London Celebrates 200 Years of Charles Dickens

Posted on 08. Feb, 2012 by James Riches in Events, General, What To Do

This week, London celebrates the 200^th birthday of one of the UK’s finest ever authors, Charles Dickens. There are plenty of Dickensian attractions for London visitors to see, with museums particularly active during this celebratory period.

He may have been born in Portsmouth, but Charles Dickens and his many famous stories are inexorably linked with Victorian London. Tales such as The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol and Great Expectations remain popular titles today, and his works have famously never gone out of print. They have also spawned successful television programmes, films and stage shows.

His London connections began when he moved to Camden Town as a child, and he began his married life in Bloomsbury. Upon his death in 1870, the great author was buried in the illustrious Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey, where he rests to this day alongside other highly regarded figures such as George Frederick Handel and Rudyard Kipling.

Fans of his work can still gain plenty of fascinating insight into the workings of one of the most famed writers of all time, starting with the very house in which some of his greatest works were produced.

The Charles Dickens Museum

A famous portrait of Dickens at the V&A

Those who have visited London before may be familiar with the blue plaques that decorate the former homes of famous people. One such plaque sits on the wall at 48 Doughty Street in Bloomsbury, where Dickens lived for two years from 1837 to 1839.

It is the only surviving home of the author; and since 1925 has showcased the fantastic Charles Dickens Museum, home to some 100,000 Dickensian artefacts. His time here was productive for Dickens, who finished The Pickwick Papers, wrote Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby and began work on Barnaby Rudge.

He was eventually forced to move to a larger home to accommodate all his children, of which there were eventually ten. His young sister-in-law Mary died whilst living in the house, an event which Dickens later used when describing the death of Little Nell in The Old Curiosity Shop.

The museum contains personal possessions of Dickens, as well as authentic manuscripts, letters and portraits. It is open every day from 10am until 5pm, with tickets costing £7 for adults and £3 for children (under 10s free).

Museum of London

Dickens' work lives on in other forms today. Here, Jim Carrey portrays Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol.

The Museum of London is great for those who want to learn all about the history of the capital, and as we have seen, Dickens is a key figure in its literary past. As such, they are joining in with the bicentenary celebrations with their own exhibition, which will run until June 10^th.

Here, you can see yet more manuscripts of some of his best-loved works, along with his actual writing desk and chair, complemented by audiovisual effects to create a truly engrossing Dickensian experience. Admission to the Museum of London is free, but a small fee may be required for certain exhibitions. Visitors are welcome from 10am until 6pm.

Victoria and Albert Museum

One of a trio of excellent museums in South Kensington, the V&A also houses a fine collection of Dickens memorabilia, much of it bequeathed by his friend and biographer John Forster. The items included original manuscripts of nearly all Dickens’ books, including an annotated copy of Bleak House.

Also included is correspondence between the two covering 30 years of their friendship, and extracts from Dickens’ diary, which spans three years from 1838 to 1841.

The V&A is free to enter, while visitors are welcome from 10am until 5:45pm every day. Some galleries remain open until 10pm on Fridays.

Tags: Bloomsbury, Camden Town, Charles Dickens, Dickens Museum, Museum of London, V&A Museum