How Dickens was inspired to create the cruel Squeers

A LETTER from Charles Dickens revealing the inspiration for his villainous Wackford Squeers, acknowledging his debt to a stranger for introducing him to unscrupulous schools, is to be sold at auction.

Dickens said his Nicholas Nickleby character had been shaped by advertisements cut out and sent to him by Lord Robert Grosvenor.

In particular, he hinted, he had been interested to learn of a Mr Twycross, who ran a school at Winton Hall in Westmoreland, and whose newspaper notices he had not seen before.

Lord Grosvenor, a politician who had worked with the Earl of Shaftesbury on improving conditions and working hours for factory workers, had encouraged Dickens to visit schools in Yorkshire whose advertisements mentioned “no vacations” – suggesting they were suitable places to dispatch unwanted youngsters, orphans, illegitimate offspring or stepchildren.

Nicholas Nickleby contains one such school, with a cruel headmaster keeping school fees for his family while beating and starving his young charges.

Dated July 9 1838, the letter says “Mr Charles Dickens presents his compliments to Lord Robert Grosvenor, and begs to inform him that Mr Squeers and Dotheboys Hall were originally suggested to [Dickens] by such advertisements as Lord Robert Grosvenor has had the kindness to enclose”.

The letter was bought by its current owner 20 years ago, and will now be sold at auction for the first time at Swann Auction Galleries, New York, on Mar 22 for up to $5,000 (£3,600).