The Life of Charles Dickens
See our extensive list of articles on little-known aspects of the life of Charles Dickens. Learn about his first love and his marriage. Discover how Charles Dickens had a brush with death in a railway accident in 1865.
Many Charles Dickens facts are presented in the timeline of his life. The timeline also includes information about the era in which he lived.
Charles Dickens Biography
Charles Dickens (1812 - 1870) was a Victorian author whose novels include A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, and Great Expectations.
This short biography tells about his work and little-known aspects of his life.
Charles Dickens Timeline
Charles Dickens was born on February 7th in 1812 and died in 1870. Here's a list of facts, events and dates in the life of Charles Dickens. The timeline also includes information about the era in which he lived.
The Childhood of Charles Dickens
Life was not easy for young Charles Dickens. Learn about his childhood, his dreams of being a gentleman as well as tales of Captain Murderer!
The Children of Charles Dickens
Charles and Catherine Dickens had ten children. The eldest went bankrupt and was later hired by his father. "Chickenstalker" joined the Canadian Mounted Police. The youngest became a Member of Parliament in New South Wales.
Bonfire at Gad’s Hill Place
In September of 1860 Charles Dickens gathered "the accumulated letters and papers of twenty years" and set them ablaze in his backyard. Did the bonfire mark a turning point in his life or was he trying to cover his tracks?
Inspector Francis J. Dickens
Learn about Inspector Francis J. Dickens, the son of Charles Dickens who joined the Canadian Mounted Police.
Friends of Charles Dickens
Dickens was a social man and had many friendships. People in his circle included Wilkie Collins, John Forster, William Makepeace Thackeray, and Edgar Allan Poe.
Gad’s Hill Place
In 1821, when Dickens was 9, he and his father took a walk through Kent. They passed a house called Gad's Hill Place. Young Charles was very impressed. Thirty-five years later Dickens bought the house that he admired as a child.
Law Clerk, Journalist, Actor – The Other Careers of Charles Dickens
Learn about the jobs that Dickens had before he became an author and other careers that he contemplated. Other careers? Yes, it's true! The author of A Christmas Carol worked as a law clerk and thought about being an actor.
Maria Beadnell
Maria Beadnell was the first love of Charles Dickens. For Charles it was love at first sight. His mind was quickly filled with thoughts of everlasting romance and marriage. Sadly, the romance didn't go as Dickens hoped.
The Marriage of Charles Dickens
A man orders a bracelet for his mistress. It's mistakenly sent to his home where his wife discovers it. Sounds like a romance novel doesn't it? However, it really happened to Charles Dickens.
Charles Dickens and Mesmerism
In 1849 John Leech, the illustrator for A Christmas Carol, was injured. Dickens rushed to his aid. What could Dickens do that the doctors couldn’t? Dickens helped his friend via the use of mesmerism.
The Staplehurst Railway Accident
In June of 1865, Charles Dickens had a brush with death. While he survived, others weren't as lucky. Ten people died and forty were injured in the Staplehurst railway accident.
What We Can Learn from Charles Dickens
Sometimes people ask how I came to make a site devoted to the life of Charles Dickens. After reading about his life I was struck by the fact that from a very early age, Charles Dickens knew he wanted to be a gentleman. Unfortunately, the odds weren’t in his favor.
Charles Dickens and Copyright Laws
Copyright laws are big news today, but they were also an issue in Dickens's time. Learn about his fight for international copyright regulations.
