Charles Dickens: Isle of Wight celebrates literary connection

Ian Dickens visited Winterbourne at Bonchurch where his famous ancestor stayed in the summer of 1849

The summer that author Charles Dickens spent on the Isle of Wight is being celebrated with a series of events.

The author and his family stayed at Bonchurch for several months in 1849 while he wrote one of his most famous novels, David Copperfield.

Events include an exhibition of colourised photographs and a writing competition.

Dickens's great-great-grandson said the island should "celebrate this connection" with the literary great.

Ian Dickens explained that Dickens came to the island 175 years ago to work on his autobiographical novel, David Copperfield.

"He was hugely famous, a global superstar, so he needed a place that was tucked right away," he said.

On an exploratory visit to the island, he found the property at Winterbourne at Bonchurch, describing it as "quite the prettiest place I have seen".

Dickens, his wife Catherine and their eight children, decamped from London to the island for the summer.

Before settling down to write, he would start his days with a swim in the sea, a shower under a waterfall and a walk up to Boniface Down.

"Dickens loved walking when he could consider the characters playing in his head and he could wonder and muse," Ian Dickens said.

"With his friends he took to the downs and walked miles and miles across the island."

Colourised images of Charles Dickens were digitally created in 2020

His stay is also thought to have inspired some of the characters on the pages of his stories, in particular the Dick family who lived locally.

Mr Dickens said: "There is a wonderful character in David Copperfield called Mr Dick - he was going to be called Mr Roberts but that was scratched and he became Mr Dick, influenced by his friend Charles Dick."

Charles Dicks' sister Margaret is also thought to be a possible inspiration for another famous Dickens character - Miss Havisham in Great Expectations.

"The Dickens family returned to the island for her wedding in 1860," Mr Dickens said.

"She was at the church in her wedding gowns but the groom failed to show. She ran to her home in the village and became a recluse for the rest of her life.

"Two months later Dickens starts writing Great Expectations - with the character Miss Havisham who was also jilted at the alter. The belief is what happened here was a strong influencer in shaping Great Expectations."

Events to mark the 175th anniversary of Charles Dickens' summer residency include a story writing competition for local school children.

Dimbola Lodge in Freshwater is also hosting an exhibition of photographs of Dickens that have been digitally colourised from the original black and white.

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