Happy 200th Birthday Charles Dickens!

To celebrate Charles Dickens' birthday, I thought I would do a very general biog on the man who is thought to be Britain's first celebrity writer.

Charles Dickens was born Charles John Huffam Dickens on Friday, February 7th 1812 at 1 Mile End Terrace in Portsmouth, England. His parents were John and Elizabeth Dickens and were thought to have inspired some of Dickens' characters, most famously Mr Micawber and Mrs Nickleby in Dickens' semi-autobiographical Nicholas Nickleby.

He was married to Catherine Hogarth in April 1836 in St. Luke's Church, Chelsea, which still stands today. 

Before the couple separated in 1858, they managed to have a staggering 10 children! Even more amazingly for the time, all but one child, Dora Annie Dickens, survived infancy. 

The Pickwick Papers, Dickens' first novel, was published monthly during 1836 and 1837. It was extremely popular at the time and remains so today. Consequently, I believe, Dickens' books have incredibly never gone out of print!

Like many great literary minds, Dickens was far from average. It is thought he had obsessive compulsive disorder, brush his hair hundreds of times a day and being very particular about the position in which he slept. He also suffered from epilepsy. As would be no surprise from some of his writing, Dickens had a wicked sense of humour. He was close friends with the writer, Hans Christian Andersen, but that didn't mean Mr. Anderson never overstayed his welcome. One time, Dickens made a sign in his guest's bedroom, reading 'Hans Anderson slept in this room for five weeks, which seemed to the family like AGES'.

Following his separation from Catherine, Dickens had a relatively clandestine affair with an actress called Ellen Ternan, which went on until his death. Interestingly, in June 1865 Dickens was traveling with Ellen and her mother when their train crashed in Staplehurst. Although Dickens, himself, was not killed, it is thought that his coming to the aid of those injured and dying meant that he never fully recovered mentally.

Famously, Dickens was forced to quit school when he was 11 years old and take his first job in a blacking factory. Dickens had to help support his family this way after his father was sent to a debtors' prison. Although it is thought Dickens never spoke about his experience, it is documented in his novel, David Copperfield. The blacking factory itself does not exist any more, but its site is on Chandos Place, near Trafalgar Square, in London.

As well as David Copperfield, Dickens had many famous works, many of which have been televised. In the most recent adaptation of Great Expectations, Herbert Pocket was played by a descendant of Dickens himself, Harry Lloyd.

From David Copperfield

Dickens died on June 9th, 1870, aged 58 and was buried at Poet's Corner in London's Westminster Abbey, should you wish to visit!

To celebrate Dickens' 200th birthday today, there are tonnes of events. I was hoping to go to Claire Tomlin's talk in Southwark Cathedral tonight but unfortunately won't be able to go! Would be fascinated to hear what it's like. Also, do go and check out the exhibition at the Museum of London!