Charles Dickens' Links to Liverpool

[PhilipG]

I walked round Duke Street/Seel Street today, and see that the Barfly/Masque is part of the former Royal Institution, most likely in the lecture theatre.
Does anybody know if the Masque was somewhere else before the Royal Institution?
I remember when the Royal Institution was still educational, because I took evening classes there in the 1980s.

[Kev]

Dickens Street, Toxteth, 1911: LRO

[marky]

Re: Argyle/Campbell Street Bridewell....Liverpool Corporation Accounts, "New lockup, Argyle-street ?120". (Liverpool Mercury Oct 30th 1860).

[dazza]

Re: Argyle/Campbell Street Bridewell....Liverpool Corporation Accounts, "New lockup, Argyle-street ?120". (Liverpool Mercury Oct 30th 1860).

The Dickens and the Liverpool Bridewell - "New lockup, Argyle-street ?120" There's a question mark "?" in the quote. I'm assuming this is a reference to something illegible in the original, rather than a question on whether it was Agyle street or not? A "lockup" is not necessarly a 'Bridewell' [which is more a police station with cells]. Dicken's 'special constable' role was research for his character/ personae observations as The Uncommercial Traveller. Quoting from Wiki here:

"Dickens began by writing seventeen episodes, which were printed in All the Year Round between 28 January and 13 October 1860.....He sporadically produced eleven more articles between 1863-65 and an expanded edition of the work was printed in 1866. Once more he returned to the persona with some more sketches written 1868-69"



The Uncommercial Traveller is offered free by Project Gutenberg. Click the link then Type "Ctrl F" on your keyboard to bring up the search box. I typed in "Liverpool" and it came back with a "Chapter V, POOR MERCANTILE JACK" and a descrition of Liverpool's docks in the 1860's. Incidentially 'Chapter V' would have been in the first publication batch of 'seventeen episodes' published from 28 January and 13 October 1860. Here, Dicken's acknowledges his role as a Liverpool 'special constable' and helps us date his enrolement in the Liverpool force.

Writing almost autobiographically Dickens says..."I had entered the Liverpool police force, that I might have a look at the various unlawful traps which are every night set for Jack ['Jack' for Jack-Tar or sailor]..... I had taken, for purposes of identification, a photograph-likeness of a thief, in the portrait-room at our head police office (on the whole, he seemed rather complimented by the proceeding), and I had been on police parade, and the small hand of the clock was moving on to ten, when I took up my lantern to follow Mr. Superintendent to the traps that were set for Jack.

[DKL]

Fascinating thread. Has any new info. come to light?

[Ged]

Hello DKL, is that your book on your avatar, are you a friend of John Sudbury?

[marky]

Liverpool Mercury 26th June 1860.
Among the description for the sale of the "Blue House" 13 Argyle Street is the following line
...close to..."where the new Bridewell is to be erected".

[Ronijayne]

Good thread. I grew up in Micawber Street with Nickleby Street to our left and Copperfield St. to our right. The cross street was Weller Street. I think there was a Charles Street and a Dickens Street but can't place them.

[hainesy]

Hello there, just read the post on Dickens' connection with Liverpool. I am not sure if you aware of this, but apparently, many people ask during the tour of Saint George's Hall, if Dickens really did stay up here for a spell for reasons other than boarding a ship or as part of a reading tour, and they give a firm no, and state that it is all based on a mis-quote, which was actually said by another big literary name. If he did come here for a short time to be part of the specials for research purposes, then the good folks at the Hall are very badly in need of correcting. Is there solid evidence that could be shown? It would be great if all such doubt and inconsistency was removed. Cheers. Hainesy.

[dot]

Hi Hainesy,
Gerald Dickens, Charles Dickens gg/grandson gave readings in St Georges Hall last December money went to age concern, he made comment about being in the same spot as his ancestor, Gerald D also spoke to Sean Styles on Radio Merseyside regarding Charles Dickens love of Liverpool, so a very strange negative answer from St Georges Hall staff.

[Mark R]

When I went to the Dickens Museum in Doughty Street London in 2004, there was memorabilia of Dickens' reading tours including those at St George's Hall.

[Ged]

Some of these tour guides eh pfft?

There's even one fella who swears the Nelson monument in Exchange Flags is a memorial to the slave trade

[dazza]

When I went to the Dickens Museum in Doughty Street London in 2004, there was memorabilia of Dickens' reading tours including those at St George's Hall.

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) appeared at St George's Hall to read "A Christmas Carol" on Thursday, 28th December 1854

More here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradfor...n/photostream/