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Dickens' Lectern
Charles Dickens was a writer, journalist, political commentator, social reformer, celebrity, and family man. In 1858 he began touring, giving live readings of his extremely popular novels. In all Dickens gave over 400 of these performances.
Dickens’ first ever reading tour for profit covered England, Scotland and Ireland and netted the author more than £10,000, a sum rather like winning the lottery today. He undertook a number of British tours and even visited the United States, stopping only to break for writing commitments. He was one of the first major authors to perform his own works in public. But although he earned a spectacular amount of money, the keen social reformer as always, ensured tickets were available at a reasonable price for the poor.
Just like a pop star Dickens had specific requirements for his tours: a valet, his manager, gas lights, and screens. But the most essential piece of equipment that Dickens would never do a show without was his original reading desk.
Dickens had this portable reading desk built to his own precise specifications and used it at every performance from 1859 onwards. He gave it to his second daughter Kate on the night of his last reading on 16 March 1870, just before he died. It was bequeathed to the Dickens Museum in 1925.
Presenter Jonathan Foyle says: "This simple object gives off a sense of greatness."
Where can it be found? At the Dickens Museum, London.
Lucinda Dickens Hawksley, Dickens’ great granddaughter, said: "Dickens actually wanted to destroy it, but his daughter Katy luckily persuaded him not to."
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