News

The Mystery around Dickens’s Death

Dicken's Death Certificate

In 1990, Claire Tomalin published The Invisible Woman, a biography of the actress Ellen Ternan, best known today for her secret relationship with Charles Dickens, which spanned the last thirteen years of his life. In her book, Tomalin suggested a new theory about the death of Dickens: that when he died in 1870, he may have … Read more

Online walking tour

On 24 March, I’ll be doing a virtual ‘walking tour’ about William Morris in West London, starting at 6pm UK time, joinable from anywhere. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/william-morris-in-west-london-virtual-walk-tickets-145287289193

Dickens in N America in 1842

In 1842, Charles and Catherine Dickens set sail from Liverpool for a 6-month tour of the USA and Canada. In this online event, I’ll be talking about their journey and how it inspired Dickens’s writing. This is the first in a series of talks I’ll be giving over the next year, inspired by the book … Read more

Online Event 26 Feb

On 26 Feb, I’ll be talking to YA author Kate Darbishire about her novel ‘Speechless’. We’ll be talking about #writing, representations of disability in popular culture, especially Cerebral Palsy, & what it’s like to self publish. Join us for this Online Event via Eventbrite. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/whats-it-really-like-to-self-publish-lucinda-hawksley-kate-darbishire-tickets-141836206913

Love Lives of the Pre-Raphaelites

Liven up your lockdown with the ‘Love Lives of the Pre-Raphaelites‘ – my new online event happening at 5.30pm (UK time) on 13 February, joinable from anywhere in the world. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/love-lives-of-the-pre-raphaelites-tickets-139878228547 Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Dickens & Zoom

Can you spot my big blue Charles Dickens book getting pride of place in this BBC video? I’m very proud! The updated version is available from the online giftshop at The Charles Dickens Museum and all good bookshops. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/entertainment-arts-55861947

Happy Birthday Mr Dickens!

I’m very excited to announce this special event with the wonderful Miriam Margolyes, in aid of The Charles Dickens Museum. Join us on Sunday 7 February, at 7pm UK time (joinable from anywhere) for Happy Birthday Mr Dickens! Tickets are on sale now https://dickensmuseum.com/blogs/all-events/happy-birthday-mr-dickens

The Life and Lies of Augustus Dickens

In the 1850s, Augustus, the youngest brother of Charles Dickens, abandoned his wife in London and ran away to America with his pregnant girlfriend. He was barely spoken about in the family again. A few years ago, I travelled to Chicago to research what had happened to my great x4 uncle and Bertha, the woman … Read more

A Very Country Christmas

I was also lucky enough to meet the fab Ellie Harrison and film in Malton in Yorkshire for the BBC’s ‘A Very Country Christmas’. It’s available to watch in the UK on BBC iPlayer https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qf9g