Today in History

February 7, 1812

Charles Dickens is born

The great English novelist Charles Dickens, was born on February 7, 1812. Dickens was born in Landport, Portsmouth in Hampshire, the second of eight children in a solidly middle class family. However, financial hardship befell the family and his father was sent to a debtor's prison. Dickens, at age twelve, began working in a boot factory for ten hours each day to assist with the support of his family. The appalling work conditions and his family circumstance made an indelible impression on the young boy and became the substance of much of his later work.

Dickens was a prolific writer, and during his life very popular. Not one of his novels has, since the time they were written, ever been out of print. He died on June 9, 1870 at the age of 58. He was buried in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. The inscription on his tomb reads: "He was a sympathiser to the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world.

You are free to use this content in your own newsletters and emails with your clients. Travel Research Online is a free service to all professional travel agents offering more than 650 destination guides, epostcards and other marketing and research tools.