Dickens’ Birthplace

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Introduction
Portsmouth Corporation bought the house in 1903 and opened it as a Dickens’ Museum in 1904. In 1967 it was recreated in the Regency style of 1812. As part of the Bicentennial, the city will erect a statue of Dickens with his family’s blessing.

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Hazle Ceramics
Dickens’ Birthplace
Heritage Miniature
Oliver engraved on back

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 Dickens was born on 7 February 1812 at 1 Mile End Terrace, sadly now 393 Old Commercial Road! His sister Fanny was born here in 1810.

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Dickens Birth 1812-2012

UK/Europe £27.50
Rest of World £23.91

The Portsmouth Connection
Dickens’ father John married Elisabeth in London in 1809 then ran the Naval Pay Office, now part of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. Due to debt, the family moved to a smaller home at 16 Hawke Street before returning to London in 1815. Charles visited many times and featured the city in Nicholas Nickleby. Dickens’ last Portsmouth readings were in 1866. Ironically both his first and last loves, Maria Beadnell and Ellen Ternan, are buried in the same Highland Road Cemetery in nearby Southsea.

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 The Museum’s parlour with gold mirror, firescreen and an “oil lamp” - now electric!
Bedroom with four poster and quilt cover. 

 The museum has the couch Dickens died on at Gad’s Hill Place in 1870. This final home in Kent is now a girls’ school.