John Dickens
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John Dickens (21 August 1785 – 31 March 1851) was the father of British
novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living wage, living writing novels and other fiction, while other ...
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...
and was the inspiration for the character Mr Micawber in his son's semi-autobiographical novel ''
David Copperfield ''David Copperfield''Dickens invented over 14 variations of the title for this work; see is a novel by English author Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from infancy to matur ...
''.


Biography

The son of William Dickens (1719–1785) and Elizabeth Ball (1745–1824), John Dickens worked as a
clerk A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts record keeping as well as general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include Records managem ...
in the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
Pay Office at
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
in Hampshire. On 13 June 1809 at
St Mary le Strand St Mary le Strand is a Church of England church at the eastern end of the Strand, London, Strand in the City of Westminster, London. It lies within the Deanery of Westminster (St Margaret) within the Diocese of London. The church stands on what ...
, London, he married Elizabeth Barrow, with whom he had eight children. He was later transferred to London and then to Chatham, returning to live in
Camden Town Camden Town () is an area in the London Borough of Camden, around north-northwest of Charing Cross. Historically in Middlesex, it is identified in the London Plan as one of 34 major centres in Greater London. Laid out as a residential distri ...
in London in 1822 to work in
Somerset House Somerset House is a large neoclassical architecture, neoclassical building complex situated on the south side of the Strand, London, Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The Georgian era quadran ...
. John Dickens found it difficult to provide for his growing family on his meagre income. Soon, his debts became so severe that all of the household goods were sold in an attempt to pay his bills, including furniture and silverware. He had eight children in total; his oldest child was Frances Elizabeth Dickens whilst his second oldest was Charles Dickens. John's debts became too much and he was put in prison for debtors. This predicament caused Charles to leave school at the age of twelve to work in a factory, as he had become 'the man of the house' and the breadwinner in his father's absence.


Marshalsea Prison

Described by his son Charles as "a jovial opportunist with no money sense", unable to satisfy his creditors, on 20 February 1824 John Dickens was imprisoned in the Marshalsea Debtors' Prison under the Insolvent Debtors (England) Act 1813 ( 53 Geo. 3. c. 102), because he owed a baker, James Kerr, £40 and 10 shillings."Why Dickens had a conscience"
BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
3 December 2004
John Dickens on 'Charles Dickens: Family and Friends
In April 1824 his wife, Elizabeth, joined her husband in the Marshalsea with their four youngest children. John was released after three months, on 28 May 1824, as a result of the death of his mother, Elizabeth Dickens, of the parish of St George, Hanover Square, who had left him the sum of £450 in her will. On the expectation of this legacy, Dickens petitioned for, and was granted, release from prison. Under the Insolvent Debtors Act, Dickens arranged for payment of his creditors, and he and his family left Marshalsea for the home of Mrs. Roylance, with whom his 12-year-old son Charles was lodging. Some years later, John was again briefly imprisoned for debt and was released only when his son
Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''* ...
borrowed money from his friends based on the security of his salary. However, on his release from prison, John Dickens immediately wrote begging letters to those same friends of his son also asking for money. He wrote to Thomas Beard claiming that his son Alfred "is walking to and from
Hampstead Hampstead () is an area in London, England, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, located mainly in the London Borough of Camden, with a small part in the London Borough of Barnet. It borders Highgate and Golders Green to the north, Belsiz ...
daily in dancing Pumps".


Later years

Later he became a journalist, and in 1828 a parliamentary reporter, like his famous son before him. When Charles Dickens gained fame as a writer John Dickens frequently embarrassed his son by seeking loans from Charles's friends and publishers behind his back and by selling pages from his son's early manuscripts. By 1836 John, his wife and youngest son Augustus Dickens were lodging at Edward Street, just north of the City Road. Edward Street was later renamed Micawber Street.Chapter III: In the footsteps of Dickens and his characters: Pentonville to Smithfield: In and around City Road, in ''A Twist In The Tale: Charles Dickens And Islington.''
Retrieved 28 August 2022.
Concerned about his father's financial problems, in March 1839 Charles Dickens rented Mile End Cottage in Alphington for his parents and youngest brother Augustus. The intention was to remove John as far away from London as possible in a comfortable residence, while reducing embarrassment to Charles. However, John Dickens merely continued to write to Charles's friends and publishers asking for money. He and his wife returned to London in 1842. On 31 March 1851, John Dickens died of a urethral infection. According to a letter that Charles Dickens sent to his wife, John Dickens had been suffering from a bladder disease but had kept the condition secret until little could be done. After an operation, John Dickens lingered for several days before he died. The death certificate listed the cause of death as: "Rupture of the urethra from old standing stricture and consequent mortification of the scrotum from infiltration of urine." Dickens depicted his father in the character of Wilkins Micawber in his semi-autobiographical novel ''
David Copperfield ''David Copperfield''Dickens invented over 14 variations of the title for this work; see is a novel by English author Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from infancy to matur ...
''. Micawber lived at Windsor Terrace, City Road. This is just south of Micawber Street which was previously named Edward Street. John Dickens was buried in Highgate Cemetery, where in 1863 his remains were joined by those of his wife, Elizabeth.


Children of John Dickens

* Frances (Fanny) Elizabeth Dickens (1810–1848) *
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...
(1812–1870) * Alfred Allan Dickens (1814–1814) * Letitia Dickens (1816–1893) * Harriet Dickens (1819–1824) *
Frederick Dickens Frederick William Dickens (4 July 1820 – 20 October 1868) was the son of John and Elizabeth Dickens and was Charles Dickens's younger brother, who lived with Charles when he moved on to Furnival's Inn in 1834. He was the inspiration for two ...
(1820–1868) * Alfred Lamert Dickens (1822–1860) * Augustus Dickens (1827–1866)


In popular culture

John Dickens is played by
Jonathan Pryce Sir Jonathan Pryce (born John Price; 1 June 1947) is a Welsh actor. He is known for his performances on stage and in film and television. He has received numerous awards, including two Tony Awards and two Laurence Olivier Awards as well as nom ...
in the 2017 film, '' The Man Who Invented Christmas'', which portrays the 1843 writing and production of Charles Dickens's ''
A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. It recounts the ...
''.


See also

* Dickens family


References


External links


John Dickens on 'Charles Dickens:Family and Friends

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dickens, John 1785 births 1851 deaths Charles Dickens Burials at Highgate Cemetery English male journalists People imprisoned for debt Inmates of the Marshalsea Infectious disease deaths in England Deaths from urinary tract infection Dickens family