Side-whiskers and goatees disappear in the United Kingdom by the mid 1870s, after which men tend to be clean-shaven or to wear a mustache only.

The Homburg felt hat, introduced in the 1870s, is popularized by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) after he visits Bad Homburg in Hesse, Germany, and brings back a hat of this style, characterized by a single dent running down the center of the crown (called a "gutter crown"), a stiff brim shaped in a "kettle curl", a bound edge trim, and a grosgrain hatband.

The original Homburg is of slightly more generous proportions than the modern version.

Also popular at this time for sports and country wear in Britain is the deerstalker cap (which Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will immortalize in his Sherlock Holmes stories).

King Solomon's Mines tells of a search of an unexplored region of Africa by a group of adventurers led by Allan Quatermain for the missing brother of one of the party.

Written by Sir H. Rider Haggard, it  is the first English adventure novel set in Africa, and is considered to be the genesis of the Lost World literary genre.

Haggard had written the novel as a result of a five-shilling wager with his brother, namely whether he could write a novel half as good as Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island (1883).

He wrote it in a short time, somewhere between six and sixteen weeks between January and 21 April 1885.

However, because the book is a complete novelty, it is rejected by one publisher after another.

When, after six months, King Solomon's Mines finally is published, the book becomes the year's best seller; the only problem (much to the chagrin of those who had rejected the manuscript) is how to print copies fast enough.

The book is first published in September 1885 amid considerable fanfare, with billboards and posters around London announcing "The Most Amazing Book Ever Written".

By the late nineteenth century, explorers are uncovering ancient civilizations around the world, such as Egypt's Valley of the Kings, and the empire of Assyria.

Inner Africa remains largely unexplored and King Solomon's Mines, the first novel of African adventure published in English, captures the public's imagination.

In the process, King Solomon's Mines creates a new genre, known as the "Lost World", which will inspire Edgar Rice Burroughs' The Land That Time Forgot, Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World, Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King and HP Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness.

Lee Falk's The Phantom will initially be written in this genre.

A much later Lost World novel is Michael Crichton's Congo, which involves a quest for King Solomon's lost mines, supposedly located in a lost African city called Zinj.

Arthur Conan Doyle's first significant piece of writing, A Study in Scarlet, is taken by Ward Lock & Co. on November 20, 1886, giving Doyle twenty-five pounds for all rights to the story.

The piece appears later this year in the Beeton's Christmas Annual and receives good reviews in The Scotsman and the Glasgow Herald.

The story features the first appearance of Watson and Sherlock Holmes, partially modeled after his former university teacher Joseph Bell.

Conan Doyle wrote to him, "It is most certainly to you that I owe Sherlock Holmes... [R]ound the centre of deduction and inference and observation which I have heard you inculcate I have tried to build up a man." (Independent, 7 August 2006.)

Robert Louis Stevenson was able, even in faraway Samoa, to recognise the strong similarity between Joseph Bell and Sherlock Holmes: "[M]y compliments on your very ingenious and very interesting adventures of Sherlock Holmes. ... [C]an this be my old friend Joe Bell?" (Letter from R L Stevenson to Conan Doyle 5 April 1893 The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson Volume 2/Chapter XII.)

Other authors sometimes suggest additional influences—for instance, the famous Edgar Allan Poe character C. Auguste Dupin.

Arthur Conan Doyle was born on May 22, 1859 at 11 Picardy Place, Edinburgh, Scotland.

His father, Charles Altamont Doyle, was English of Irish descent, and his mother, born Mary Foley, was Irish.

They married in 1855.

In 1864, the family had dispersed due to Charles's growing alcoholism and the children were temporarily housed across Edinburgh.

In 1867, the family had reunited and lived in the squalid tenement flats at 3 Sciennes Place.

Although he is now referred to as "Conan Doyle", the origin of this compound surname is uncertain.

The entry in which his baptism is recorded in the register of St. Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh gives "Arthur Ignatius Conan" as his Christian name, and simply "Doyle" as his surname.

It also names Michael Conan as his godfather.

Supported by wealthy uncles, Conan Doyle had been sent to the Roman Catholic Jesuit preparatory school Hodder Place, Stonyhurst, at the age of nine (1868-1870), and had then gone on to Stonyhurst College until 1875.

From 1875 to 1876, he was educated at the Jesuit school Stella Matutina in Feldkirch, Austria.

From 1876 to 1881, he had studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, including a period working in the town of Aston (now a district of Birmingham) and in Sheffield, as well as in Shropshire at Ruyton-XI-Towns.

While studying, Conan Doyle began writing short stories.

His earliest extant fiction, "The Haunted Grange of Goresthorpe", was unsuccessfully submitted to Blackwood's Magazine.

His first published piece, "The Mystery of Sasassa Valley", a story set in South Africa, had been printed in Chambers's Edinburgh Journal on September 6, 1879.

Later that month, on September 20, he published his first nonfictional article, "Gelsemium as a Poison" in the British Medical Journal.

Following his term at university, he had been employed as a doctor on the Greenland whaler Hope of Peterhead in 1880 and, after his graduation, as a ship's surgeon on the SS Mayumba during a voyage to the West African coast in 1881.

He had completed his doctorate on the subject of tabes dorsalis in 1885.

In 1882, he had joined former classmate George Turnavine Budd as his partner at a medical practice in Plymouth, but their relationship proved difficult, and Conan Doyle soon left to set up an independent practice.

Arriving in Portsmouth in June of that year with less than ten pounds (seven hundred pounds today) to his name, he set up a medical practice at 1 Bush Villas in Elm Grove, Southsea.

The practice was initially not very successful.

While waiting for patients, Conan Doyle had again begun writing stories and composed his first novels, The Mystery of Cloomber, not published until 1888, and the unfinished Narrative of John Smith, which will go unpublished until 2011.

He has amassed a portfolio of short stories including "The Captain of the Pole-Star" and "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement", both inspired by Doyle's time at sea.

Doyle has struggled to find a publisher for his work.

Northwest Europe (1888–1899): Late Victorian Britain, Imperial Strains, and Political Transformations

Imperial Strength and Victorian Symbolism

Between 1888 and 1899, Britain continued as a leading global power, its imperial influence and cultural prestige underscored by Queen Victoria’s symbolic stature. Though politically passive, Victoria remained the emblem of British stability, domestic virtue, and imperial dignity. Yet, beneath this confident façade, Britain faced intensifying political, economic, and social tensions, marking the slow end of the unchallenged Victorian era.

Political Realignment: The Liberal Split and Rise of Conservative Dominance

Britain’s political landscape shifted dramatically following Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone’s commitment to Irish Home Rule. Historically, Britain’s aristocracy had been politically divided between the Conservative and Liberal parties. However, Gladstone’s embrace of Home Rule caused many aristocrats and upper-class voters to abandon the Liberals, resulting in a permanent Conservative majority in the House of Lords. London's high society, following Queen Victoria’s personal disdain for Home Rule, ostracized prominent Home Rulers, further marginalizing the Liberal party socially.

A key event in this realignment occurred when influential Liberal Joseph Chamberlain broke decisively with Gladstone over Home Rule, taking with him a substantial faction of upper-class Liberal supporters. This group formed the Liberal Unionist Party, aligning closely with the Conservatives, and ultimately merging with them. This shift ensured long-term Conservative dominance, relegating Liberals to political opposition for much of the following two decades.

Gladstonian Liberals and The Newcastle Programme

In response, the remaining Gladstonian Liberals adopted the ambitious Newcastle Programme in 1891, proposing extensive reforms including:

• Home Rule for Ireland

• Disestablishment of the Church of England in Wales and Scotland

• Stricter liquor regulations

• Extensive factory reform

• Significant democratic political reforms

The Programme resonated powerfully with middle-class Nonconformist Liberals who felt newly liberated from the dominance of aristocratic influence, reshaping the Liberal party’s social and political foundations.

The Boer War and Imperial Tensions in South Africa

Simultaneously, Britain faced rising imperial tensions in South Africa. British control of the region, established after the Napoleonic Wars, had continuously provoked resistance from Dutch-speaking settlers, or "Boers" (Afrikaners). The Boers established two independent republics—the Transvaal and the Orange Free State—resisting British attempts to assert greater control.

By the late 1890s, the British government, influenced significantly by cabinet minister Joseph Chamberlain, protested against discriminatory policies enacted by Boer leader Paul Kruger in the Transvaal Republic. Historian Andrew Roberts later described Kruger’s administration as oppressive, labeling it a "quasi-police state," noting it refused political rights to nonwhites, Catholics, Jews, and British "Uitlanders" who provided eighty percent of the republic's tax revenues. Despite a population of over fifty thousand British residents, Johannesburg was denied local governance, the English language was banned in official matters, public meetings were outlawed, newspapers censored, and citizenship strictly controlled.

Chamberlain highlighted Uitlander grievances, intensifying tensions. In response to escalating British pressure, the Boers declared war on October 20, 1899, beginning the Second Boer War (1899–1902). Despite numbering only 410,000, the Boer fighters employed effective guerrilla tactics against Britain’s larger and better-equipped forces. Ultimately, overwhelming British numbers, superior equipment, and often harsh military strategies secured a costly British victory, but at significant financial, human, and reputational cost, foreshadowing future imperial challenges.

Rising German Ambitions and Diplomatic Strains

On the broader international stage, the rise of a unified Germany after 1871 increasingly challenged British dominance. Initially, Chancellor Otto von Bismarck’s diplomatic strategy had maintained a peaceful European balance of power. However, after Kaiser William II ascended the German throne in 1888, he dismissed Bismarck, embracing aggressive rhetoric and a naval buildup explicitly designed to rival Britain’s global naval supremacy.

Germany’s expanding industrial strength threatened Britain's traditional industrial and commercial dominance, creating anxiety within Britain’s political and business communities. Germany's ambitions in Africa and the Pacific exacerbated imperial rivalries, gradually leading Britain toward diplomatic isolation and ultimately prompting reconsideration of its long-held policy of "splendid isolation."

Arts, Crafts, and the Cultural Legacy of William Morris

Culturally, Britain witnessed the transformative influence of the Arts and Crafts Movement, led by the influential designer, poet, and early socialist William Morris. Morris’s designs for furniture, fabrics, stained glass, wallpapers, and decorative arts revolutionized Victorian aesthetics, championing craftsmanship, simplicity, and beauty in reaction to industrial mass-production. Morris’s philosophy profoundly reshaped Victorian tastes and contributed to broader cultural shifts toward simpler, more naturalistic designs.

Late Victorian Society: Gender, Fashion, and the “New Woman”

Socially, Britain continued grappling with shifting gender roles. The emergence of the "New Woman" challenged traditional Victorian notions, advocating increased educational opportunities, economic independence, and eventually suffrage for women. Although mainstream fashion continued to favor restrictive corseting, the uncorseted styles promoted by the Aesthetic Movement and other progressive groups gradually influenced broader perceptions of women's autonomy.

Technological Innovation and Industrial Competition

Britain maintained global leadership in industries such as shipbuilding, finance, and communications. The telegraph and rail systems continued facilitating international trade, but Britain faced mounting industrial competition from Germany and the United States, increasingly challenging its industrial supremacy. Economic pressures from the continuing Long Depression period intensified these competitive anxieties.

Lord Salisbury and Gladstone’s Final Years

Politically, Britain’s leadership transitioned between two dominant figures in this era. Conservative Lord Salisbury, characterized by his full beard and patrician bearing, served as Prime Minister multiple times (briefly until January 1886, again from November 1886 to 1892, and once more starting in 1895), offering stable but cautious leadership through a turbulent era.

In contrast, Liberal icon William Ewart Gladstone, known for his sparse beard and charismatic moral leadership, served his fourth and final ministry between 1892 and 1894, attempting once again to pass Irish Home Rule before retiring due to age. Gladstone died in 1898, symbolizing the passing of an era of dynamic, moral-driven reformism in British politics.

Military Reforms and Lingering Challenges

Despite earlier reforms by Gladstone’s War Secretary, Edward Cardwell, the British Army remained plagued by organizational inefficiencies and outdated practices, exposed painfully during the Boer War. The army's voluntary nature, though admired domestically, proved challenging when confronting sustained guerrilla tactics overseas. These weaknesses highlighted critical military vulnerabilities Britain would later need to address.

Scandinavian Stability and Icelandic Nationalism

Scandinavia continued enjoying internal stability. Norway further solidified its distinct national identity within the union with Sweden, setting the stage for later independence movements. Denmark focused inwardly, consolidating after earlier territorial losses.

In Iceland, nationalist sentiments deepened, building on the earlier intellectual and political legacy of nationalist figure Jón Sigurðsson, laying the groundwork for greater autonomy.

Leisure, Tourism, and Victorian Culture

Middle-class leisure expanded steadily, driven by improved transport and rising incomes. Tourism, popularized by entrepreneurs such as Thomas Cook, broadened significantly, facilitating increased international and domestic travel. Literary culture remained vibrant, represented by figures like Oscar Wilde, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Rudyard Kipling, whose works examined social anxieties, imperial tensions, and shifting cultural norms. Wilde’s dramatic 1895 trial, in particular, illustrated tensions within traditional Victorian morality, marking broader cultural transformations at century’s end.

Conclusion: Imperial Confidence, Domestic Strains, and Emerging Modernity

From 1888 to 1899, Britain’s imperial dominance persisted, but underlying domestic and international tensions became increasingly pronounced. Political realignment driven by the Irish Home Rule crisis, challenges posed by the Boer War, rising German ambitions, shifting gender roles, and economic competition from emerging industrial powers defined this critical era. Simultaneously, cultural shifts epitomized by William Morris’s influential designs, rising feminist consciousness, and vibrant literary expressions signaled transformative changes.

This period marked the final years of confident Victorian dominance, revealing strains that would profoundly reshape Britain and Northwest Europe as they entered the twentieth century.

The first collection of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories from The Strand Magazine, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, is published in London on October 31, 1892.