Grill from the Marshalsea Prison, Southwark
John Dickens (pictured left), the father of Charles Dickens was a man of energy and humour, determined to live life just beyond his means. The result of this philosophy was a demeaning and infuriating existence for his family, but one that managed to endear him both to is wife and his famous son. John married Elizabeth Barrow (pictured right) in 1809 and they appear to have been a well matched couple. There are no clear reasons for his financial difficulties, perhaps these came from the expense of day-to-day living - too much spent on eating, drinking and entertaining.
In 1824, John Dickens was arrested for debt which culminated in his family being imprisoned in the Marshalsea Gaol in Southwark, South London. It was during this period that the 12 year old Charles Dickens was sent to work in Warren's Blacking Factory. He spent his time there pasting labels onto bottles of shoe blacking and the experience was to leave a lasting scar on him.
While in prison, John broke down in front of Charles and told him to take warning from the Marshalsea and "to observe that if a man had twenty pounds a year and spent nineteen pounds nineteen shillings and sixpence, that he would be happy; but that a shilling spent the other way would make him wretched." The now famous homily appears in David Copperfield and is even made humorous by Mr. Micawber immediately borrowing a shilling from David after saying it. Dickens also made use of his memories of the prison when writing Little Dorrit.
The grill is probably from the rear (Admiralty) section of the prison. The old building was damaged during the Second World War and was demolished soon after it.
In 1824, John Dickens was arrested for debt which culminated in his family being imprisoned in the Marshalsea Gaol in Southwark, South London. It was during this period that the 12 year old Charles Dickens was sent to work in Warren's Blacking Factory. He spent his time there pasting labels onto bottles of shoe blacking and the experience was to leave a lasting scar on him.
While in prison, John broke down in front of Charles and told him to take warning from the Marshalsea and "to observe that if a man had twenty pounds a year and spent nineteen pounds nineteen shillings and sixpence, that he would be happy; but that a shilling spent the other way would make him wretched." The now famous homily appears in David Copperfield and is even made humorous by Mr. Micawber immediately borrowing a shilling from David after saying it. Dickens also made use of his memories of the prison when writing Little Dorrit.
The grill is probably from the rear (Admiralty) section of the prison. The old building was damaged during the Second World War and was demolished soon after it.