Charles Dickens Museum Exhibition Explores Writer's Holiday Escapes
The Charles Dickens Museum in London is hosting an exhibition called 'Summer in the City with Charles Dickens', showcasing letters and items that reveal the author's vacation preferences. Running from 26 August to 27 September, the exhibit features a letter addressed to his son Alfred, dated 12 August 1840, which will be publicly displayed for the first time. In this correspondence, Dickens describes the heat and emptiness of London, expressing a desire to head to the coast. Additional letters highlight his activities, including constructing an outdoor shower at his Bonchurch cottage in 1849 and planning a Thames trip in 1851 with a hamper from Fortnum & Mason. Curated by Emma Harper, the exhibition reflects Dickens's busy life, as he often took his work and furniture on holiday. The letters are showcased in the study where he penned Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, and The Pickwick Papers, along with references to his travels in Italy in 1842 and his grievances about insects during a lengthy trip in 1845.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Summer in the City with Charles Dickens' runs from 26 August to 27 September at the Charles Dickens Museum in London.
- Letters on display include one to his son Alfred dated 12 August 1840, shown publicly for the first time.
- Dickens wrote about escaping London's heat and crowds for Broadstairs, Kent.
- In 1849, he built an outdoor shower near his cottage in Bonchurch, Isle of Wight.
- In 1851, he planned a Thames trip with a hamper from Fortnum & Mason.
- The exhibition is curated by Emma Harper, deputy director of the museum.
- Letters are displayed in the study where Dickens wrote Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, and The Pickwick Papers.
- Dickens traveled to Italy in 1842 and complained about insects during a long excursion in 1845.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Charles Dickens Museum
- Fortnum & Mason
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Broadstairs
- Kent
- Isle of Wight
- Bonchurch
- Italy