A life’s work
The story of the storyteller
1824
12-year-old Dickens began working at Warren’s boot-blacking factory. He earned six shillings (equivalent to about £17) a week putting labels on shoe polish jars.
1812
Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth, England, on 7 February to parents John and Elizabeth Dickens.
March 1836 to November 1837
Dickens’ first novel was published in monthly instalments over 20 months. In The Pickwick Papers, his witty character depictions and writing style make him the most popular author within a few months.
1832
Taking to writing, Dickens started work as a journalist, writing stories and descriptive pieces for newspapers and magazines.
1837
Dickens and Hogarth had their first child. This is the first of seven sons and three daughters.
1836
Dickens married Catherine Hogarth, the daughter of a well-known Scottish journalist, George Hogarth.
1858
Dickens and Hogarth separated. With rumours of an affair, Dickens was forced to write a notice of explanation in the
London Times explaining the amicable split.
1837 to 1870
After his first success he wrote several further novels, with one left unfinished and published posthumously.
1870
On 9 June, following a stroke, Charles Dickens died at his home aged 58. This came as a great loss to all his readers.
1865
A railway crash took place in Staplehurst, Kent, on 9 June, killing ten people and injuring 40 others. As a surviving passenger, Dickens was psychologically troubled for the rest of his life.