Charles Dickens

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

One of Britain's most prolific authors was born 200 years ago in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England,UK. At the age of 5 he moved to Chatham, Kent (his father was a navy clerk) one day he saw a house called Gad's Hill House, Higham, Kent and said he would like to live there. He bought the house in 1855. He is largely responsible for our view of Christmas. He was involved in the Staplehurst train crash in 1865 and died in 1870 whilst writing Edwin Drood in his Swiss Chalet in his garden.

  Edited February 3, 2012 by Merlin of Flyote  

[Barbarossa 51]

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  Edited September 9, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Yes of course his birthday was 200 years ago, but the 200th aniversary is coming up and he was born on a Friday which is why I posted this today.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

A Dickens of that thing to do. Happy anniversary, Chuck.

[Ocram's Razr 964]

His literature set a standard for the cultural image of Christmas (especially because of the Little Ice Age during the Victorian Era).

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

He was also a renowned journalist who highlighted the plight of the poor and underclass in society.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

He was also a renowned journalist who highlighted the plight of the poor and underclass in society.

He was probably the greatest critic of the evils of unbridled capitalism in the Industrial Revolution. Now best known for the piece he called "The Hammer".

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

He was also a renowned journalist who highlighted the plight of the poor and underclass in society.

He was probably the greatest critic of the evils of unbridled capitalism in the Industrial Revolution. Now best known for the piece he called "The Hammer".

One of the first people to see young girl protitutes as victims of society.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

He was also a renowned journalist who highlighted the plight of the poor and underclass in society.

He was probably the greatest critic of the evils of unbridled capitalism in the Industrial Revolution. Now best known for the piece he called "The Hammer".

One of the first people to see young girl protitutes as victims of society.

Was he aware that being a "painter" in a ceramics factory was a death sentence? There was arsenic in the paints.

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

He was also a renowned journalist who highlighted the plight of the poor and underclass in society.

He was probably the greatest critic of the evils of unbridled capitalism in the Industrial Revolution. Now best known for the piece he called "The Hammer".

One of the first people to see young girl protitutes as victims of society.

Was he aware that being a "painter" in a ceramics factory was a death sentence? There was arsenic in the paints.

Not sure on that one, I doubt it because of the areas he lived in or didn't as the case may be. But Hey! I wasn't there so what do I know. A great, great, great granddaughter was talking about him yesterday morning on Radio2 on a program called Good Morning Sunday at about 08.30 - 09.00 should be on the Iplayer if you're interested (bbc.co.uk).

7th February

Today, there will be events at Portsmouth and at Westminster Abbey (amongst other places) where Dickens was buried. He was expecting to be buried at Gad's Hill his final home, but as with other famous Poets/Authors was buried at Westminster instead.

  Edited February 7, 2012 by Merlin of Flyote  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

My link

Even with the jubilee underway, the royals still find a spot to honor him. This is one of the things that makes up the duty if the Firm.

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Many of the places of his life still exist, many places in his beloved Rochester have plaques on them. The Leather Bottle pub at Cobham have recently discovered some artifacts. His home is now a Girls School. His honeymoon cottage and Joe Gargerys Forge (now a house) are still at Chalk. Pegotty's house (with the upturned boat as a roof) was sadly demolished in 1935 but was a lock-keepers cottage at the Milton (Gravesend) end of the Thames and Medway canal.

Rochester holds a Dicken's festival every year, and there is a Dicken's World Theme Park at Chatham.

[Jazzmaster 716]

Charles Dickens is Google's theme today: