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Charles Dickens and Victorian life Charles Dickens was born in Landport, Portsmouth, on February 7th, 1812. His father, John Dickens, worked as a clerk in the Navy Payroll in Portsmouth. Many times, Charles' father would be transferred. He was first transferred to London, but then he was transferred again to Chatham. He then got transferred back to London, in 1822, where John, Elizabeth (Charles' mother) and Charles lived in Camden Town. John Dickens was always in Debt. It was too much for him to handle so he was finally sent to Marshalsea debtor's prison in Southwark. Charles then had to leave school at the age of twelve to go and work in a bootblack factory to help support the family. Charles however, didn't have to work there long because his father in prison, received a family legacy and was able to pay his debts. Charles went to Wellington Academy for two years, then took a job at Gray's inn as a clerk. Later in Dickens' life, he married Catherine Hogarth. Charles and Catherine had 10 children before they split up in 1858. (www.online-literature.com/dickens) Charles Dickens is known as a "Victorian writer" because he wrote novels during the Victorian period.