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CHARLES DICKENS 1812-1870

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Today marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens, acclaimed as one of the nest writers of the English language and one whose novels have become enduring classics.

Date of Birth: Friday, Feb. 7, 1812 Place of Birth: Education:

Family:
John Dickens, Father (1785-1851) Elizabeth Dickens, Mother (1789-1863)

No. 1 Mile End Terrace, Landport, Portsmouth England

Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Chatham. Dickens considered his years there as the happiest of his childhood.

William Giles school in Chatham, Kent (age 9-11); nearly three years at Wellington House Academy in London (age 13-15); beyond this, largely self-educated.
In 1824, John Dickens, Charles father, was imprisoned for debt. Charles, the oldest child, was withdrawn from school and sent to work in a factory to pay off his fathers debt. It was this experience that shaped much of his future writing. After working in the factory, he briey returned to school. At age 15, he had to return to work. He became a clerk in a law rm, then a shorthand reporter in the courts, and nally a parliamentary and newspaper reporter.

Charles John Hu am Dickens (1812-1870)

Catherine (Hogarth) Dickens, wife (1815-1879)

Children

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First Published Story:

A Dinner at Poplar Walk published in Monthly Magazine (December 1833)

In, 1833, Dickens began to contribute short stories and essays to periodicals. His career continued at an intense pace for the next several years.

Charles Culliford (Charley) Dickens (1837-1896) Mary (Mamie) Dickens (1838-1896) Kate Macready (Katie) Dickens (1839-1929) Walter Savage Landor Dickens (1841-1863) Francis Jeffrey (Frank) Dickens (1844-1886) Alfred DOrsay Tennyson Dickens (1845-1912) Sydney Smith Haldimand Dickens (1847-1872) Henry Fielding (Harry) Dickens (1849-1933) Dora Annie Dickens (1850-1851) Edward Bulwer Lytton (Plorn) Dickens (1852-1902)

Date of Death:

In print In print

Major Works - - Minor Works Major Works Minor Works

Christmas Books Christmas Books

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1840

1860

1850

1835

Sketches by Boz

Pickwick Papers

The Battle of Life

The Cricket on the Hearth

- Pictures from Italy

Martin Chuzzlewit

Dombey and Son

David Coppereld

Nicholas Nickleby

- The Life of Our Lord

- American Notes

A Christmas Carol

The Haunted Man and the Ghosts Bargain

Oliver Twist

- A Child s History of England

Bleak House

- Reprinted Pieces

Barnaby Rudge

The Old Curiosity Shop

The Chimes

Little Dorrit

Hard Times

- The Uncommercial Traveller

A Tale of Two Cities

Our Mutual Friend

Great Expectations

SUSAN BATSFORD, GRAPHICS EDITOR, TWITTER @SBATS1; INFOGRAPHIC BY TARA CORRAN/QMI AGENCY

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1870

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