Charles Dickens has been a favourite British author of mine since high school. I have fond memories of getting lost reading A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations for hours; he was, after all, the most famed British author of the Victorian era. Years later, I found myself getting the opportunity to visit Dickens former country home of Gad’s Hill Place in Higham, Kent. Dickens first saw the mansion when he was 9 years old in 1821. His father had told him then that if he worked hard enough, one day he would own such a grand house. Dickens was so in love with this particular “mansion” it became his inspiration over the years and when it was up for sale in 1856, he immediately purchased it. It is where he spent his later years writing.
Today the building is home of the independent Gad’s Hill School where it has been kept in great condition over the years. The dining room where he died in 1870 of a stroke is now a conservatory and his study, the headmaster’s office. It’s quite impressive to know students have classes in even his former bedroom.
While tourists and avid Charles Dickens fans visit his museum in the nearby town of Rochester, which celebrates Dickens, I was quite fortunate to get a peek at this house of his. It’s become inspiration for my own writing.
DrF. That was the sort of observation that had me thrown out of English Literature in College,
Thank you for the reminder.
In Dickens study room he had shelves – full of books.
Some were old and some new.
Some titles were unheard of.
Many of the books were “Dummies” and Dickens had invented humorous titles for them.
So in addition to all those classic novels, Dickens also created the famous “Dummies” series. “Microsoft Office for Dummies”, “Writing for Dummies” — you know the series I’m talking about.
Thanks for that little tid-bit Garry!
In Dickens study room he had shelves – full of books.
Some were old and some new.
Some titles were unheard of.
Many of the books were “Dummies” and Dickens had invented humorous titles for them.
It’s clear now why I pursued a career in the sciences, rather than in the arts.
“The men who learn endurance, are they who call the whole world, brother.”