The Cricketing Dickens

Charles Dickens, one of the most celebrated of Englishmen, was at the peak of his authorial game just as the game of cricket was emerging as the salient national sport.

Although Pickwick Papers includes his only description of an actual match, several of his novels have 'mentions' of cricket, testimony to both his and his readership's knowledge of the game. There are almost a score of such references in his major canon of work. This is of interest of itself, but, beyond that, was his use of cricket in his campaigning journalism, such as in his anti-Sabbatarian stance. Occasionally his writing about cricket reveals aspect of his own social values and beliefs.

There is no evidence that he played much cricket in his youth. The crucial breakthrough was his purchase of Cad's Hill Place near Rochester in 1856. Dickens lived for the last fourteen years of his life in this country house. He arranged cricket matches on the land behind the house which was part of his estate, while he was mainly responsible for the launch of the Higham Cricket Club that played on this field. As sponsor for this – and for other local sporting events – he also sometimes acted as umpire or scorer.

Eric Midwinter has woven a compound of fictional citation and factual involvement in cricket that makes for a fascinating profile of this unusual aspect of the great author's life.

This is Limited Edition book of 125 copies signed by the author.

Softback cover with 45 pages, fully illustrated.
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