Adrian Malcolm Conan Doyle

Adrian Conan Doyle

Adrian Malcom Conan Doyle, F.Z.S. (19 november 1910 - 3 june 1970) is the fourth child of Arthur Conan Doyle (second child of second marriage). He had a direct younger sister Lena Jean and older brother Denis, and two older half-siblings, sister Mary and brother Kingsley from the first marriage of his father.

Crest of Adrian Malcolm Conan Doyle (registered in Dublin in 1951)

Biography

On 19 november 1910, Adrian was born at Windlesham, Crowborough, Sussex. He was baptised on 2 january 1911.

On 3 march 1916, he nearly died of pneumonia (aged about 6).

He received primary and initial secondary education at the private school named Hookstead in Crowborough (at the crossroad of Goldsmith Avenue and Beacon Road).

He had the chance to travel around the world. Between 1920 and 1929, he spent 24 months abroad in Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada (2 times) and Africa. Each time to accompany his family during his father's lecture tours about spiritualism.

From 1929, Adrian and his bother Denis started to be interested in race cars. He drove an Anzani Frazer-Nash (The Slug) and received some trophies.

On 23 may 1938, he was married to Anna Charlotte Andersen by Rev. H. Horton at All Saints Church, Minstead, New Forest, Hampshire. At church were present Lady Conan Doyle, Lena Jean Conan Doyle, Mary Conan Doyle, Denis Conan Doyle as best man, Francis Doyle, Francis Doyle, Innes Foley, Marquis Julio de Amodio, Miss Angela Ashmead Bartlett, Miss and Mrs. Horton, Desmond Nicholas, Ambrose Sedgwick, Miss Cynthia Sedgwick, Robin Sanders-Clark, Miss Ruth Smith and Miss Babs Thorn. A reception was held at Cuffnels, Lyndhurst.

On 25 may 1938, the couple left for a honeymoon in Cameroon.

In november 1938, the press reported the disappearance of Adrian's Python, named Tiko. It was found in the chimney of the Chelsea flat a few days later.

In 1940, Lady Conan Doyle died and the estate was managed by Adrian.

In 1944, Adrian served with the Navy from 12 march to 25 april and was then discharged (as being unfit for naval service).

In 1945, he wrote an essay about his father: The True Conan Doyle in reaction to Hesketh Pearson controversial biography.

Around 1946, Adrian and Anna got bored with civilization so they lived for 6 months on a 30-foot schooner to study tropical marine life in Zanzibar. Adrian wrote a report of their expedition in Heaven Has Claws (John Murray, 1952).

Between 1947-1949, Adrian helped John Dickson Carr for his biography : The Life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1949).

Late december 1948 or early 1949, he took up residence in Tangier.

In 1952, Adrian supervised the Sherlock Holmes exhibition which toured 2 years in USA.

In 1954, he was the author with John Dickson Carr of the sherlockian pastiches collected in The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes. They wrote in collaboration the 4 or 5 first stories and the rest by Adrian alone (according to himself in an interview).

After the death of his brother Denis in 1955, Adrian had lawsuits against Denis' wife Nina Mdivani asking her important sums about his late brother's estate.

At the end of 1962, Adrian and Henry E. Lester started a film company named "Sir Nigel Films", in memory of his father's historical novel. The company produced 3 movies related to Sherlock Holmes and Brigadier Gerard : A Study in Terror (1965), The Adventures of Gerard (1970) and The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970).

In 1965, Adrian and Anna moved to Switzerland in the Lucens Castle.

In 1966, he founded the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Foundation in the Lucens Castle (Switzerland) in order to preserve the memory and reputation of his famous father.

Besides his collection related to his father, he had a big collection of armours and old keys.

Adrian died on 3 june 1970, aged 59 of an heart attack. His ashes were interred in the battlements of the Lucens Castle.

In his obituary, Adrian Conan Doyle is evoked as a big game hunter, fisherman, zoologist, explorer and author.

Interviews

• 
  Visit of Lucens Castle with Adrian Conan Doyle (4 april 1966, ORTF)
• 
  Interview of Adrian Conan Doyle on CBC Show Telescope (22 feb. 1968, CBC)
• 
  Interview of Adrian Conan Doyle at Lucens Castle (8 april 1969, BBC)

Photos

Birth certificate (19 november 1909). GRO Ref. : 1910/Dec/UCKFIELD/02B/96.

• 
  Adrian in his first year. In pram hold by his father Arthur Conan Doyle (1910).
• 
  Adrian and Denis in bathtub (1910).
• 
  Adrian aged 2 (right) (1912).
• 
  Adrian (left) at Frinton-on-Sea pulling his father with his brother Denis (1913)
• 
  Adrian aged 3-4 (center) (1913~1914).
• 
  Adrian aged 3-4 (center) (1913~1914).
• 
  Adrian aged 4 (left) at London Zoo (1914).
• 
  Adrian (right) at London Zoo (1914).
• 
  Adrian (left) at London Zoo (1914).
• 
  Adrian aged 6 (right) (ca. 1916).
• 
  Adrian (center) onboard the S.S. Naldera (1920).
• 
  Adrian (second from left) onboard the S.S. Naldera (1920).
• 
  Adrian aged 10 (left) during Australia tour (1920).
• 
  Adrian on rickshaw in Sri Lanka (1920).
• 
  Adrian on rickshaw in Colombo, Sri Lanka (1920).
• 
  Adrian (right) in Sri Lanka (1920).
• 
  Adrian (center) in Mumbai, India (1920).
• 
  Adrian (left) at The Grand Hotel, Melbourne, Australia (november 1920).
• 
  Adrian (second from left) in Melbourne (1920).
• 
  Adrian (left) in Sidney (1920).
• 
  Adrian (right) at Spiritualist's picnic at Nielsen Park, Sydney (1920).
• 
  Adrian aged 11 (left) at Blue Mountains, Australia (1921).
• 
  Adrian on route to Jenolan Caves (1921).
• 
  Adrian (left) aged 12 at Niagara Falls (1922).
• 
  Adrian aged 12 (right) during USA tour (1922).
• 
  Adrian (left of his mother) at W. T. Stead Memorial (1922).
• 
  Adrian (center) at Edgar Allan Poe's house (1922).
• 
  Adrian (left) during USA tour (1922).
• 
  Denis (left) and Adrian (right) with Grover Cleveland Alexander, a 'Chicago Cubs' baseball player (ca. april-june 1922).
• 
  Adrian (left) on R.M.S. Adriatic (1922).
• 
  Adrian (center) with Houdini in Atlantic City (1922).
• 
  Adrian (left) with William J. Burns (1922).
• 
  Adrian (left) during USA tour (1922).
• 
  Adrian (left) boxing his brother Denis (ca. 1922-1923).
• 
  Adrian aged 13 (left) at Victoria Station (1923).
• 
  Adrian (left) at Victoria Station (1923).
• 
  Adrian (center) at Victoria Station (1923).
• 
  Adrian (right) on R.M.S. Olympic (1923).
• 
  Adrian (right) on R.M.S. Olympic (1923).
• 
  Adrian (right) on R.M.S. Olympic (1923).
• 
  Adrian (right) on R.M.S. Olympic (1923).
• 
  Adrian (center) with his sister Lena Jean (left) and his brother Denis (right) in Los Angeles (23 june 1923).
• 
  Adrian (left) in Jasper National Park, Canada (1923).
• 
  Adrian (right) in USA or Canada (1923).
• 
  Adrian (second right) on R.M.S. Adriatic with parents and John M. E. Bowman (4 august 1923).
• 
  Adrian (left) at Lulworth Cove, Weymouth, UK (1923).
• 
  Adrian aged 14 (right) (1924).
• 
  Adrian aged 14 (right) in Switzerland (1924).
• 
  Adrian (as Malcolm his second surname) aged 19 (right) in Africa (1929).
• 
  Adrian (left) on dromedary in Egypt (1929).
• 
  Adrian (ca. 1928-1929).
• 
  Adrian (left) (1929).

• After Arthur Conan Doyle's death
• 
  Adrian at his father's funeral (1930).
• 
  Adrian and his fiancée, Margaret Bridges (22 june 1931).
• 
  Adrian and Denis at race car (november 1932).

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

• 
  Adrian and Anna Andersen at their wedding, at Minstead Parish Church (23 may 1938).
• 
  Adrian and Anna Andersen after their wedding at Minstead Parish Church (23 may 1938).

• 
  Adrian and his wife Anna the day after their marriage (24 may 1938).
• 
  Adrian and his wife Anna with their python "Tiko" (2 november 1938).

• Photos taken by Mark Kauffman for the article published in LIFE on 22 march 1948
• 
  Escapists in Armor
  LIFE Magazine (22 march 1948).
• 
  Adrian in front of his father's portrait (february 1948).
• 
  Adrian painting at his desk (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian with pipe and magnifying glass (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian with pipe and magnifying glass (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian and his collection of old keys (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian and his wife Anna (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian reading on bed (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian posing with his collection of armours (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian (right) with Douglas Ash in medieval costume (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian holding a framed illustration of the joust between the Knight of the Red Rose and the Lord of the tournament, by Thomas Hodgson (march 1948).
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  Adrian in armour with Douglas Ash (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian (right) with Douglas Ash (left) in full armour (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian in armour (march 1948).
• 
  idem.
• 
  Adrian and Douglas Ash fighting in armour (march 1948).
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  idem.
• 
  Adrian in armour (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian in armour (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian in armour (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian in armour (march 1948).
• 
  Ddouglas Ash an Adrian in armour (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian repairing Douglas Ash's armour (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian with his wife Anna repairing his armour (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian with his wife Anna repairing his armour (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian with Anna repairing Douglas Ash's armour (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian in armour with his wife Anna (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian in armour with his wife Anna (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian in armour with Douglas Ash (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian toasting with Douglas Ash (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian toasting with Douglas Ash (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian toasting with Douglas Ash (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian toasting with Douglas Ash (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian toasting with Douglas Ash (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian in armour with Douglas Ash served by Anna (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian in armour served by his wife Anna (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian repairing armour (march 1948).
• 
  Adrian repairing armour (march 1948).

• 1950s
• 
  Anna and Adrian at the Sherlock Holmes Exhibition (1951).
• 
  Adrian (top) with John Dickson Carr (1952).
• 
  Adrian (left) with John Dickson Carr (1952).
• 
  Adrian and his wife Anna.
• 
  Adrian and his wife Anna.
• 
  Adrian and his wife Anna.
• 
  Adrian presenting an helmet from his collection.
• 
  Adrian

Bibliography

• 1937 : Lady's Moresby Secret (short story)
• 1943 : Conan Doyle Was Sherlock Holmes (article in John O'London's Weekly, 5 november 1943)
• 1943 : Sherlock Holmes's Identity (letter in The Times, 28 october 1943)
• 1945 : title to find (review in News Review, 8 november 1945)
• 1945 : The True Conan Doyle (biography)
• 1952 : Heaven Has Claws (travel story)
• 1954 : The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes (12 short stories)
• 1958 : The Pearl of Dying Boys' Reef
• 1959 : Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centenary 1859-1959 (book)
• 1960 : Secret Life of Master Detective: Doyle Himself Was Model for Super Sleuth Sherlock Holmes Says Son (article in The Detroit News, 12 may 1960)
• 1960 : Tales of Love and Hate (10 short stories)
• 1961 : Man Eater (short story)
• 1962 : Some Family Facts (article)
• 1962 : The Sharks of Bir Ali (short story)
• 1963 : Lone Dhow (travel story)
• 1963 : The Lover of the Coral Glades (short story)

• 
  The True Conan Doyle
  (1945, John Murray [UK])
• 
  The True Conan Doyle
  (1946, Coward-McCann [US])
• 
  Heaven has Claws
  (1952, John Murray [UK])
• 
  Heaven has Claws
  (1953, Random House [US])
• 
  The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes (1954)
• 
  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centenary 1859-1959 (1959)
• 
  Tales of Love and Hate (1960)
• 
  The Sharks of Bir Ali (1962)
• 
  Lone Dhow (1963)

Paintings

Adrian Conan Doyle liked to paint. See some of his paintings below:

• 
  Monsoon (1960)
• 
  Sea Fire (1964)
• 
  Sunny Dawn (1964)
• 
  Homeward Bound (1965)
• 
  The Watchers (1966)
• 
  Tropic Moon (1966)

Related articles

• Le fils Conan Doyle a épousé la nièce d'Andersen (24 may 1938, Paris-soir) Conan Doyle's son married Andersen's niece
• Photo of Adrian and Anna Conan Doyle after their wedding (24 may 1938, L'Humanité)
• Marriage of Mr. A. M. Conan Doyle (27 may 1938, Kent & Sussex Courier)
• Le python de M. Conan Doyle a été retrouvé (2 november 1938, Paris-soir) The Python of Mr. Conan Doyle has been found
• Mr. Adrian Conan Doyle (4 june 1970, The Times) obituary
• Adrian Doyle, Son of the Writer, Dies (4 june 1970, The New-York Times) obituary
• Mr. Adrian Conan Doyle, hommage by John Murray (20 june 1970, The Times) tribute

---

---

• Back to Conan Doyle's Family
• Back to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle