There is a small list of women in the canon who break the mold of passive and demure to catch the attention of one Mr. Sherlock Holmes. Or at the very least their plights do. Usually because they come to him directly to enlist his help. Miss Violet Smith of "The Solitary Cyclist" is one such woman. Violet’s story is familiar, a single young woman harassed by men at every turn. But it wasn’t until Sherlock & Co’s modern adaptation of the story does the story become real.
(Spoiler alert for Sherlock & Co.'s version of The Solitary Cyclist in the following paragraphs)
In the podcast version, Violet is almost near the same; single young woman being harassed by men at every turn. In the second half of the podcast, Sherlock Holmes said something that caught my attention and made me want to delve into this comparison, “She continues to be dictated to by men.”
In 1895 rights for women in the UK were few to none. A young woman would often go from being a daughter to a wife, handed over like property. It was the rare woman in literature that could stand up against being treated as currency by the men in her life. Even then, there wasn’t much a woman could do if those men chose to push the issue.
In "The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist" (SOLI), Miss Violet Smith is one of those women. With her father dead, Violet and her mother were left poor until a notice in the Times searching for them was spotted. Two men, Mr. Robert Carruthers and Mr. Woodley informed the women they were there on Violet’s uncle’s behalf to look in on them.
In the podcast, Violet Carruthers is a young woman who lost her mom and lives with her father and brother. In both parts, Violet is engaged to be married, in the canon story SOLI, it is to a man by the name of Cyril Morton who has no other baring on the story, in the podcast, which I shall title TSC, it is to Zach Woodley, the person who takes care of her fan club and social medias. In both stories Violet holds down a job, in SOLI it is a music teacher to Mr. Carruthers’ daughter, in TSC, she has an Only Fans account. In both stories, the character of Woodley is both creepy and determined to have what he wants.
Both women are at the mercy of the men in their lives. There is a level of the unknown, threatening acts towards both Violets that leave these women unable to advocate for themselves. While Violet Smith’s father had passed, she was soon thrown in under the power of both Mr. Carruthers and Mr. Woodley all because her uncle, who had made it rich in South Africa, died without an heir. As there was no will, the money would go to his next of kin, his brother. Or rather, his niece,
“Well, well, two of you came over. His reverence is our own home-made article. You had known Ralph Smith in South Africa. You had reason to believe he would not live long. You found out that his niece would inherit his fortune. How's that—eh?”
Carruthers nodded and Williamson swore.
“She was next-of-kin, no doubt, and you were aware that the old fellow would make no will.” (SOLI).
With women having no rights once they were married, their money becoming their husband’s, the original plan was for Carruthers and Woodley to woo and marry Violet Smith to gain control of the inheritance. Who would do the wooing was decided upon a game of cards.
This woman’s life was decided upon by two strangers to her, playing cards to see who would have her. Upon meeting her, Woodley, who had won the game, tried his hand and was rejected. Carruthers, who had welcomed Violet into his house, had fallen for her and no longer wanted Woodley to have her.
Again, Violet had no say in any of this. At this time, she didn’t even know she was an heiress.
In TSC, Carruthers is Violet’s family. Her father and Bobby, her brother, who is unnaturally angry about the situation Violet has been placed in. Violet’s mother is dead and the only people she has in her life are men. Farmers. So she’s used to listening to men. It’s never mentioned if she chose to start the Only Fans account but she does want to stop it.
“I didn’t want to do it anymore. Made plenty of money from it. Hence Maldvies ha...erm.. Didn’t love doing it.. and yeah. Did a new video and I said I was gonna quit,” (TSC).
In SOLI, Violet was stalked by a solitary cyclist, seemingly following her on her route from the train station to her home and back. Between the cyclist and the unwanted attentions of Woodley, Violet planned to quit her position as a music teacher.
Immediately after quitting her Only Fans in TSC, Violet began receiving hateful emails and comments. They found her Tik Tok and began sending her images of the exterior of her house, doxing her. All culminating in being followed by a solitary cyclist on her rides.
In both stories, the cyclist hides his features but it is discovered after that they were there to protect instead of to threaten. In both stories it is Robert Carruthers who is the cyclist, employer and admirer in one, brother in the other.
The story of Violet, both in 1895 and 2024, is tragic because both women are unable to just live their lives as they wish. It is Smith’s biggest wish to marry Morton and become a wife to the man she chooses. It is Carruthers biggest wish to become a mother. She is actively trying for it. And that’s the rub because for both women, these choices are taken from them, Smith is kidnapped and forced to marry Woodley. Carruthers is drugged, first with birth control pills, then with mifepristone to force an abortion because if she becomes a mother, she can’t keep up the lifestyle Woodley has become accustomed to. In both cases Woodley pressed his will onto Violet for money. He wants it, Violet has it so therefore, he needs to control Violet.
“He asked me if I would marry the girl myself and give him a share. I said I would willingly do so, but that she would not have me. He said, ‘Let us get her married first, and after a week or two she may see things a bit different.” (SOLI)
“She’s seen the error of her ways. I’m pretty sure, this outburst from her fans- cos they’re fans at the end of the day. […] Mhm. But what I’m saying is. This has put her back on track. No more babies- for a bit anyway. Back to being in front of the camera. No one is gonna spend 50 quid a month watching some pregnant girl, are they” (TSC)
Both Violets are married under false pretenses, Smith, very unwillingly and unconscious, forced by a defrocked minister. Carruthers, coerced and under the misapprehension that her fiancé would keep her safe from her upset “fans.” In the end it was all about the money Violet had. Money that, as her husband, Woodley could then control.
All her life both versions of Violet were led by men. And while we know what happened to Violet Smith, discovering her inheritance and marrying her true fiancé, Cyril Morton, and living a happy life, we never know what happens to Violet Carruthers. It is only after her marriage to Woodley that she discovers what was done to her. She could have the entire wedding annulled. But would she?
“SHERLOCK: We help Violet but she continues to be dictated to by men. Which begs the question...why help at all? If she’s just going to repeat the behavior, continue with the problematic lifestyle… then why bother?
WATSON What, the camgirl stuff? Is that problematic?
SHERLOCK Not really. But being with Zach is.” (TSC)
In the podcast, Sherlock doesn’t seem to think so. But that was before her brother spilled everything to her at the reception hall. Before he shot her husband. So, if Violet’s life is dictated to by men and if, indeed she is trapped in this behavior, it comes down to which of the men in her life will she be dictated to by?
