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DIRECT DESCENDENT OF CHARLES DICKENS TO LAUNCH CHRISTMAS IN MALTON Lucinda Hawskley, the great, great, great granddaughter of Charles Dickens, will be at the Talbot Hotel in Malton for the…
DIRECT DESCENDENT OF CHARLES DICKENS TO LAUNCH CHRISTMAS IN MALTON
Lucinda Hawskley, the great, great, great granddaughter of Charles Dickens, will be at the Talbot Hotel in Malton for the start of Malton’s Christmas festivities. On Saturday, 29th November, she will be reading extracts from Charles Dickens’ book ‘A Christmas Carol’ as well as talking about her celebrated ancestor who became an international literary celebrity, famous for his satire and observation of character. His works are regarded as a social commentary of the time. Britain was a major political and economic power on the world stage whilst Dickens highlighted the lives of the poor and disadvantaged.
On arrival at the Talbot Hotel guests will be served Smoking Bishop; mulled wine made to an authentic recipe made famous in ‘A Christmas Carol’. They will then be served traditional afternoon tea whilst Lucinda reads and talks.
David Macdonald, general manager at the Talbot said, “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Lucinda to the hotel and it is a brilliant way to kick start our Christmas celebrations.”
Lucinda is a lecturer in literature and art history and is a regular speaker at the National Portrait Gallery talks in London. She is Patron of the Dickens Museum and has written over a dozen books some of which are biographies including of Charles Dickens and also of his artist daughter, Katey.
As the newly appointed patron of the ‘Dickens Gift to Yorkshire’ charity which was established to manage and conserve the signed 1844 edition of ‘A Christmas Carol’ for Malton, she said, “I was born in Yorkshire and always love to return to my home county. I am thrilled to join the campaign in Yorkshire and reclaim my great, great, great Grandfather’s legacy.”
The specially bound edition of a Christmas Carol was commissioned by Charles Dickens for the wife of his great friend, lawyer Charles Smithson, after his untimely death at the age of 39. There is a long-standing tradition that the office of Scrooge was based on Smithson’s office on Chancery Lane in Malton, and that various characters of Dickens were based upon residents of the area.
Clair Challenor-Chadwick, trustee of the Charity and whose firm, Cause UK, is sponsoring the event said, “This endorsement direct from the Dickens’ lineage is a triumph for Yorkshire and all those who have worked tirelessly since 2012 to reclaim this piece of Yorkshire’s literary heritage. Our Dickens’ legacy has been long overdue for celebration.”
The Malton Dickens project has already attracted national media spotlight and a special Songs of Praise will be filmed in the town on 25th November to be aired on 7th December.
Clair went onto say, “the ‘Dickens Gift’ team are building on media momentum to bring on board sponsors to host a Dickensian Festival in Malton for 2015. This will not only boost the visitor economy but will raise money for local good causes.”
Lucinda said: “A Christmas Carol was one of Dickens’ most loved books and the charity’s work to reignite not just his connections to Yorkshire, but also the philanthropy and social reform he pioneered is humbling. Dickens helped bring about enormous changes in his local society and the world at large, and I wish Yorkshire the best success taking such a lovely legacy into the future.”
The rare signed book will be on view at the event and Lucinda (pictured) will be signing copies of her own new book Moustaches, Whiskers & Beards.
To buy tickets to the event call The Talbot on 01653 639096. Tickets cost £25