▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁Mess rs . ▁Ward , ▁Lock ▁and ▁Bow den ▁were ▁an ▁important ▁name ▁on ▁the ▁publishing ▁scene ." ▁ ▁Eb ene zer ▁Ward ▁retired ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 3 ▁and ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 2 . ▁George ▁Lock ▁had ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 1 . ▁None ▁of ▁Ward ' s ▁children ▁went ▁into ▁business . ▁But ▁Lock ' s ▁family ▁continued ▁the ▁business . ▁“ After ▁George ▁Lock ’ s ▁death ▁the ▁firm ▁was ▁carried ▁on ▁for ▁two ▁years ▁by ▁James ▁Bow den ▁and ▁John ▁Lock ▁under ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁Ward ▁Lock , ▁Bow den ▁& ▁Company . ▁Then , ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 , ▁it ▁was ▁converted ▁into ▁a ▁limited ▁company ▁with ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁Ward ▁Lock ▁and ▁Bow den ▁Ltd .” ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁Be eton ' s ▁Christmas ▁Ann ual ▁( pub lished ▁in ▁November ) ▁Arthur ▁Con an ▁Do yle ' s ▁first ▁detect ive ▁novel , ▁A ▁Study ▁in ▁Sc ar let , ▁was ▁published , ▁introdu cing ▁the ▁consult ing ▁detect ive ▁Sher lock ▁Hol mes ▁and ▁his ▁friend ▁and ▁chron ic ler ▁Dr . ▁Watson . ▁ ▁Ward ▁Lock ▁and ▁Bow den ' s ▁business ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁Melbourne ▁were ▁doing ▁well ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 8 9 0 s , ▁the ▁company ▁opened ▁an ▁office ▁in ▁Toronto , ▁Canada ; ▁however , ▁this ▁was ▁closed ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁The ▁books