Charles Dickens's London with Simon Callow - the Guardian

Summary

The video script explores Charles Dickens's early life and its impact on his work. Born in Portsmouth, Dickens spent his childhood in Chatham and London, where the Navy and sea influenced his early years. His experience working at a blacking warehouse as a child in a rat-infested environment was pivotal. After his father rescued him, Dickens pursued education and later created 'Household Words,' a successful magazine. His personal life, including a separation from his wife, influenced his work. Dickens's walks around London, pointing out 'Dickens's London,' immortalized his presence, and his legacy endures.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ Charles Dickens's story is closely tied to Somerset House, where his father worked and where he met his mother.
• 🚢 The Navy and the sea were significant in Dickens's early life, as he was born in Portsmouth and spent formative years in Chatham.
• 🔧 At age 12, Dickens worked in a gloomy, rat-infested warehouse, an experience that deeply affected him.
• 🏭 The blacking warehouse where Dickens worked was on Hungerford Stairs, a humiliating and shameful period for him.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 His father's release from debtor's prison led to Dickens being taken out of the warehouse and allowed to resume his education.
• 📰 Dickens created 'Household Words', his first magazine, which was successful and where he wrote and edited for many years.
• 💔 His separation from his wife led to the creation of a rival magazine, 'All the Year Round', after a dispute with his publishers.
• 🏙️ Dickens enjoyed walking around London, showing visitors his city, and he was a mythic figure even in his own time.
• 🏡 His editorial offices for 'All the Year Round' were located in Wellington Street, where he stayed until his death in 1870.
• 🌆 Much of the London that Dickens knew and wrote about remains, allowing his legacy to be experienced by modern visitors.

Q & A

Where did Charles Dickens's father, John, have his first job?

John Dickens had his first job at the Navy Pay Office located in Somerset House.

Who did John Dickens marry and where did they get married?

John Dickens married Elizabeth, the sister of a fellow clerk, and their wedding took place at the Church of St. Mary le Strand.

What significant impact did the Navy and the sea have on Charles Dickens's early life?

The Navy and the sea dominated the first 10 years of Charles Dickens's life, as he was born in Portsmouth and spent possibly the happiest years of his childhood in Chatham.

At what age was Charles Dickens sent to work at the blacking warehouse, and what was the condition of the place?

Charles Dickens was sent to work at the blacking warehouse at the age of 12, where he experienced a tumbledown, rat-infested environment.

What was the significance of the blacking warehouse experience for Dickens's childhood?

The experience at the blacking warehouse was a formative event in Dickens's childhood, which deeply influenced his later works and social views.

What was the condition of the factory where Dickens worked after the blacking warehouse?

The new factory was an upgrade in terms of location but had the unattractive aspect of being very dark, which led to public humiliation for Dickens as he worked in the window for extra light.

How did Charles Dickens's father help him leave the blacking warehouse?

Charles Dickens's father, after being released from the debtor's jail, happened to pass by the window of the factory, saw his son, and decided to take him out of the warehouse.

What was the name of the first magazine Charles Dickens created, and how successful was it?

Charles Dickens created his first magazine called 'Household Words,' which was very successful, and he wrote and edited a lot for it.

Why did Charles Dickens end 'Household Words' and start a rival magazine?

Dickens ended 'Household Words' after a disagreement with his publishers over the publication of a personal statement regarding his separation from his wife. He started a rival magazine called 'All the Year Round' as a result.

Where were the editorial offices of 'All the Year Round' located in relation to 'Household Words'?

The editorial offices of 'All the Year Round' were located only one block up from 'Household Words' as a statement against his former publishers.

How did Charles Dickens celebrate his own existence and presence in London?

Charles Dickens celebrated his own existence by walking around London with friends and visitors, pointing out places and making himself a part of the city's myth and reality.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ Early Life and Naval Influence

The script begins by setting the scene at Somerset House, which was the Navy pay office in the 19th century and where Charles Dickens's father, John, worked. It highlights the significance of the Navy and the sea in Dickens's early life, as he was born in Portsmouth and spent formative years in Chatham. The narrative then shifts to London, where at age 11, Dickens's life took a turn for the worse, marked by his employment at a blacking warehouse near Hungerford Bridge, a degrading and humiliating experience that deeply affected him.

📚 Dickens's Struggle and Literary Aspirations

This paragraph delves into Dickens's challenging childhood, detailing his work at the blacking warehouse, a dark and rat-infested place that was a pivotal experience in his life. It describes how his father's chance sighting of him working there led to his release and the opportunity to resume his education, a dream he had long held. The script also mentions the creation of his first magazine, 'Household Words,' and the subsequent fallout with his publishers, which led to the establishment of a rival magazine, 'All the Year Round.'

🏙️ Dickens's London and Legacy

The final paragraph of the script paints a picture of Dickens as a living legend in his own time, a man who was deeply connected to London and its people. It describes his joy in walking around the city, sharing his London with friends and visitors alike. The narrative concludes with the observation that Dickens's presence is still felt in London, and many of the places associated with him remain, serving as a testament to his enduring impact and influence.

Keywords

💡Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens is a renowned 19th-century English writer, known for his works that often depicted the conditions of the working class and the struggles of life in Victorian England. In the video, Dickens is the central figure whose life and experiences are explored, with his early life and work experiences being pivotal to his later literary success.

💡Somerset House

Somerset House is a large Neoclassical building in London, which served as the backdrop for the beginning of Charles Dickens's story. In the 19th century, it was home to the Navy Pay Office where Dickens's father, John, worked. The location is significant as it represents the start of Dickens's connection with the navy and maritime life, which influenced his early years.

💡Navy Pay Office

The Navy Pay Office was the workplace of John Dickens, Charles's father, and is mentioned as the place where he met Elizabeth, Charles's mother. This setting is crucial as it establishes the Dickens family's early life and the maritime influence that would later permeate Charles's work.

💡Blacking Warehouse

The Blacking Warehouse is a historical location where Charles Dickens worked as a child laborer at the age of 12. This experience was a formative and traumatic event in his life, which deeply influenced his writing and his social commentary on the plight of the poor and the working class in Victorian society.

💡Hungerford Stairs

Hungerford Stairs is the location where the Blacking Warehouse was situated. It is significant because it is where Dickens spent his days doing monotonous work, an experience that he later used to highlight the harsh realities of child labor in his literature.

💡Child Labor

Child labor refers to the employment of children in workplaces, often under harsh conditions. In the video, Dickens's experience at the Blacking Warehouse exemplifies child labor, illustrating the social issues of the time and serving as a driving force behind his advocacy for social reform.

💡Household Words

Household Words was a magazine created and edited by Charles Dickens. It represents his ambition and creativity, as well as his role as a publisher and editor. The magazine was a platform for Dickens to express his views and share stories that resonated with the public, further establishing his literary reputation.

💡All the Year Round

All the Year Round was a rival magazine started by Dickens after a dispute with his publishers over the publication of a personal statement. This move demonstrates Dickens's determination and independence, as well as his ability to create successful ventures despite setbacks.

💡Victorian England

Victorian England refers to the period of British history during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901). The video's narrative is set against this backdrop, highlighting the social, economic, and cultural conditions that shaped Dickens's life and work, including the prevalence of child labor and the class struggles of the time.

💡Dickens's London

Dickens's London refers to the various locations and experiences within the city that influenced Charles Dickens's life and writing. The video script mentions his walks around different parts of London, indicating how the city's diverse landscapes and characters inspired his literary creations.

💡Marital Separation

Marital separation is the act of a married couple living apart, which in Dickens's case, was a significant personal event that had public implications. The video discusses his attempt to publish a statement about the separation, which was refused by his publishers, leading to a rift and the creation of a new magazine.

Highlights

Charles Dickens' story begins at Somerset House, where his father John worked at the Navy Pay Office and met his mother Elizabeth.

The Navy and sea heavily influenced Dickens' early life, as he was born in Portsmouth and spent happy years in Chatham.

Aged 11, Dickens experienced hardship in London, working at the blacking warehouse near Hungerford Bridge.

The warehouse job was a formative, humiliating experience for Dickens, working in a dark, rat-infested place in view of passersby.

Dickens' father eventually rescued him from the warehouse, allowing him to resume his education.

Dickens created his first magazine, Household Words, which he had dreamt of for years.

The magazine was very successful with Dickens writing and editing many contributions.

A dispute with his publishers over a personal statement led Dickens to end Household Words and start a rival magazine, All the Year Round.

All the Year Round's editorial offices were located just one block away from Household Words as a defiant move.

Dickens continued editing All the Year Round until his death in 1870.

Dickens was known to walk around London, pointing out places that inspired his work.

He was a mythic figure in his own lifetime, celebrated for his existence and connection to London.

Much of the places Dickens frequented and wrote about still remain intact today.

Dickens' childhood experiences greatly shaped his work and worldview.

His personal struggles and triumphs are reflected in his writing and magazine endeavors.

Dickens' love for London and its landmarks was a significant aspect of his life and identity.

Transcripts

[Music]

in a sense the whole of the story of

Charles Dickens starts here in these

magnificent surroundings this is

Somerset house in the 19th century it

was home to the Navy pay office which is

where dickens's Father John had his

first job when he was 19 years old and

where he met the sister of a fellow

Clark Elizabeth and he married her in

The Splendid Church of Mary lran which

is just across the road from here the

Navy and in a way the sea dominated the

first 10 years of Charles dickens's life

he was born in Portsmouth and spent a

good chunk of time perhaps the happiest

years of his life in

chattam and when he left chattam he came

back to London aged 11 and that was

really the commencement of all his

miseries

just down the river Hungerford Bridge

was the site of the blacking Warehouse

where he was sent to work that

experience of being employed at the age

of 12 in a Tumbl down rat infested

Warehouse doing the dullest mechanical

Labor day in and day out it's the

formative event really of dickens's

childhood this Gateway was built by the

first Duke of Buckingham in the

beginning of the 17th century and this

is where the temps ran up to the

Waterfront was covered with various

kinds of warehouses and factories among

them being the factory called Warren the

warehouse itself was on Hungerford

stairs that's where Dickens spent his

days with his fellow apprentices doing

this incredibly boring mechanical job

and Dickens trying desperately to keep

himself together he must under no

circumstance let anybody know that he

felt anything any pain any distress and

tried to make people laugh

basically so the factory moved in fact

It upgraded it came to a rather more

salubrious part of town although it was

not so damp and probably not rat

infested it had one very unattractive

aspect which is it was very dark and so

the boys worked in the window for the

extra light and that meant that passes

by could see them working and this was

deeply humiliating and shaming for

Dickens but he had one happy Advantage

which is that his father now out of the

data's jail happened to pass by the

window one day saw his son in there and

made up his mind to take him out of the

warehouse Dickens was now free to resume

his education which is what he dreamt of

for so

long if you keep going along the Strand

until you come to waterl bridge and then

turn left you come into Wellington

Street Dickens created his first

magazine something he dreamt of for for

years years decades in fact and he

called it household words the magazine

was very successful Dickens wrote a lot

for it he edited the work of his

contributors and then the whole drama of

his separation from his wife came

up he wrote a statement about it for a

publication he wanted it to be on the

front page of punch which was also

published by Brad Lans his Publishers

and they thought it was inappropriate

for Comic magazine and refused to do it

and he took against his Publishers

turned against them savagely and decided

to end the magazine and started a rival

magazine called all the year round and

just to rub their noses in the dirt he

took offices only one block up from the

household

word this is where the editorial offices

were uh and that's indeed where he

stayed at the top floor was his

apartment he was still editing all the

year around when he died in 1870 one of

the young men who worked in his office

George Salah said that it was a sort of

comic that that wherever you went in

London if you went to Fulham for that

suddenly there was Dickens walking

through if you went up into hamser teeth

there was Dickens if you went into the

East End of lond suddenly turning the

corner was Dickens again he was

everywhere and he sort of still is in my

imagination it was dickens's Delight to

walk around London with his friends and

with new friends and with visitors from

America or from France or wherever and

point out as it were dickens's London he

was as much a myth as a man even in his

own lifetime he he celebrated his own

existence in these places it's

remarkable how much of it remains intact