‘Hip hip hooray’ for Dickens’ birthday as crowds gather to mark the 210th anniversary of the Portsmouth-born novelist outside his birthplace in Old Commercial Road

Portsmouth’s lord mayor placed a celebratory wreath on the front door of the Charles Dickens' Birthplace Museum with help from the chairman of the Birthplace Branch of the Dickens Fellowship, and a descendant of the author himself.

Young singers from Kings Academy College Park Junior School and Portsmouth Music Hub Young Voices Choir performed the song ‘Mr Dickens’ to the crowds gathered outside the museum.

Birthplace Branch chairman Tim Suffolk welcomed the gathering, and said: ‘This is what I call Dickens weather – after days of rain, a lovely, fresh sunny morning.

‘In this house behind me, 210 years ago, a young naval clerk and his wife had a second addition to their family.’

Ian Dickens is the great, great, grandson of Charles Dickens and president of the Dickens Fellowship.

He said: ‘I am here representing all the branches of the fellowship.

‘I also stand here as a representative of Dickens’ family.

‘It is lovely to be here on behalf of the descendants of Charles.’

Councillor Frank Jonas, the city’s lord mayor, said that his favourite novel by the author is Great Expectations.

He added: ‘We commemorate the 210th anniversary of Charles Dickens.

‘I think in 210 years people will be reading [his] works. They have a special place in our hearts.

‘Charles was a Pompey boy.’

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Dr Lisa Randall, a GP from Hayling Island, also cited Great Expectations as her favourite novel.

She said: ‘I love the characters, the story - Miss Havisham is incredible. It is very interesting, the ending is different to what Dickens was originally going to write.’

Lisa has been a member of the Birthplace Branch of the Dickens Fellowship for about five years, and is currently enjoying reading Barnaby Rudge – the group’s book of the year for 2022.

She added: ‘It is very interesting from a medical viewpoint – he describes autism when it wasn’t even a diagnosis at the time. He was such a good observer.’

Creatives from the Urban Sketching Portsmouth Group captured the crowds and the Birthplace Museum in their sketchbooks.

Chris Webb, founded the group in 2015, said: ‘This street is like one of the city’s hidden gems.

‘We show Portsmouth one drawing at a time. ‘It’s all about celebrating where we live and telling a story – we see what stories evolve when we are there.’

Charles Dickens’ Birthplace will be open for pre-booked visits from February 8 to 13.

Full details available at: charlesdickensbirthplace.co.uk/visit/private-bookings.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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