Rochester, Charles Dickens, Kent

Charles Dickens and Rochester

Rochester was founded by the Romans in some 53 AD, but often that would have been on a site earlier used by others.  Charles Dickens' moved there when he was a child, and his father was struggling to support the family.  He, the father, was constantly in debt, and in and out of debtors' prisons until he lucked out on one job -- found his employer a cheat -- blew the whistle, and then could move elsewhere for a fresh start.   The senior Mr. Dickens was the model for Mr. Micawber, one of the characters in Great Expectations.
.
Joseph Clayton Clarke illustrated much of Dickens, here Mr. Micawber,  fair use.  Smithsonian magazine has a fine article on Dickens, at Going Mad for Charles Dickens,  http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/Going-Mad-for-Charles-Dickens.html
.
Mr. Micawber, from David Copperfield:

Kyd's Mr. Micawber, Charles Dickens

.

Our additional Kyd illustrations are still framed, so a little dark.  Enjoy!

.

The Artful Dodger, from Oliver Twist:

.

Kyd's The Artful Dodger, Charles Dickens

Sam Weller, from The Pickwick Papers:

Kyd's Sam Weller, The Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens

.
Uriah Heep, from David Copperfield:

Kyd's Uriah Heep, Charles Dickens

.
Mr. Pickwick, from The Pickwick Papers:
.

Kyd's Mr. Pickwick, The Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens

.

Charles Dickens' life was complex, as anyone's.  Meet Ellen "Nelly" Ternan, at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/Dickens-Secret-Affair.html?onsite_source=relatedarticles&onsite_medium=internallink&onsite_campaign=SmithMag&onsite_content=Dickens'Secret Affair