Charles Dickens: A Life (73 page)

Another of Dickens’s obsessions was with prisons and the treatment of society’s rejects. He visited them wherever he went and was friends with prison governors in London. When he and Miss Coutts set up their Home for Homeless women, he sought advice from Tracey, Governor of Tothill Fields Prison – the picture above, made in 1862, shows women prisoners there working under the ‘Silent’ system, which Dickens disliked – and from Chesterton, Governor of Coldbath Fields Prison. A view of its men’s dormitory in 1857 is shown below.

Dickens was a passionate supporter of the efforts made in the industrial towns of England to offer education to the workers, and he visited them often to speak. This is Birmingham Town Hall, where he appeared from the 1840s to the end of his life. He was loved in these places because the people believed he was on their side and spoke for them.

Lord John Russell, later Earl Russell, born 1792, educated Edinburgh, travelled abroad, loved France, toured English manufacturing cities 1811, entered parliament 1813, introduced the Reform Act of 1832, prime minister 1846–52. Dickens reported his early speeches, and knew him personally from 1846. Russell wrote to him praising
Bleak House
, invited him to dinner regularly and held him in affection.
A Tale of Two Cities
was dedicated to him.

Three more artists especially loved by Dickens: Frank Stone (‘Old Tone’), Manchester-born 1800, self-taught, unconventional marital set-up. Clarkson Stanfield, son of an actor, went to sea, became a scene painter then marine artist,
Little Dorrit
dedicated to him. John Leech, Londoner, radical, worked for
Punch
, illustrated
A Christmas Carol
, family holidays with the Dickenses.

Dickens looking solid and confident, as he had reason to be in 1850 when this photograph was taken by the young French photographer Henri Claudet. He was engaged in writing
David Copperfield
, his favourite book. He launched his weekly magazine
Household Words
successfully. He gave much time to running the Home for Homeless Women. His son Charley started at Eton and a third daughter, Dora, was born. But Catherine was not well, and early in 1851 his father (
inset
) died, and Dickens, who had been so angry with him, now wept in his mother’s arms and walked the streets for three nights grieving. Forster went with him to the funeral at Highgate Cemetery.

Dickens lying on the grass with his theatrical group – Charley, Katey, Georgina and Mamie all visible – in the summer of 1857. He had grown his beard the year before in preparation for taking the lead as the self-sacri.cing hero in Wilkie Collins’s ‘Romantic Drama’
The Frozen Deep
.

Frith’s 1859 portrait of Dickens shows him in a state of excited misery, parted from Catherine, in love with Nelly Ternan, obliged to protect his own reputation from attack, and unwell – all of which doubtless contributed to the ferocity of his expression.

Catherine Dickens had no defence against her husband when he publicly proclaimed her alleged failings to justify his behaviour, but she kept her dignity.

Georgina Hogarth chose to remain with Dickens, adding spice to the scandal and earning his profound gratitude.

Mrs Ternan, a respected actress, played leading roles opposite Macready and Kemble. She brought up her daughters to earn their living on the stage from childhood, but money was always short. Dickens was impressed and entranced by them: Maria (
left
), Fanny (
right
) and Nelly (
centre
).