Happy Birthday, Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens, son of John and Elizabeth, was born on February 7, 1812.
He was a lover of the theatre, aspired to be an actor, political reporter , reformer , philanthropist and father of 10 children.
He was the author of 16 novels over four decades.


His father was a Navy clerk, he had a  middle-class childhood was sadly disrupted when his father’s finances  or lack of,  landed him in debtor’s prison. 
When he was 12, Charles was forced to room with a family friend. 
To pay for board, he worked long hard  hours with poor children in a   warehouse that made    polish for shining shoes. 
The hardship of these days  left a  mark on his writings and inspired a life's work  for labor , especially child labor,  reform.


In 1833  his first story was published. 
Followed by The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, The Old Curiosity Shop,   A Christmas Carol.
He wrote for a radical newspaper called the Daily News.
In 1859 he wrote A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations ( 1860) .


He died on June 8th, 1870.