Charles Dickens Gallery

'Ipswich: Mr Pickwick outsideThe Ancient House', LNER poster, 1928

Poster produced for the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) to promote rail travel to the Suffolk county town of Ipswich, which appeared as a location in Charles Dickens' (1812-1870) novel 'The Pickwick Papers' (1836). The character, Mr Pickwick, is shown processing through the streets in a sedan chair, while the town's famous 'Ancient House' (built 1567) is seen in the background. Artwork by Fred Taylor, who was commissioned in 1930 to design four ceiling paintings for the Underwriting Room at Lloyd's and murals for Reed's Lacquer Room. He exhibited at the Royal Academy and other London galleries and worked for LNER, London Transport and several shipping companies

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To match Travel Postcard TRAVEL-LONDON/DICKENS

Farmers' produce is displayed at Borough Market, an area familiar to Charles Dickens and mentioned in The Pickwick Papers, London, January 26, 2012. The month of February marks an international celebration of the life and work of Charles Dickens on the bicentenary of his birth, which falls on 7 February 2012. Picture taken January 26, 2012. To match Travel Postcard TRAVEL-LONDON/DICKENS REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly (BRITAIN - Tags: FOOD AGRICULTURE MEDIA PROFILE SOCIETY) - GM1E8240GDO01

Humour rain umbrella St. Swithin 19th century cartoon

This is a cartoon etching by the well-known Victorian social caricaturist / cartoonist George Cruikshank (1792 - 1878), dated November 1st, 1829. (1829 is in the reign of William IV, but most of Cruikshank's artistic work was in the long reign of Queen Victoria.) Cruikshank went on to illustrate a number of the books of Charles Dickens. Title: St. Swithin, Patron Saint of Umbrella makers. Singing: 'Long to Rain over us'. Description: If it rains on St. Swithin's Day (July 15 ), or so the saying goes, then it will rain for forty days and forty nights. Cruikshank sees this as a benefit for business, for the manufacturers of umbrellas. St. Swithin (St. Swithun) is shown showering two watering cans on his victims, while riding a flying dolphin that spouts a deluge from its mouth and nostrils. Under a large umbrella, the people of Britain dance and sing 'Long to rain over us', combining a homage to the rain and the reign of the king (William IV). The rendering of the dolphin is usual for this time since they were looked upon as fish. Designed Etched & Published by Geo. Cruikshank a?? Novr. 1st 1829

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