Charles Dickens: A Life (5 page)

Fechter, Charles Albert
(1822–79), actor in France, then London from 1860, D praised him as ‘Anti-Humbug’, formed intimate friendship, assisted in his career.

Felton, Cornelius
(1807–62), Professor of Greek, later President of Harvard, D’s firmest American friend in 1842 – he rated D with Shakespeare – then regular correspondent.

Fields, James T.
(1817–81), Boston publisher, met D 1842, became friend 1860 on London visit with wife Annie, entertained him on US reading tour, saw much of him in England 1869.

Fitzgerald, Percy
(1834–1925), Irish lawyer turned jobbing writer, contributor to
AYR
, D protégé.

Fletcher, Angus
(1799–1862), eccentric Scottish sculptor, met D 1830s through Macrone, made marble bust of D 1839, with him Scotland, Broadstairs, Italy.

Fonblanque, Albany
(1793–1872), radical journalist, editor of the
Examiner
1830, friend of Carlyle, Macready, D’Orsay, early admirer of D, wrote political leaders for his
Daily News
.

Forster, John
(1812–76), D’s closest and most trusted friend, adviser and negotiator from 1837, and his chosen biographer. Journalist, historian, man of letters, married 1856 Elizabeth Colburn, published
Life of Charles Dickens
in three volumes, 1872, 1873, 1874.

Fortescue, Julia
(1817–99), actress, reared for stage by mother, breeches parts, admired for beauty by D, Maclise, Macready, who gave her work; distracted by Lord Gardner, a married aristocrat to whom she bore five children. Played in D’s theatricals 1845, 1848.

Frith, William Powell
(1819–1909), artist commissioned by F to paint portrait of D in 1854, friend.

Gaskell, Elizabeth
(1810–65), novelist, D thought highly of her
Mary Barton
(1849), she became frequent, favoured contributor to
HW
and
AYR
, resisted his attempts to change or cut her copy.

Gautier, Théophile
(1811–72), poet visited by D in Paris 1847.

Goldsmith, Martha
(1829–84), Berkshire girl, London prostitute, wanting to reform, taken into Miss Coutts’s Home 1848, sent to Australia 1849, married carpenter Geo. Hamilton in Melbourne 1851, settled life thereafter.

Gordon, Isabella
, lively girl arrived at Miss Coutts’s Home early 1849, liked by D but ejected after nine months for trouble-making.

Graves, Caroline
(?1830–95), widow, mistress of Wilkie Collins from 1858, and her daughter born 1851, known to D as ‘the Butler’.

Haldimand, William
(1784–1862), wealthy philanthropist living Lausanne, met D 1846.

Hall, William
(1800–1847), partner of Edward Chapman
q.v.
in bookselling and publishing business from 1830, signed up D in 1836 to write
Pickwick
. His tough financial dealings in 1844 led to D’s break with the firm.

Harley, John Pritt
(1786–1858), ‘Fat Jack’, skinny London-born comic actor best known for Shakespearean clowns, in D’s
The Strange Gentleman
1836, remained friend.

Holland, Baroness
(Elizabeth Fox) (1771–1845), Whig hostess of Holland House, wife of Charles James Fox’s nephew; summoned D to her salon early in his career, late in hers. They appreciated one another, corresponded.

Hollingshead, John
(1827–1904), journalist, wrote for D’s magazines from 1857, went on to theatre management.

Huffam, Christopher
, Limehouse naval rigger, served in Napoleonic wars, godfather to D.

Hugo, Victor
(1802–85), complimented D, who visited him at home in Paris 1846.

Hullah, John
(1812–84), musician, composer, teacher, known to D through his sister Fanny, a fellow student at Royal College of Music. Wrote score for D’s
The Village Coquettes
.

Hunt, Leigh
(1784–1859), poet, essayist, editor, imprisoned for insulting Prince Regent, D met 1839, friend, but satirized in
Bleak House
as Skimpole.

Irving, Washington
(1783–1859), American writer, influenced D, friendship made during D’s visit to US withdrawn after he read
American Notes
and
Martin Chuzzlewit.

Jeffrey, Francis, Lord
(1773–1850), Scottish judge, critic, a founder and editor of the
Edinburgh Review
, lover of D’s work, friendship established 1841, third son named for him.

Jerrold, Douglas William
(1803–57), playwright, humorist, journalist, friend from 1836. At Jerrold’s death D raised money for his family.

Joachim, Joseph
(1831–1907), great Austrian violinist, played at Gad’s and at D’s last reception in 1870. D particularly liked his Tartini’s ‘Devil’s Trill’ Sonata.

Keeley, Robert
(1793–1869), comic actor, gave D lessons 1832, managed Lyceum 1844–7, played Mrs Gamp, actress wife
Mary Anne
(1806–99) played Smike; son-in-law, Albert Smith, theatrical entrepreneur,
q.v.
, also friend of D.

Kemble, Charles
(1775–1854), actor, well known to D, as were his daughters, actress Fanny Kemble and singer Adelaide Kemble, later Sartoris.

Kent, Charles
(1823–1902), writer and journalist, editor of liberal paper the
Sun
, devotee of D, contributor to his magazines from 1850.

Knowles, James Sheridan
(1784–1862), playwright, D aimed to make him curator of Shakespeare House, Stratford. Used two of his play plots in writing
Our Mutual Friend
.

Kolle, Henry
(?1808–81), bank clerk, friend of D from 1830 (also brother
John
), joined in early theatricals, D best man at wedding to Anne Beadnell. Friendship lapsed.

Lamartine, Alphonse de
(1790–1869), writer, diplomat, liberal politician, briefly head of French government in 1848. D visited him in Paris 1847, 1856.

Landor, Walter Savage
(1775–1864), poet, essayist, met D 1840, immediate rapport, D named second son for him.

Landseer, Edwin
(1802–73), artist, known to D from the 1830s, as were his brothers Thomas, the engraver, and Charles, also an artist.

Layard, A. H.
(1817–94), archaeologist, excavated Nineveh 1847, Liberal MP, D supported his Association for Administrative Reform 1855, well-established friendship.

Leech, John
(1817–64), Londoner, Charterhouse, medical student, became painter, radical, associated with
Punch
. D met through Cruikshank 1836, close friendship, jaunts, family holidays together.

Lemon, Mark
(1809–70), playwright, editor of
Punch
from 1841, acted with D, close family friend until 1858, when he negotiated for Catherine D’s settlement.

Lewes, G. H.
(1817–78), writer, partner of George Eliot
q.v.
, visited D 1838, thereafter occasional exchanges, contact, wrote critical obituary essay.

Linton, Eliza Lynn
(1828–98), novelist, journalist, contributor from 1853 to
HW
and
AYR
, first met D at Landor’s 1849, sold him Gad’s Hill.

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth
(1807–82), poet, met D in Boston 1842, immediate liking, visited D in London, 1842, and at Gad’s Hill 1868.

Maclise, Daniel
(1806–70), Irish artist working in London, successful historical painter, ladies’ man, met D 1837, enthusiastic friendship but depressive, drifted apart during 1840s.

Macready, William Charles (
1793–1883), intimate, much loved friend of D from 1837, leading actor, dedicatee
Nicholas Nickleby
, married [1] 1824 Catherine Atkins (1805–52), many children [2] 1860 Cecile Spencer (1837–?), one son. Acted with and assisted Mrs Ternan
q.v.

Macrone, John
(1809–37), D’s first publisher, friendship and contracts broken by D, but when Macrone died D raised money for widow and children.

Marryat, Captain Frederick
(1792–1848), naval-officer-turned-author of novels, naval and children’s stories, including
The Children of the New Forest
.

Mathews, Charles
(1776–1835), actor who inspired young D with his one-man shows, or monopolylogues, in which he impersonated a series of characters. D studied and imitated him, showing his influence in later readings.

Millais, John Everett
(1829–96), artist attacked by D in 1850 in
HW
article, became friend 1855. Drew D’s face after his death.

Milnes, Richard Monckton, first Baron Houghton
(1809–85), genial man of letters, politician, host, traveller,
bon viveur
, known to D from 1840. Married 1851 Annabella Crewe, granddaughter of Lord and Lady Crewe whose housekeeper was D’s grandmother.

Mitton, Thomas
(1812–78), solicitor, son of Somers Town publican, met D 1827, did his legal business for many years, replaced by Ouvry
q.v.

Molloy, Charles
(?1796–1852), solicitor for whom D clerked in 1828, acted for D in negotiations with publisher Bentley 1837–8. Cut his own throat.

Morley, Henry
(1822–94), writer on medical subjects, staff post on
HW
1851–9,
AYR
1859–68, sacked by D, became academic, taught English at University College London.

Morson, Mrs Georgiana
(?–1880), doctor’s widow, matron of Miss Coutt’s Home from 1849 to 1854 when she remarried. A pearl. Other matrons were Mrs Holdsworth, Mrs Marchmont.

Mosley, Julia
(1828–56), Gloucestershire tailor’s daughter, pickpocket, Tothill Fields prisoner taken into Miss Coutts’s Home 1847, to Australia 1848, married 1853 in Adelaide, one son died infancy.

Normanby, first Marquess
(Constantine Henry Phipps) (1797–1863), Liberal politician, protégé of Melbourne, travel writer, novelist, dandy, D knew from 1840, British Ambassador Paris 1846–52, career in decline.
Dombey
is dedicated to his marchioness, Maria (1798–1882), portrayed by Disraeli in
Endymion
as Lady Montfort.

Norton, Mrs Caroline
,
née
Sheridan (1808–77), poet, novelist, writer on legal position of married women, involved in scandal when husband accused her of adultery with Lord Melbourne; she and sisters, Lady Seymour, Lady Dufferin, famous beauties, granddaughters of Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Known to D from 1836. He also knew their brother Charles in 1847 at British Embassy in Paris.

Norton, Charles Eliot
(1827–1908), critic, met D in Boston 1868, visited Gad’s same year.

Olliffe, Joseph
(1808–69), Irish friend of Maclise, studied medicine in Paris, became physician to British Embassy, knew D from mid-1840s.

Ouvry, Frederic
(1814–81), D’s solicitor from 1856, partner at Farrer’s at No. 66 Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

Overs, John
(1808–44), London cabinet-maker and writer, advised and helped by Dickens from 1839.

Phelps, Samuel
(1804–78), actor, theatre manager, ran Sadler’s Wells 1844–62, playing Shakespeare repertory, D knew from 1840s, wrote in praise of Sadler’s Wells 1851. Mrs Ternan acted with him 1850s.

Picken, Eleanor
(1820–98), through Smithson family connection made friends with D at Broadstairs in 1840, wrote vivid account of experiences. Married naval officer Edward Christian 1842.

Pollard, Rhena
(1836–99), Sussex girl, workhouse, prison at sixteen, entered Miss Coutts’s Home Aug. 1853, wanted to leave, persuaded to stay by D, doing well Feb. 1855, sent to Canada, wrote 1856 that she was married, settled life thereafter, children.

Régnier, François
(1807–85), distinguished French actor, friend, correspondent of D.

Rogers, Samuel
(1763–1855), poet, son of banker, generous, hospitable, from 1839 knew, admired, entertained D, who dedicated
The Old Curiosity Shop
to him.

Russell, Lord John, first Earl
(1792–1878), Whig politician, introduced Reform Act 1832, reduced number of capital offences, Prime Minister 1846–52, 1865–6. D reported his early speeches, friend from 1846, dedicated
A Tale of Two Cities
to him.

Sala, George
(1828–96), journalist, one of D’s circle of young men, working for
HW
from 1851. Wrote short biography of D.

Scribe, Eugène
(1791–1861), writer of comedies and farces, D met in Paris 1847, entertained in London 1850, friendly exchanges again Paris 1856.

Shaftesbury, seventh Earl
(Anthony Ashley Cooper) (1801–85), Whig philanthropist, put through reforms relating to causes also taken up by D, whom he met 1848.