Charles Dickons

Charles Dickens was born on the 7th of February 1812. He grew up in Chatham, east of London. He lived there until he was ten and had a happy childhood. He enjoyed reading and pretending to be like the heroes in his books. He had an older sister called Fanny and went to a respectable school.

Charles Dickens' father John Dickens worked hard but was always in debt. He had to move his family of eight to London. Charles could no longer attend school, as the family couldn't afford it. He stayed at home and helped with the housework and the younger children. He sold his belongings to buy food. At the age of twelve Charles was forced to work in a factory. There he worked from eight in the morning to eight at night.

Charles' father was arrested for debt and sent to prison. The whole family was there except for Charles. He lived alone in a boarding house. He wandered the city at night. This experience affected him deeply.

Charles' father then received an inheritance and was able to pay off his debts and was released from prison. Charles was finally allowed to leave the factory and go back to school.

Dickens began to wander the streets of London and watching the people. He began to write stories about the people he saw. He submitted his first story to the Monthly Magazine. They published his first story and called it 'A Dinner at Poplar Walk'. He began to write more stories for them and took the pen name Boz. His first book published was Sketches by Boz.

Dickens married Catherine Hogarth. They did not have a happy marriage. They lived together for twenty-two years. They stayed married up until Dickens' death.

At the age of twenty-five Charles became extremely popular with the publication of 'The Pickwick Papers'. People were crazy about him and his stories.

Catherine's