Brief description
John Dickens's copy of 'A Christmas Carol', First edition
Label
A Christmas Carol was published in December 1843. This copy belonged Dickens's father, John and, after his death, Dickens's sister Letitia. John struggled with money all his life and was sent to Marshalsea debtors' prison when Dickens was 12. In Dickens's adulthood, John borrowed money from Dickens's friends and publishers. Dickens sent his father and mother (Elizabeth) to a cottage outside Exeter in 1839 to keep John out of debt and away from Dickens's social circle, but they returned in 1842. Continuing to rack up debts, Dickens cut his father off and told his lawyer, Thomas Mitton, to cease honouring bills sent by John in late November 1843. Although Dickens may have sent this copy to John, their relationship was perhaps at its lowest at this time.
Collection
Library
Object number
[lib]7192
Object type
book

John Dickens's copy of A Christmas Carol