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Charles Dickens

Timeline of the Life of Charles Dickens

1812 - Born on February 7 to John and Elizabeth Dickens.
1824 - John Dickens arrested and sent to the Marshalsea prison. Charles Dickens worked at the Warren's Blacking Factory.
1827 - Rejoins the workforce as the clerk of an attorney.
1830 - Dickens meets Maria Beadnell, his first love interest.
1833 - The relationship with Maria Beadnell ends. A Dinner at Poplar Walk is published.
1834 - Began using the pseudonym "Boz". Meets his future wife, Catherine Hogarth.
1835 - Becomes engaged to Catherine.
1836 - The first chapters of The Pickwick Papers are published. Marries Catherine Hogarth.
1837 - The first of his 10 children, Charles Culliford Boz Dickens, is born. Mary Hogarth, Catherine's sister, dies. The publication of Oliver Twist begins.
1838 - Dickens and Hablot Browne travel to Yorkshire to see the boarding schools. His daughter, Mary, is born. Publication of Nicholas Nickleby begins.
1839 - His daughter, Kate, is born.
1840 - Publication of The Old Curiosity Shop begins
1841 - Barnaby Rudge is published. Charles and Catherine tour Scotland. Their son, Walter, is born.
1842 - Charles and Catherine travel to America. Late in 1842 or early in the next year Dickens begins work on Martin Chuzzlewit.

1843 - A Christmas Carol is published.

1844 - His son Francis Jeffrey (Frank) is born. Dickens and family travel to Italy. Treated Madame de la Rue with mesmerism.

1845 - Another son, Alfred, is born.

1846 - Dickens and his family travel to Switzerland. Publication of Dombey and Son begins.

1847 - His son, Sydney, is born.

1848 - Dickens' sister, Fanny, dies. The Haunted Man, his last Christmas book is published.

1849 - His son, Henry Fielding Dickens, is born. The publication of David Copperfield begins.

1850 - His daughter, Dora Annie Dickens, is born.

1851- Catherine Dickens suffers a nervous collapse. John Dickens, the father of Charles Dickens, dies. Dora Dickens dies when she is only eight months old. What Shall we have for Dinner?, a cookbook by Catherine Dickens is published.

1852 - The publication of Bleak House begins. His son, Edward or "Plorn", is born.

1853 - Dickens gives his first public reading of one of his works.

1854 - Hard Times is published.

1855 - Dickens has a disappointing reunion with Maria Winter (Maria Beadnell). Publication of Little Dorrit begins.

1856 - Dickens works with Wilkie Collins on The Frozen Deep. Dickens purchases Gad's Hill Place.

1857 - Hans Christian Anderson is entertained at Gad's Hill Place. Dickens meets Ellen Ternan.

1858 - Dickens separates from Catherine, his wife.

1859 - A Tale of Two Cities is published.

1860 - Publication of Great Expectations begins in All the Year Round. His daughter, Katie, marries and ten days later his brother, Alfred, dies. Dickens burns his personal papers.

1863 - Dickens' mother, Elizabeth, dies. Dickens begins work on Our Mutual Friend.

1864 - His son, Walter, dies in India. The first installment of Our Mutual Friend is printed.

1865 - Dickens is involved in the Staplehurst railway accident along with Ellen Ternan and her mother.

1867 - Dickens tours America for the second time.

1868 - He gives his first Murder of Nancy reading.

1869 - Dickens is ordered by doctors to discontinue readings. Dickens begins writing The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

1870 - Dickens gives his final public reading. Publication of The Mystery of Edwin Drood begins. Charles Dickens dies at Gad's Hill Place on June 9.