Members of the DF will be greatly saddened to hear of the death of Dr Tony Williams. Tony was Honorary General Secretary of the DF 1999-2006 and President 2015-17. We extend our sympathy to Tony's family and friends.

Yesterday, members of Central DF were privileged to view a selection of Dickens's original manuscripts and other unique items from the Forster collection in the National Art Library at London's V&A Museum.

A Central DF member reviewed this production as "really excellent ... the five actors definitely caught the spirit of Dickens with their madcap humour and antics" - and it's running at venues across the UK throughout the summer - details at www.rainorshine.co.uk/summer_tourd...

The programme brochure for our 2026 conference is now available on our website. To view it, follow the link on our Home Page - as shown in the screenshot below - at www.dickensfellowship.org (NB: on a phone, the links will appear beneath the 'News' image, not to the side)

Westminster Abbey looked resplendent in the evening sun as we marked the 156th anniversary of Dickens’s death, with wreaths laid by our President, @lucindahawksley.bsky.social, and pupils of Gad’s Hill School.

Today - 9 June - marks the anniversary of both the Staplehurst rail crash in 1865 and Dickens’s death exactly 5 years later, on 9 June 1870

This Sunday, on behalf of the Ellenor Hospice charity, a fund raising open garden event will be held at The Forge in the Kent village of Chalk. The forge is now a privately owned house, and the house and grounds are believed to have inspired Joe Gargery's forge in GE.

Fabulous talk on ‘Fagin on Film’ at Central DF in London this evening, with thanks to Dr Christine Corton 👏👏👏

Coming up in June:

We’ve had a superb afternoon celebrating the life of the late Professor Michael Slater MBE, at Lumen and online, with testimonials from friends, family and colleagues, and a stellar performance of ‘the Trial from Pickwick’

The Spring 2026 issue of 'The Dickensian' has now been published and will be with subscribers shortly.

What links homemade shortbread to the sewing box once owned by Mme Augusta de la Rue (subject of Dickens’s experiments with mesmerism)? Central members found out this evening, with the help of the box’s current custodian, Marion Maule.

More info at: www.dickensfellowship.org/index.php/ne...

Almost forgot to post 🙈 Central enjoyed a great talk about Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree last night, by Dr Stephen Ridgwell 👏👏👏

Good to see our Guest of Honour from last year’s Grand Conference Banquet in action today at the installation of the new Archbishop of Canterbury. PS: Don’t forget to book for this year’s conference - there’s a link on the home page of our website.

Two interesting events in Broadstairs next week …

Fascinating talk at DF Central this evening from former DF President Cathy Waters, exploring the similarities and differences between Dickens’s and Eliot’s seaside journalism.

Splendid event in #Southwark this afternoon marking the return, in replica, of a much loved local landmark, the Golden Dog & Pot statue recalled by CD from his boyhood. Congratulations to all involved in this wonderful project, and to Ollie Dickens on a great speech prior to cutting the ribbon.

Today marks the 214th anniversary of CD’s birth 🥳🎉🎂 Central celebrated on Wednesday with a dinner in London, and around the world our branches will also celebrate, upholding our aim to ‘knit together in a common bond of friendship lovers of that great master of humour and pathos, Charles Dickens’

Great to see so many people at The Charterhouse this evening for a fabulous talk by our President, @lucindahawksley.bsky.social, on CD’s youngest brother, the original ‘Boz’ - a brilliant way to start our year 😊

The 1st Central DF meeting of 2026 will take place on Tuesday 20th January, 6 for 6:30pm, at The Charterhouse, London EC1M 6AN, when our President, @lucindahawksley.bsky.social, will speak on 'The Original Boz: the Life and Lies of Augustus Dickens'.

Happy New Year, one and all 💕

OTD - 19 December - in 1843 - 'A Christmas Carol' was published by Chapman & Hall. The initial print run of 6,000 sold out in days.

The Winter 2025 issue of 'The Dickensian' has been published and will be with subscribers shortly.

DF Central Christmas celebrations in London today, with a wonderful guided walk, led by our President, @lucindahawksley.bsky.social, followed by a delicious lunch at the beautifully Pickwickian tavern The George and Vulture 🎄

Proudly raising a glass, today, to B. W. Matz, whose grave we have had restored in his anniversary year. Matz was the first Hon Gen Sec of the DF, our President from 1920-21, and Hon Editor of our journal, ‘The Dickensian’, from its inception in 1905 until his death in 1925.

Yesterday the world lost one of its greatest Dickens scholars, Professor Michael Slater MBE. He was DF President 1988-1990 and Hon Editor of ‘The Dickensian’ 1958-1977, and wrote the definitive biography of CD. His warmth and wisdom will be sorely missed. RIP Michael.

This looks exciting #dickens #achristmascarol #christmas #london