Against a Victorian backdrop of horse-drawn hansom cabs and gas-lit streets, a gang of young London street urchins halted devilish deeds and cunning crookery from their headquarters in a disused basement near Baker Street.
The waifs were based on the ‘Baker Street Irregulars’ in Conan Doyle’s world-famous novels, and the leader of the gang was a sharp-witted cockney lad named Arnold Wiggins (Jay Simpson) who modelled himself on Sherlock Holmes.
Others in the gang included the junior Doctor Watson, Beaver (Damion Napier) ; Shiner (future EastEnders star Adam Woodyatt), a shoeshine boy; Sparrow (David Garlick), the youngest gang member; and two girls – Queenie (Debbie Norris), who was the ‘little mother’, and Rosie (Suzi Ross), a flower girl.
The legendary detective (Roger Ostime) was always absent, but Doctor Watson (Hubert Rees) was usually on hand to give Arnold and the gang a helping hand.
Colin Jeavons was Moriarty and Stanley Lebor played the hapless Inspector Lestrade.
There were eight episodes in total and each was in two parts, shown on Tuesday’s (part one) and Friday’s (part two).
Arnold Wiggins
Jay Simpson Beaver
Damion Napier Rosie
Suzi Ross Queenie
Debbie Norris Shiner
Adam Woodyatt Sparrow
David Garlick Dr Watson
Hubert Rees Sherlock Holmes
Roger Ostime Stanley
Lee Chappell Inspector Lestrade
Stanley Lebor Hopkins
Iain Ormsby-Knox Bert
Roger Avon Mrs Hudson
Pat Keen
