Alfred Lamert Dickens facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alfred Lamert Dickens
Born	March 1822 London, England
Died	27 July 1860 (aged 38) Manchester, England
Resting place	Highgate Cemetery
Nationality	British
Occupation	Railway engineer
Known for	Brother of novelist Charles Dickens
Spouse(s)	Helen Dobson ​ (m. 1846)​
Children	5
Parent(s)	John Dickens Elizabeth Dickens
Relatives	Charles Dickens (brother) Frederick Dickens (brother) Augustus Dickens (brother)

Alfred Lamert Dickens (born March 1822 – died 27 July 1860) was an English railway engineer. He was the younger brother of the famous Victorian novelist, Charles Dickens.

About Alfred Dickens

As a boy, Alfred had the nickname "Enrique" from his friends. He went to school in Hampstead with his brother Frederick Dickens for two years. Sadly, his father, John Dickens, could no longer pay for their schooling. After school, their older brother, Charles, would pick them up.

In 1824, Alfred's father, John Dickens, faced a tough time. He was sent to a debtors' prison called the Marshalsea. This happened because he owed money to a baker. Alfred, who was only two years old, and his mother and other young siblings joined their father in the prison for a short time. John Dickens was released after three months.

Later, John Dickens had money troubles again and was briefly in prison. His son Charles helped him get out by borrowing money from friends. Charles Dickens also tried to help Alfred. He asked his friend, Angela Burdett-Coutts, to help Alfred find a job as an engineer.

Alfred Dickens later became an engineer for the Malton & Driffield Railway. This was a railway company that helped transport goods and people.

His Work as an Engineer

After 1848, a group called the General Board of Health was created. Alfred Dickens became one of the engineers who worked for them. His job was to check on towns and write reports. These reports looked into how towns could improve their living conditions. They also helped towns get loans for these improvements.

For example, in 1855, Alfred Dickens wrote a report about Canning Town in London. He showed how many people there lived in very crowded and difficult conditions. His sister, Letitia Dickens, was married to Henry Austin, who was also an engineer at the General Board. The poor living conditions that Charles Dickens wrote about in his novels were likely influenced by what his family members, like Alfred, saw and reported.

Alfred's Later Life

Alfred Dickens passed away in Manchester on 27 July 1860. He was 38 years old and died from a lung illness called pleurisy. His wife, Helen, and their five children were living in Manchester at the time.

When Alfred died, Charles Dickens immediately went to Manchester. He brought Alfred's family back to London with him. Alfred was buried in Highgate Cemetery, close to his father, John. Charles then took Alfred's family to his country home in Kent. He found a farmhouse nearby for them to live in. Charles also hired Alfred's wife, Helen, to look after his own mother, Elizabeth Dickens, for the rest of her life.

Alfred's Children

• Alfred Charles Dickens (1847/1848 – 1878)
• Edmund Henry Dickens (1849 – 1910)
• Florence Helen Dickens (1850 – 1941)
• Katherine Louisa Dickens (1853 – 1921)
• Augusta Maud Colls (born Dickens) (1854/5 – 1941)

Alfred's Brothers and Sisters

• Frances (Fanny) Elizabeth Dickens (1810–1848)
• Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812–1870)
• Letitia Dickens (1816–1893)
• Harriet Dickens (1819–1824)
• Frederick William Dickens (1820–1868)
• Augustus Newnham Dickens (1827–1866)

Images for kids

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  Family grave of Alfred Lamert Dickens in Highgate Cemetery