Sherlock Holmes' funeral
A fantasy funeral for Sherlock Holmes, the world-famous consulting detective, would combine order, a minimum of fuss, and an opportunity for mourners to celebrate his greatness in a measured atmosphere. Any reformed members of the criminal underclass would also be welcome to pay their respects.
Important message about our Fantasy Funeral Plan & Eulogy series
The Fantasy Funeral Plan & Eulogy series from Before You Go marks the passing of much-loved figures - real or not, living or not - by commemorating their personality and legacy with a befitting send-off.
Written with gentle humour, we hope you appreciate the intention to inspire and motivate you to plan your funeral so that you get the funeral you want (or don't want!), and spare loved ones from worrying about the detail at an already difficult time.
To help you plan the detail of your funeral, download this free and simple Funeral Wishes Planner. Passing on your funeral wishes won't cost you a penny, but it is so invaluable.
Reading time:
1.5 min
Dress code for the mourners
Restrained. Tweed or black and white. Nothing flamboyant, although Mrs Hudson may wear an ostentatious hat if she so desires.
Flowers
Roses (referenced in A Study in Scarlet*) and white lilies.
Donations in lieu of flowers
To Inspector Lestrade, c/o Scotland Yard, for an annual award for excellence in detective work and deductive reasoning.
Music
On entrance
During reflection
Zigeunerweisen (1904) by Pablo Sarasate**
On exit
Sherlock Holmes by Sparks
(or anything by The Fall!)
Readings
The first 12 ‘Rules for the Direction of Mind’ by Rene Descartes, read by Dr John Watson:
A reflection on any of Sherlock Holmes’s greatest cases by Dr John Watson and Mycroft Holmes.
A telegram of condolence from Irene Adler.
Celebrity celebrants
Sophia, the world’s greatest AI robot; Stephen Fry and Ian Rankin.
Vehicles
A carriage and two black horses, or perhaps a ‘simple’ Rolls Royce, followed by the Baker Street Irregulars with each one bearing a rose.
Coffin
A hardwood copper beech casket. A reminder of The Adventure of the Copper Beeches, it would be as elegant as a solution and as solid and unyielding as Mr Holmes had been in the fight against crime and injustice.
Venue
Baskerville Hall in Devon, beside the Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland, or the Crime Museum at (New) Scotland Yard.
Refreshments
A hearty Holmesian breakfast (whatever the time of day!).***
Self-service - rashers and eggs, scrambled eggs, chicken curry, and kedgeree.
Also, beef sandwiches and pickled eggs.
Other instructions
Various pamphlets by Mr Holmes on fascinating topics, such as A Study Of Tobacco Ash or The Variance Of Fountain Pen Pressure Points On Paper, will be available on tables after the service. Please help yourself.
Unexpected mourners
Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot to a duet of I Know Him So Well.
* “But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its colour are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it. It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers.”
** A preference for German music
In The Red-Headed League, Holmes tells Watson he prefers German music to French or Italian. Holmes attends a concert of German works given by Pablo de Sarasate at St. James’s Hall. “It is introspective, and I want to introspect,” Holmes says.
***Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/6661702/The-Kitchen-Thinker-Sherlock-Holmess-diet.html
FREE download to help you plan your send-off
We hope this Fantasy Funeral Plan has given you food for thought and inspired you to start planning your own send-off. To help you document what you would like for your funeral, leave clear instructions for loved ones in our free and simple Funeral Wishes Planner.
For more fantasy funeral planning inspiration check out our other Fantasy Funeral Plans here,
