooms with Watson and investigates the murders of Enoch J. Drebber and Joseph Stangerson.

Enoch J. Drebber

Also known as E. J. Drebber

A Cleveland man found murdered at Lauriston Gardens; his belongings connect him to Joseph Stangerson. He forced Lucy Ferrier into marriage and was later killed by Jefferson Hope.

Von Bischoff

A man mentioned as having been involved in a criminal case at Frankfurt, where a blood test might have established his guilt.

Mason

A man from Bradford mentioned in connection with a criminal case where a blood test might have been decisive.

Muller

A notorious criminal mentioned as someone whose case might have been resolved by a blood test.

Lefevre

A man from Montpellier mentioned in connection with a criminal case where a blood test might have been decisive.

Samson

A man from New Orleans mentioned in connection with a criminal case where a blood test might have been decisive.

The bull pup

Watson’s dog, mentioned as one of his habits when he discusses sharing rooms.

Mr. Lestrade

Also known as Lestrade

A Scotland Yard detective who investigates Drebber’s and Stangerson’s murders alongside Gregson. A newspaper wrongly credits the capture entirely to him and Gregson.

Young girl visitor

An unnamed, fashionably dressed young woman who visits Holmes and stays for about half an hour; she is one of his clients.

Grey-headed visitor

An unnamed, shabby, excited visitor who comes to see Holmes; he is one of Holmes’s clients.

Slip-shod elderly woman

An unnamed elderly woman who follows the grey-headed visitor to Holmes’s rooms.

Old white-haired visitor

An unnamed elderly man who has an interview with Holmes and is one of his clients.

Railway porter

An unnamed man in a railway porter’s uniform who visits Holmes and is one of his clients.

Thomas Carlyle

An author whom Watson quotes; Holmes does not recognize the name.

Edgar Allen Poe’s Dupin

Also known as Dupin

A fictional analytical detective whom Watson compares to Holmes; Holmes considers him inferior.

Lecoq

A fictional detective from Gaboriau’s works whom Holmes criticizes as a bungler.

Retired sergeant of Marines

Also known as Commissionaire · Sergeant, Royal Marine Light Infantry

A former Royal Marine sergeant now working as a commissionaire, who delivers a message to Holmes.

Tobias Gregson

Also known as Gregson

A Scotland Yard detective investigating Drebber’s murder. He arrests Arthur Charpentier on a mistaken theory and later helps Holmes capture Jefferson Hope. A newspaper falsely credits him and Lestrade with the capture.

Police constable at Lauriston Gardens

An unnamed constable guarding the murder scene, where a small crowd gathers.

Joseph Stangerson

Also known as Stangerson

Drebber’s private secretary and fellow American traveler, later found murdered at Halliday’s Private Hotel. In Utah, he was an elder whose son courted Lucy Ferrier; he helped pursue her family, and Jefferson Hope says he shot John Ferrier.

Rachel

Also known as Miss Rachel

A woman Lestrade suspects may be connected to the case because he interprets the word “RACHE” on the wall as an unfinished name; Holmes says it means “revenge” in German.

John Rance

Also known as Rance

The constable who found Drebber’s body at Lauriston Gardens. He recalls encountering a very drunk, tall, red-faced man near the scene.

Van Jansen

A man whose death in Utrecht in 1834 is cited by Holmes as a precedent for the circumstances of Drebber’s death.

Harry Murcher

Also known as Murcher

A constable who works the Holland Grove beat and was with John Rance on the night Drebber’s body was found.

Tall, red-faced man in the brown overcoat

Also known as The man in the brown coat · Florid friend · Square-toes · The murderer

The tall, red-faced man Rance encountered near Lauriston Gardens. Holmes identifies him as Jefferson Hope, the murderer of Drebber and Stangerson.

Charles Darwin

Also known as Darwin

A naturalist Holmes cites in a remark about music and the human race.

Norman Neruda

A violinist whose concert Holmes attends and whose playing he admires.

Former tenant of a Lauriston Gardens house

An unnamed former tenant who died of typhoid fever, as John Rance recalls.

Mrs. Sawyer

Also known as Sawyer

An assumed identity used by a young man disguised as an elderly woman to retrieve Drebber’s gold wedding ring and mislead Holmes. The supposed address and family story are false.

Sally Dennis

Also known as Sally

A supposed daughter of Mrs. Sawyer and wife of Tom Dennis, in the story used by the disguised man to claim Drebber’s ring. No such person is established as real.

Tom Dennis

A supposed sailor and husband of Sally Dennis, described in the false story given to Holmes.

Maid at Baker Street

An unnamed maid in Holmes and Watson’s lodging house, heard going to bed.

Landlady at Baker Street

The unnamed landlady of Holmes and Watson’s lodging house.

Henri Murger

The author of Vie de Bohème, which Watson reads while waiting for Holmes.

Arthur Charpentier

Also known as Lieutenant Charpentier · Sub-lieutenant in Her Majesty’s navy · Young Charpentier

The son of Madame Charpentier and brother of Alice. Gregson arrests him on suspicion of murdering Drebber, but Holmes’s investigation shows that suspicion is mistaken.

Madame Charpentier

Also known as Mrs. Charpentier

A widowed boarding-house keeper in Camberwell, mother of Arthur and Alice. She recounts Drebber’s misconduct toward Alice and Arthur’s confrontation with him.

Alice Charpentier

Also known as Alice

Madame Charpentier’s daughter and Arthur’s sister. Drebber harassed her, and she urges her mother to tell Gregson the truth.

John Underwood

Also known as Mr. Underwood

A hat seller whose records lead Gregson to Drebber’s boarding house.

Boots at Halliday’s Private Hotel

Also known as The Boots

An unnamed hotel employee who shows Lestrade to Stangerson’s room and helps break in after they discover blood beneath the door.

Milk boy

An unnamed boy who sees a tall, reddish-faced man in a brownish coat descend a ladder near Halliday’s Private Hotel after Stangerson’s murder.

The terrier

Also known as The dog

An elderly, terminally ill dog at Holmes’s lodging house. Holmes tests Stangerson’s pills on it; one is poisonous and kills it.

John Ferrier

Also known as Ferrier

A widowed American rescued from the desert by Mormon emigrants with the orphaned Lucy. He adopts her, becomes a prosperous farmer in Utah, and opposes her marrying a Mormon. Stangerson kills him while he tries to flee with Lucy and Jefferson Hope.

Lucy Ferrier

Also known as Lucy

The young orphan John Ferrier rescues and adopts as his daughter. She grows up in Utah, falls in love with Jefferson Hope, is forced to marry Drebber, and dies within a month.

Lucy’s mother

Also known as Mother

Lucy’s unnamed mother, who dies of thirst during the journey across the desert before John Ferrier and Lucy are rescued.

Bob

Also known as Brother Bob

Lucy’s brother, mentioned by her while she is lost in the desert; his fate is not described.

Mr. Bender

A member of John Ferrier’s emigrant party who dies of thirst and hunger on the desert crossing.

Indian Pete

A member of John Ferrier’s emigrant party who dies of thirst and hunger on the desert crossing.

Mrs. McGregor

A member of John Ferrier’s emigrant party who dies of thirst and hunger on the desert crossing.

Johnny Hones

A member of John Ferrier’s emigrant party who dies of thirst and hunger on the desert crossing.

Brigham Young

Also known as Young · The Prophet

The leader and Prophet of the Mormon emigrants, who directs their settlement in Utah and whose authority is invoked by Elder Stangerson. He threatens John Ferrier and demands that Lucy marry a Mormon.

Angel Merona

A religious figure whom the Mormon emigrants regard as having chosen their people.

Joseph Smith

The Mormon religious founder whom the emigrants believe received sacred writings and whose voice Brigham Young is said to speak with.

Brother Stangerson

Also known as Elder Stangerson

A senior Mormon elder who helps lead the emigrant party and is assigned to care for John Ferrier and Lucy. He has three wives and a son.

Son of Elder Stangerson

An unnamed, headstrong twelve-year-old boy, son of Elder Stangerson.

Three wives of Elder Stangerson

The unnamed wives of Elder Stangerson, who share his wagon with Lucy during the journey.

Jefferson Hope

Also known as Hope

A western adventurer who falls in love with Lucy Ferrier and vows to return after securing his mining prospects. After Lucy and John Ferrier are taken, he pursues revenge and kills Drebber and Stangerson; he dies in custody from an aneurism. A newspaper account reports his connection to Salt Lake City and misrepresents the capture of him as the police’s achievement.

Father of Jefferson Hope

Jefferson Hope’s unnamed father, who had been close friends with John Ferrier in St. Louis.

Companions of Jefferson Hope

Unnamed prospectors who travel with Jefferson Hope in the Nevada Mountains while seeking silver.

Cattle herdsman

An unnamed herdsman who helps rescue Lucy Ferrier from a panicked cattle drive.

Heber C. Kemball

A preacher mentioned in an editorial footnote, which says he referred to his many wives as “heifers.”

Young son of Elder Drebber

Also known as Young Drebber · Son of Elder Drebber

The unnamed son of Elder Drebber, a suitor for Lucy Ferrier who marries her after the Mormon leaders award her to him. He later leaves Utah with Stangerson and is killed by Jefferson Hope.

Cowper

A Mormon known to Jefferson Hope, who tells him Lucy was married to young Drebber and Stangerson shot John Ferrier.

Two Mormon signalers

Two unnamed armed men who exchange a coded signal near the Ferrier farm while organizing the pursuit of the fugitives.

Mormon sentinel

Also known as Solitary watcher

An unnamed armed guard at a mountain post who challenges the fugitives and lets them pass after they give the countersign.

Young man who confronts Drebber

An unnamed young man who drives Drebber from a house after accusing him of insulting an honest girl. Drebber’s account does not identify him.

Police Inspector

Also known as Inspector

An unnamed police official who records Jefferson Hope’s statement and oversees his custody.

Police warders

Two unnamed warders who take Jefferson Hope away after his statement.

Cab boy at Euston Station

An unnamed boy Hope leaves to hold his cab horse while he follows Drebber and Stangerson onto the station platform.

Justice of the peace

An unnamed official in Cleveland whom Drebber approaches for legal protection against Jefferson Hope.

York College professor

An unnamed professor who lectures on poisons and demonstrates a powerful alkaloid; Hope later steals some of it.