The characters and the costumes
As well as material from the archive we also have a display of original costumes
from the ITV drama based upon Julian Barnes' acclaimed novel, Arthur &
George.
The costumes were designed for the series by Les Lansdown.
Martin Clunes played the celebrated novelist and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
in the adaption of Julian Barnes' novel.
Martin Clunes admits he was daunted by the idea of playing one of Britain’s most
celebrated authors. "I was quite terrified by the thought of playing Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle, but my wife,Philippa, had spent a great deal of time optioning the book and
doing deals with agents, writers and ITV,” Martin says.
The suit is beautifully cut and reflects Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's position as an affluent
member of the community.
View more images of Martin Clunes' costume
The wrongly convicted George Edalji was played by Arsher Ali.
George Edalji, the son of Hampshire vicar, Reverend Shapurji Edalji and his wife
Charlotte, was convicted in 1903 of offences which became known as the Great
Wyrley Rippings. On his release from Pentonville Prison after serving three years,
George was desperate to clear his name so he could return to his career.
The difficulty in overturning the conviction of George Edalji was cited as showing that
a better mechanism for reviewing unsafe verdicts was needed. His case and the
associated campaign were factors in the creation of England's Court of Criminal
Appeal in 1907.
By contrast, George's suit is made of thick wool and shows sign of wear and darning.
This shows that, although a trained solicitor, the false conviction had a very serious
effect on his position in society.
View more images of George's costume
Jean was played by Hattie Morahon
Jean is a much younger woman with whom Conan Doyle had a platonic relationship
whilst his wife was alive. She later became his second wife.
The dress and shawl are made of silk and are very delicate. The design is based
upon designer Fortuny's work.
View photographs of dressing the mannequin for the exhibition
Sir Arthur's trusted secretary Woodie is played by Charles Edwards.
After the death of his wife, Louisa, Conan Doyle fell into a state of apathy and despair.
It was Alfred who brought the case of George Edaljo to his attention as a distraction .
When presented by this real-life miscarriage of justice, Doyle was roused to action
and used his skills of detection to rival those of his fictional creation.
Alfred's suit is not as smart as Arthur's but is still of better quality than George's.
View more images of Woodie's costume
The Arthur and George Exhibition
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