Charles Dickens at Gad's Hill Place December 6, 1869: The Interview

Dickens Interview at Gad’s Hill Place — December 6, 1869

Charles Dickens met privately with London journalist Jasper Reed Wharton at his home, Gad’s Hill Place in Kent. Though his health was failing, he remained alert and ready to talk. The meeting lasted a little over an hour and covered both his personal reflections and his professional work.

Dickens spoke in a straightforward way about the long years of writing that had defined his life. He discussed how certain characters had stayed with him more than others and how, over time, his view of his own books had changed. Some, he said, had been written in joy, others in struggle, but all were connected to the same purpose—to show ordinary life as he saw it.

He also spoke of the pressure of constant production, the demands of the public, and the strain of performing his own readings. His comments suggested a man both proud of his work and weary from its cost.

When the interview ended, Dickens appeared tired but steady. Wharton later described him as thoughtful, guarded, and entirely aware of his legacy—a man looking back on his work with honesty and restraint, not seeking praise but understanding.

With Emmy nominated actor Geoffrey Giuliano as Dickens.

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