Charles Dickens’ great-great-grandson reads A Christmas Carol to Hazlegrove pupils
To kick-off Christmas celebrations at Hazlegrove Prep School in Somerset, Mark Dickens, the great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens, made a guest performance at the school to perform a 40 minute reading of A Christmas Carol.
Dressed in full Dickensian costume, including a top hat and tails, Mark Dickens mesmerised children and staff with a magical rendition of this much-loved novel, during which he conjured up the personalities and voices of the characters from Scrooge to The Ghost of Christmas Past.
Librarian Naomi Warren comments:
“You could tell instantly that Mark was indeed the great- great-grandson of Charles Dickens, not just through a family resemblance, but from the passion of his reading. His enthusiasm and expression of the characters were amazing.
The children loved his Bah Humbugs and there was an eye-popping moment when Mark revealed that his cane was in fact a sword stick. It was a marvellous performance of a wonderful tale and a great way to start Christmas celebrations at Hazlegrove.”
Mark Dickens also treated his young audience to a show and tell of some of his great-great-grandfather’s personal possessions, including a diamond ring owned by his wife’s sister who tragically died aged 17.