Rare Charles Dickens Clothing Items to be Exhibited in London Museum
A new exhibition at the Charles Dickens Museum in London will showcase rare surviving items of the author's clothing, including the linen shirt collar he wore during his fatal stroke in 1870. This unique display provides a fascinating window into the personal style and grooming habits of one of literature's most celebrated figures.
Personal Effects and Grooming Items
The exhibition features a collection of Dickens' personal effects, including his black silk stockings, which are part of his only surviving suit. Visitors will also see a set of six silver razors with ivory handles that he used for his daily shave, a perfume bottle, silver candle snuffers, and a gold locket containing photos and locks of hair from Dickens and his son, Henry.
The museum's deputy director, Emma Harper, emphasized the rarity of these items, stating, "Among all of the many qualities, passions and character quirks of Charles Dickens, we know that he was a real dandy. This makes it all the more frustrating that so few items of his clothing survive but renders our collection of clothing and accessories especially precious."
Historical Context and Significance
The linen shirt collar on display holds particular historical significance, as it was worn by Dickens when he suffered a stroke while sitting down for dinner at his home, Gad's Hill Place, on 8 June 1870. He died the following day. After his death, the collar was owned by actor and music hall performer Bransby Williams, who was famous for his portrayals of characters from Dickens' novels.
The exhibition will be held at the Charles Dickens Museum at 48 Doughty Street in Bloomsbury, which is the only surviving London house where Charles Dickens lived. It was in this home that he wrote many of the stories that made him famous, including The Pickwick Papers (1837), Oliver Twist (1838), and Nicholas Nickleby (1839).
Dickens' Flamboyant Style
The museum notes that the material on display paints a picture of Dickens as a snappily dressed, flamboyant dandy. This image is supported by a colourised photographic portrait of Dickens, originally made by (George) Herbert Watkins in June 1858 and restored and colourised in 2020 by Oliver Clyde. The portrait shows Dickens standing at a desk with his right hand on his hip, wearing an eye-catching ensemble with a gold watch and chain.
This outfit matches descriptions of clothes he wore on his 1842 American tour. Elizabeth Wormeley, who met Dickens in Boston, later described his "conspicuous" dress, which included "two velvet waistcoats, one of vivid green, the other brilliant crimson", further ornamented by a profusion of gold watch-chain.
A second portrait by William P Frith shows Dickens sporting a velvet jacket, which he had made especially for the occasion. The black stockings on display were worn by Dickens, along with a dark jacket, trousers, white waistcoat, and a sword, to a formal reception at St James's Palace on 6 April 1870, where he met Edward, Prince of Wales. Dickens humorously described the suit as "fancy dress".
Exhibition Details
The items will go on display to the public at the Charles Dickens Museum in London from Wednesday 11 March. This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to gain insight into the personal life and style of Charles Dickens, complementing the many eyewitness reports of his flamboyance and adding a tangible dimension to our understanding of the author.
