Brief description: Letter from Charles Dickens to Thomas Beard, 23 January 1841
Label: Thomas Beard was one of Dickens’s oldest friends and fellow journalist when they wrote at The Morning Chronicle newspaper in the 1830s. Dickens writes to say dinner is cancelled as Catherine is unwell. She was heavily pregnant at the time with their fourth child, Walter, who was born three weeks after this letter.
Collection: Archives & Manuscripts
Object number: A27
Object type: letter
Production person: Dickens, Charles
Production date: 23/01/1841
Inscription content: Thomas Beard Esquire | 42 Portman Place | Edgeware Road.
Devonshire Terrace.
Saturday Night | January Twenty Third | 1841.
My Dear Beard.
I am sorry to say that the Haunch must be presented before a solitary carver tomorrow, and not to a jovial half dozen as I had hoped.
Kate was taken very unwell at Four o'Clock this morning, and has remained so ever since. Nothing has come of it so far, and all appearances indicate another night of watching and suspence. I expected some such state of things about this time, and am resignedly putting the best face possible (a very sleepy one though) upon it.
My regards to your sister -- and always believe me
Dear Beard | Faithfully Yours
CHARLES DICKENS

Letter from Charles Dickens to Thomas Beard, 23 January 1841