News about Charles Dickens

EXCLUSIVE: Last year, Britannia was named the UK's worst large hotel chain by Which? for the 11th year in a row. Ahead of the summer holidays, MailOnline visited five coastal Britannia hotels to see what residents living in the shadow of the hated chain's impressive property portfolio thought of their stewardship.

From a terrifying plot featuring mobster wars to a love story set on a tropical island and compelling historical fiction, check out our critics' picks of the best new books to read this weekend. Our critics have perused hundreds of titles to select the very best of crime , historical and literary fiction - not to mention new releases. So let us help you lie back with a good book and let the weekend drift by...

With a scruffy white beard and hair-do, this iconic actor appears to be unrecognizable in upcoming ITV drama series Passenger. He's best known for his role in Shameless, and he's looking worlds away from his typical clean-shaven self. The TV star has straggly short hair, large bags under his eyes, and has been smocked with special effects make-up to age him ten years.

The Chelsea bun, which dates back to the early 1800s, was once a teatime favorite in most bakery windows in London, but they are getting more difficult to find. As customers opt for pastries that aren't as sweet, Greg Hands, the MP for Chelsea & Fulham, fears that the once popular bun will be under threat. I remember as a child how practically every bakery sold fresh Chelsea buns, but now the delicacy is impossible to come by, with the hot cross bun, the croissant, the pain aux raisins, and the like,' he told The Standard. 'It's still delectable, and the London area has a long tradition.' It's a rich piece of the city's history, as seen with the 200-year-old bun in the Museum of London's, and I'd be delighted to see it revived.' Mr Hands, London's Prime Minister, is in partnership with Partidges, an independent food store on Chelsea's King's Road, to alert people of the danger of death.

Experts have found that they are often sold out to charity shops or left to gather dust in the attic, but your favorite childhood books may well be worth a fortune. A completely working copy of the first edition of The Very Hungry Caterpillar (1969) may sell for more than £12,000, while a first edition of Dr Seuss' book The Cat In The Hat (1957) could be worth £13,300. It comes after a missed proof copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone on sale at Bishton Hall in Staffordshire cost just 13p, after a private UK buyer made the winning bid at Hansons Auctioneers at Bishton Hall. The book, which was bought at a secondhand book store in 1997 as a 'throw in' with a handful of other novels for a total of $40p, misspells JK Rowling's name as 'JA Rowling' on the inside cover and uses the author's full name 'Joanne'.

Locals have been furious after one of Britain's longest-running Punch and Judy shows was cut off by its seaside council, leaving locals furious. The traditional puppet show in Eastbourne has captivated visitors to the seaside town for more than 120 years. It was one of the most popular and longest-running events in the United Kingdom dating back to the 1890s. It was a core component of the British seaside holiday.

A dramatic mixture of tension, passion, and intrigue can be obtained during period dramas. But with so many options across so many streaming services, where should you start? Well, our reporters have done the hard work for you by sifting through copies to bring you an unbeatable selection of 30 options that will take you back to the excitement and passion of long-past eras.

Of all the many startling features of the Sussex relaunch this week, from Meghan's coat of arms to its timing as the King fights cancer - perhaps the most surprising has yet to be commented on. It's this: at no point on their latest website, Sussex.com, is there even a single mention of the word 'Netflix.' This includes the section devoted to Archewell Productions, where you will find the following excerpts: "Our company, founded in 2020 by Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and others, is committed to illuminating thought-provoking and rich narratives that highlight our common humanity and honor community, including scripted and non-scripted television, film, documentaries, and podcasting.'

They were one of his afternoon radio shows, snippets of trivia from around the world so bizarre that listeners were never quite sure if they were correct or false. These 'factoids' were such a hit feature that the legendary DJ, who died this week at the age of 69, that he wrote two books of his favorites, whether it was discovering the immense shoe size of a celebrity chef or revealing the name of the film with the first flushing toilet.

At auction, Only Fools & Horses writer John Sullivan's latest script is likely to go under the hammer. Just two years before he began writing Only Fools & Horses, Mr Sullivan penned the sketch book 'Nitty Gritty.' It had been on Mr Sullivan's desk for more than a year before being sent by friend and fellow writer Alan Wightman in the hopes of collaborating. Mr Wightman never had the opportunity, and the script has been in his personal collection ever since. It is now up for auction at Auctioneum in Bristol and goes for £800 to £1,200.

She was possibly the most happily married monarch in British history, celebrating 21 years of blissful union with Prince Albert, her beloved husband. So it's fitting that Queen Victoria was the first wedding influencer, not only changing the face of bridal fashion but also changing royal weddings forever. The 20-year-old queen's nuptials set new trends that persist to this day, including wearing white and having a huge tiered cake on this day. She began processing in a carriage to the festival, passing well-wishers lining the streets.

On a warm Saturday morning in August 1835, James Pratt said good bye to his wife and daughter at his home in South-East London and set out for the city centre. He was - oddly for him - out of work and looking for a new challenge. Almost definitely he walked the whole way from Deptford rather than spending tuppence on the bus fare. James, 32, would be caught up in a horrific nightmare just a few hours later. He will never again see his house or hug his 10-year-old daughter, and his entire life will be in jeopardy.

COMMENT FROM MAIL SUNDAY: It has been clear for decades that this country's humane and civilized laws on asylum to refugees have been misappropriated. Migrants seeking a better life in the United Kingdom have exploited laws that are supposed to guarantee protection for imprisoned people. However, a substantial portion of Britain's wealthy elite does not appear to worry about this. Not only do they pretend to believe that these migrants are all legitimate refugees but also heap the blame on anyone who disagrees otherwise, but many charities, marches, court suits, and other causes that discourage attempts to implement the rules. No doubt some of them are motivated by noble causes. In Bleak House, Charles Dickens mocked his character Mrs Jellyby for more concerned about a distant tribe in Africa than in looking after her immediate family.

Bennett Levine, the senior television executive, left the company this month and has shifted to a US competitor in a move that has been described as a "significant 'blow' to the couple. Mr Levine's boss, Oscar-winning producer Ben Browning, oversaw the couple's record-breaking Netflix docu-series Harry & Meghan, but he left last year. Bennett, who has been dubbed the industry's youngest recruiter, is expected to be at least the 17th person to have left the Sussexes' service since marriage in 2018. Since they immigrated to California, at least eight people have left. His resignation came as a result of tumultuous discussions over Netflix's £80 million contract - the couple's one remaining major-money streaming contract. It came after the Duchess of Sussex gushed on a Los Angeles red carpet before Christmas that she and Prince Harry had "too many exciting things on the agenda" to announce, promising that it would be projects that make people feel good when they see it. One critic who warned viewers that the series was more like a one-sided promotion of Harry and Meghan's image than a balanced investigation of their lives, sparking mixed reactions.'

Charles Dickens' purchase of his 'dream home' and his description of him as a sociable landlord were among the fascinating historical letters that were uncovered. The Victorian writer, who hails from Portsmouth, Hampshire, walked past Gad's Hill Place as a child with his father, who said, "You will live there one day if you work hard enough." After achieving fame, the renowned novelist sold the late 18th century country home in Higham, Kent, for £1,780, the equivalent of £142,000 today, in 1855. The Reverend Joseph Hindle, a tenant, was renting the house at the time. Dickens allowed Rev Hindle to live here for two more years rather than evicting him when he took over control.

'An Indian Tory who hates refugees' is one of Charles Dickens' most well-known characters.' Ebenezer Scrooge, the central character in the much-loved A Christmas Carol, will take on a new look in the latest example of classical art being rewritten for the woke era. Gurinder Chadha, the film-maker best known for the smashing success of Bend It Like Beckham, told MPs yesterday that her version of the festive tale would be'very different.'

Although 174 of the original 300 lamps were saved last year following a campaign led by the Daily Mail, over 99% of the lamps that are not currently listed are still under threat and will be replaced with eco-friendly LEDs. Campaigners, as well as the Victorian Society and the London Gasketeers, had requested that every remaining unlisted lamp be given cover to prevent it from being converted. Despite campaigners' insistence that their contribution to climate change is negligible, the council used Net Zero environmental issues as part of their decision for replacing the lamps. Now, Westminster Council has pledged to save any lamps that are not covered by Historic England, which has been asked by authorities to conduct inspections. However, they reiterated that any lamps that are not worthy of listing will still be replaced with LED replicas. Photographs: Gas lamps at New Palace Yard, Westminster; British Gas lamplighter Aaron Osman at work.

Anna Maxwell Martin, 46, of Glasgow, wrapped up against the cold in a pink Ganni puffer jacket, an almost identical representation of Julia Maxwell's costume on BBC's Motherland. Julia's trademark frown disappeared this week as mother-of-two Anna and her partner, Ferdy Unger-Hamilton, wore a shearling jacket by Axel Arigato and a baseball cap. The couple, who have been dating since 2022, strolled North London with Anna's rescue terrier, Bobby.

Lord Dobbs, a writer who wrote House of Cards, admitted to delivering the book to the King and Queen on a whim, but in a 'unexpected' but 'wonderful' twist, it was revealed on the Queen's book club website a few weeks later. At the State Opening of Parliament, Camilla attended firsthand as the thriller explores themes of love and devotion.

Despite the fact that 174 of the original 300 lamps were saved last year following a campaign supported by the Daily Mail, over 99% of the lamps that do not have listed status are still under attack and are set to be replaced with eco-friendly LEDs. Campaigners, including the Victorian Society and the London Gasketeers, have requested that every unlisted lamp be shielded from being converted. Senior politicians echoed the calls for the removal of the under threat lamps yesterday. Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, Westminster's former business secretary, explains, "These lamps are part of Westminster's history, and removing them would be an act of vandalism to a picayune green advantage.' Left: Aaron Osman, a British Gas lamplighter, owning one of the few remaining lamps.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS Mamie Dickens' daughter once wrote about the'many dainty and useful ornaments, gifts from friends and family' that her father kept on his desk. They can be seen in Luke Fildes' 1870 engraving The Empty Chair, which Dickens commissioned to illustrate his last, unfinished book The Mystery Of Edwin Drood. It was actually a poignant record of the writer's research after his fatal stroke. Fildes had been struck by a strange collection of tiny objects he found during a visit to Dickens' home. Many of them were discovered by France, and the author was intrigued by them. 'Toads,' Dickens' son-in-law, Charles Collins, described the 'toads' as a result of a string of very large toads combating by a few of them (characterized by the other's extra elasticity that comes from corpulence) in the act of making a prodigious lunge forward, one of whom gets to die immediately, although others still have a protracted lunge forward, one of whom frogs

It's finally Christmas time. If you're in possession of a box of chocolates, this is the perfect time of the year to relax and switch onto a wholesome film. Although the holiday season is all about gift giving, the best part of it is enjoying a belly full of food when not watching your favorite film. However, there are just so many to choose from, whether it be Die Hard at Home Alone or Die Hard of Home Alone, finding a film the whole family wants to watch can be daunting. MailOnline has compiled a list of the Top ten Christmas Films of all time, so you won't miss out on the must-watch festive shows. Did you favourite Christmas film make the list? Take a look at the following links and let us know.

With more than 3,500 establishments dotted around the city, locals and tourists alike are never more than a few steps away from crashing into a tap house. However, there are a few boozers owned by some of Hollywood's most well-known stars. At Sir Ian McKellen's legendary east London bar, where Charles Dickens was known to enjoy a tipple or sip champagne at Idris Elba's posh wine bar in King's Cross, punds can downsy. Some people will delight in a pint pulled by James Blunt at his Chelsea restaurant or snuggle in Ed Sheeran's Notting Hill boozer.

'People like to make things, and suppliers want to grow and love manufacturing,' James Dyson (left) said often. But the 76-year-old said, "We don't have it here." In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, he continued: "It's sad." I always blame people like Charles Dickens (right). Entrepreneurs [in Dickens] weren't middle class, they were lower-middle class, and they were not middle class.'