Charles Dickens

Charles Culliford Boz Dickens, known as Charles Dickens Jr., was the eldest son of the renowned novelist Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine. Born in London, he received a classical education, attending King's College and Eton College, and briefly studied German in Leipzig. Initially encouraged by his father to pursue business, he traveled to Asia with ambitions of becoming a tea merchant. However, after his own printing business failed and led to bankruptcy, he joined his father's magazine, *All the Year Round*, first as an employee and later, after his father's death, as its editor. He married Elisabeth Matilda Moule Evans and they had eight children.

Dickens Jr. is primarily remembered for his series of guidebooks, beginning with *Dickens's Dictionary of London* and *Dickens's Dictionary of the Thames* in 1879, followed by *Dickens's Dictionary of Paris* and others. These works, initially published by his father-in-law and later picked up by Macmillan & Co., were updated annually and provided practical information for travelers and residents. He also contributed introductions to posthumous editions of his father's novels and wrote *Reminiscences of My Father*. Despite his literary and editorial work, his later life and that of his daughters were marked by financial hardship.

Following the failure of his own business ventures, Charles Dickens Jr. found a professional home at his father's publication, *All the Year Round*. He was hired by his father in 1868 and took over as editor after his father's passing in 1870. It was during his editorship that he began to gain recognition for his own writing, particularly his series of guidebooks. His most significant contributions in this area were *Dickens's Dictionary of London* and *Dickens's Dictionary of the Thames*, both published in 1879. These were followed by other volumes such as *Dickens's Dictionary of Paris*. These books were designed as practical, unconventional handbooks, offering information for navigating and understanding these locations. They were updated and reprinted annually, achieving considerable popularity and commercial success, being taken up by Macmillan & Co. for wider distribution.

As the eldest son of the celebrated novelist, Charles Dickens Jr. carried a significant family name. He married Elisabeth Matilda Moule Evans, daughter of his father's publisher, and together they had eight children. Despite his editorial role and authorship of popular guidebooks, his life was not without its struggles. His early business career ended in bankruptcy, and after his death, his estate was modest. His daughters faced considerable financial difficulties in their later years, leading to public appeals for assistance and government pensions, highlighting a stark contrast to the public image and success often associated with the Dickens name.