Dr. Grimesby Roylott is the main antagonist of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes short story The Adventure of the Speckled Band.
Character[]
A huge intimidating figure with a resemblance to an "old bird of prey" (as stated by Watson), Roylott is an extremely antisocial and quarrelsome man. His service as a doctor in India gave him access to "exotic" animals.
rest to be added
History[]
The only surviving member of a once opulent family driven into nigh-poverty, Roylott left England for India. While in India, he established a medical practice. This practice grew (with him marrying Mrs. Stoner, a widow with two daughters, while in India) rather opulent. This fell apart after Roylott nearly killed a butler.
Though he was imprisoned for a brief time, Roylott escaped the hangman's noose and returned to England with several Indian animals in tow. While trying to set up a practice, Roylott's wife was killed in a train accident and he was left alone with his daughters-in-law.
Roylott returned to the village Stoke Moran and became a recluse, with most of his interactions with others being in the form of violent outbursts on Roylott's part. The only allies Roylott had were a band of Roma (or "gypsies", a now-derogatory term for the Roma) that camped around his manor.
Roylott soon saw his step-daughters as disposable. After one of them announced her marriage, Roylott had her killed by leading an extremely poisonous cobra into her room. This went undetected (with the other stepdaughter, Helen, witnessing the end but not making the connection) for two years.
Roylott was finally caught after Helen hired Sherlock Holmes. Helen had announced her marriage and Roylott began setting up her own death. This was stopped by Holmes and Watson, with Holmes causing Roylott's death by making his own serpent attack him.
Sources[]
- Baker Street Wiki