The Dickens Encyclopaedia (RLE Dickens)

Routledge Library Editions: Charles Dickens Volume 8

Arthur L. Hayward

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781135027575
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Literary Collections
• Index: Literature

This is the standard reference guide to the works of Charles Dickens. The material is arranged alphabetically, in dictionary style, and provides a quick means of reference to the plots of the novels and to all the characters and places mentioned in the novels. There are also useful explanatory notes on allusions and phrases.

THE DICKENS ENCYCLOPÆDIA

DOI: 10.4324/9780203708491-1

A

AARON, MR. The name given by Eugene Wrayburn to Riah, the Jew. (q.v.)

ACADEMY. The old custom of styling the most insignificant school an academy is exemplified in:—

1. Mr. Turveydrop’s Academy in Newman Street, Oxford Street. No. 26 is probably the original house. Bleak House, 14, 23, 30, 38, 50.
2. Mr. Cripples’s Academy in the neighbourhood of the Marshalsea, probably in Lant Street. Dorrit, I, 9.
3. Signor Billsmethi’s Dancing Academy “in the neighbourhood of Gray’s Inn Lane,” where Augustus Cooper met his misadventure. Boz, Characters, 9.

ADAM AND EVE COURT. A small court on the N. side of Oxford Street, next to Wells Street, and the residence of Mr. Sluffen. Boz, Scenes, 20.

ADAMS.

1. Head boy at Dr. Strong’s school at Canterbury. Copperfield, 16, 18.
2. Clerk to Mr. Sampson, in the Life Assurance Office. Hunted Down.
3. An Army captain who acted as second to Lord Frederick Verisopht in his fatal duel with Sir Mulberry Hawk. Nickleby, 50.
4. Jack, “man with a cast in his eye,” the hero of one of Cousin Feenix’s anecdotes. Dombey, 36.
5. Jane, housemaid to the Young Couple and confidential servant to the Old Couple. Sketches of Couples.

ADELPHI. There have been few changes in the Adelphi since it was built in 1768. It is less residential than of yore, but there is still “the sudden pause to the roar of the great thoroughfare … like putting cotton-wool in the ears.” Here it was that Arthur Clennam saw Miss Wade and Blandois deep in conversation (Dorrit, II, 9), while in the “humble region of the Adelphi” Martin Chuzzlewit found lodgings in a poor public-house (Chuzzlewit, 13). It was the residence of Cornelius Brook Dingwall, M.P. (Boz, Tales, Sentiment). Mrs. Edson attempted to commit suicide from the Adelphi Terrace (there was no Embankment in those days) (Lirriper’s Lodgings). The main interest in the Adelphi, however, centres round Osborne’s Hotel (q.v.) at the corner of John and Adam Streets, where the closing scenes of Pickwick were enacted (Pickwick, 54, 56). In intervals of drudgery at Murdstone and Grinby’s little David Copperfield liked to wander about the Adelphi, fascinated by the mystery of its gloomy arches; while at York House, No. 15 Buckingham Street (since demolished), lived Mrs. Crupp with whom he lodged in happier years (Copperfield, 11, 23–6, 28, 34, 35, 37, 40). Dickens himself occupied rooms in this house in 1834.

ADMIRAL BENBOW INN. The hotel at the empty watering place. Reprinted, Out of the Season.

ADMIRALTY. One of Mr. Merdle’s guests, a Magnate at the Admiralty. Dorrit, I, 21.

AFFERY. Christian name of Mrs. Flintwinch. (q.v.)

AFRICAN KNIFE SWALLOWER. A member of the theatrical company, who took the vice-chair at the farewell dinner to the Crummleses on their departure for America. Nickleby, 48.

AGED, THE. John Wemmick’s pet name for his old father. See Wemmick.

AGGERAWATOR.

1. This was the old name for the long quiff of hair, curling back from the forehead towards the ear, formerly in fashion among gentry of the coster class. Boz, Characters, 4.
2. Jerry Cruncher’s name for his wife. Two Cities, II, 1.

AGNES.

1. Maidservant and toady to Mrs. Bloss, who inspired old Tibbs with maudlin affection. Boz, Tales, Boarding House.
2. David Copperfield’s life-long friend and second wife. See Wickfield, Agnes.

AH SING, GEORGE. Original of Jack Chinaman. (q.v.)

AKERMAN, MR. This was one of the keepers of Newgate Prison and an exceedingly humane man who had assisted Howard in his visitation of the prison some time previous to the Gordon Riots. Akerman’s adventures in the Riots are accurately narrated in Barnaby, 64, 77. Akerman was a friend of James Boswell.

AKERSHEM, SOPHRONIA. A friend of the Veneerings, who married Alfred Lammle. (q.v.)

ALBANY, THE. These chambers, situated on the north side of Piccadilly, between Sackville Street and Burlington House, have been occupied by men of fashion since the beginning of the 19th century. According to the Uncommercial Traveller (10) the north wall between the Burlington Arcade and the Albany was the rendezvous of blind beggars. It was one of Mr. Edward Malderton’s claims to be a man of fashion that he had actually had an intimate friend who once knew a gentleman who formerly lived in the Albany (Boz, Tales, Sparkins). The Albany was the residence of Fascination Fledgeby and the scene of his richly deserved thrashing at the hands of Lammle. Mutual Friend, III, 1, 8.

ALBION, LITTLE RUSSELL STREET. This popular tavern, where Messrs. Potter and Smithers used to spend their convivial evenings, was a favourite meeting place of actors and one of the centres of Bohemian London until the making of New Oxford Street in 1846. Boz, Characters, 11.

ALDERSGATE STREET. This thorough-fare was formerly called thus only from St. Martins le Grand to Long Lane, beyond which it became Goswell Street. Arthur Clennam was walking down this street towards St. Paul’s when he encountered the crowd escorting Cavaletto to the hospital after he had been knocked down by a Mail Coach (Dorrit, I, 13). During his furtive visits to London, John Jasper put up at a “hybrid hotel, boarding house or lodging house,” in a little square at the back of Aldersgate Street (Drood, 23). The firm of Anthony Chuzzlewit and Son had their warehouse in or near this street (Chuzzlewit, 11).

ALDGATE HIGH STREET formerly ran eastward from the Pump to the corner of Petticoat Lane, now Middlesex Street, where it became Whitechapel High Street. It is memorable as the residence of Mr. Pickwick’s inveterate critic, Blotton (Pickwick, I, 11). The Gentleman in Small Clothes had information that the Statue from Charing Cross had been seen arm in arm with the Pump (Nickleby, 41). Poor Toots, frantic at the open lovemaking going on between Walter Gay and Florence Dombey, took a walk from Leadenhall Street to the Pump and back to cool himself (Dombey, 56). In earlier days Mark Gilbert’s master, Thomas Curzon, was a hosier, at the sign of the Golden Fleece, Aldgate (Barnaby, 8).

ALICE.

1. The bowyer’s daughter and heroine of Magog’s tale. Humphrey.
2. Youngest of the Five Sisters of York. Nickleby, 6.

ALICIA. Heroine of Miss Alice Rainbird’s story. Holiday Romance.

ALICK. “A damp, earthy child in red worsted socks,” encountered in the Gravesend steam packet. Boz, Scenes, 10.

ALICUMPANE, MRS. A friend of the Oranges. Holiday Romance.

ALLEN. Arabella Allen was a “black-eyes young lady in a very nice little pair of boots with fur round the tops,” who was a guest at Isabella Wardle’s wedding and at the Christmas party which followed, when she and Mr. Winkle fell in love with one another. Her brother sent her to their aunt at Clifton, and while staying there she had an interview with Winkle, chaperoned by Mr. Pickwick. A few months later the couple were secretly married, and it was partly through her entreaty that he would break the news to old Mr. Winkle that Mr. Pickwick consented to quit the Fleet prison. Her own winsome ways, however, really won the old man’s forgiveness. Pickwick, 28, 30, 38, 39, 47, 53, 54, 56, 57.

Benjamin Allen, her brother, was a drunken medical student and bosom friend of Bob Sawyer, whom he intended that Arabella should marry.

While assisting Bob at the chemist’s shop at Bristol he heard of his sister’s marriage to Winkle, but being reconciled to the event by Mr. Pickwick, accompanied that gentleman on his mission to Birmingham. Eventually Ben Allen and Bob Sawyer went to Bengal, tried abstinence and prospered (Pickwick, 30, 32, 38, 48, 50–2, 54, 57). The Aliens’ Aunt was a rather prim old lady, living at Clifton, to whom Ben sent his sister when he found that she did not favour the idea of becoming Mrs. Bob Sawyer. Pickwick, 38, 39, 48.

“ALLEYBI.” It was Mr. Tony Weller’s firm conviction that the verdict would never have gone against Mr. Pickwick if only he had proved an “alleybi.” Pickwick, 33, 43.

ALLEY TOR. This was an extra fine or large marble, possibly originally made of alabaster, hence the name. It was in contrast to the “commoney” or plain marble. Pickwick, 34.

“ALL IN THE DOWNS.” From Gay’s “Black-Eyed Susan,” beginning, “All in the Downs the fleet was moored.” Pickwick, 3.

“ALL ROUND MY HAT.” This song was first sung by W. H. Williams in 1835 and attained extraordinary popularity; “round my hat” developing into a catch phrase as used in Boz, Scenes, 23, which was current until the late 50’s. The song, which is supposed to be sung by a coster whose sweetheart has been transported for thieving, has a chorus:—

All round my hat I vears a green villow.

All round my hat for a twelvemonth and a day.

If anyone should ax it, the reason vy I wears it.

Tell them that my true love is far, far away.

Boz. Scenes, 17.

“ALL’S WELL.” The refrain, with a roll, from a song in Dibdin’s “The English Fleet,” set to music by Braham. See also “Deserted by the waning Moon.”; Curiosity Shop, 56.

“ALONG THE LINE.”; From the first verse of “The Death of Nelson.”; Mutual Friend, IV, 3.

ALPHONSE. Mrs. Wittitterley’s page, “if ever an Alphonse carried plain Bill in his face and figure, that page was the boy.” Nickleby, 21, 28, 33.

ALTRO. Name given by Pancks to Cavaletto (q.v.). It is an Italian word used with a somewhat general sense of affirmation, “certainly,” “by all means,” and was much in the mouth of the little Italian exile.

AMELIA.

1. The wife of Bill, a criminal whose defence had been undertaken by Mr. Jaggers. Expectations, 20.
2. A girl who helped her sister Jane to preside over a game of chance in the Ramsgate Library. Boz, Tales, Tuggs.

AMERICA JUNIOR. Nom de plume of Putnam Smif. (q.v.)

AMERICA SQUARE. This is situated behind Fenchurch Street Station. In it were the offices of Dringworth Brothers. Message from Sea.

AMIENS. One of the French towns where Our Missis found to her disgust that the railways refreshment rooms were conducted efficiently. Mugby Junction.

AMSTERDAM. After the crash, financially and actually, of the house of Clennam, Jeremiah Flintwinch took refuge in Holland and was known in the drinking shops of Amsterdam as Mynheer van Flyntevynge. Dorrit, II, 31.

ANALYTICAL CHEMIST, THE. The Veneerings’ butler who went round at dinner “like a gloomy analytical chemist, always seeming to say after ‘Chablis, Sir?’—‘You wouldn’t if you knew what it’s made of.’” Mutual Friend, I, 2, 10, 17; II, 3, 16; III, 17.

ANDERSON, JOHN. A tramp encountered in the country bearing a spade on which was chalked the word HUNGRY. Uncommercial, 11.

“AND YOU NEEDN’T BE YOUR BLACK BOTTLE.” This is a truly Weggian version of the last verse of Auld Lang Syne:—

And surely you’ll be your pint stoup.

And surely I’ll be mine!

And we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet.

For auld lang syne.

Mutual Friend, III. 6.

ANGEL INN.

1. At Bury St. Edmunds. Few changes have taken place in the appearance of this inn since Mr. Pickwick and Sam Weller arrived here in their search for Jingle. Here it was that Sam first met Job Trotter, the “melan-cholly chap with the black hair,” and in its parlour Mr. Pickwick received the letter from Dodson and Fogg intimating that Mrs. Bardell was sueing him for breach of promise (Pickwick, 15–18). Dickens stayed at the Angel while reporting the Parliamentary election of 1835, and is said to have occupied Room No. 11.
2. The famous Islington tavern, at the corner of Pentonville Road and High Street, was one of the old posting and coaching inns. The premises were rebuilt in 1880 and much altered in more recent years when it became one of Messrs. J. Lyons’s establishments. Oliver Twis...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half-Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Original Title Page
• Original Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Preface
• Chronological List of the Works Dealt with in this Encyclopædia
• The Dickens Encyclopædia
• Familiar Sayings
• Wellerisms
• Wisdom From Mrs. Gamp