Search hotels

Check-in date

Check-out date

Join in

Send page to a friend

Charles Dickens

The contribution Dickens made to our national view of Christmas is reflected on many of the cards we receive: laden tables; mail coaches dashing through the snow; urchins carrying geese. A Christmas Carol will doubtless feature on our screens this as every year, his original a masterwork that for generations has underscored the importance of family, friendship and - more prosaically - festive food at this time: post-ghost Scrooge’s generous donation of the giant turkey to the Cratchits; the warming image of Steaming Bishop; family gatherings. And as if that wasn’t enough, his creepier ghost stories added another dimension to our culture of Christmas. Raise a glass then to Charles Dickens, a very British Christmas hero.

More about Charles Dickens

Previous heroes of the hour

More British Heroes

Brit Quote:
Every blessed one of you feels better for that burst of laughter. - Ivor Novello
More Quotes

On this day:
Battle of the Boyne - 1690, First Day of the Somme - 1916, Disaster at Chilwell Shell Plant - 1918, Oxfam Opens its First Charity Shop - 1948, Wade wins Jubilee Wimbledon - 1977, Britain hands back Hong Kong to China - 1997, Smoking Ban in England - 2007
More dates from British history

click here to view all the British counties

County Pages