Victorian

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1822
Charles Dickens living and working in London
1824
Charles Dickens' father is sent to prison for debt; Charles is withdrawn from school to work in a factory
27 Dec 1831
HMS Beagle sets sail from Plymouth, England
1832
Drawn to the theater, a young Charles Dickens nearly becomes a professional actor. Later in life, he will satisfy his passion for performing with hundreds of animated public readings of his own books.
Jan 1832
In Cape Verde, Charles Darwin observes oyster shells in rocks
1833
Charles Dickens begins to contribute stories and essays to magazines and newspapers.
1834
Charles Dickens is working as a journalist for the Liberal Benthamite Morning Chronicle, an experience that greatly affects his political outlook.
15 Sep 1835
Charles Darwin collects specimens in the Galapagos Islands
1836
Charles Dickens writes two plays and a pamphlet arguing that the poor should be allowed to enjoy the Sabbath.
1836
Dickens resigns from newspaper job to edit Bentley's Miscellany
29 Apr 1836
Charles Darwin tours Mauritius on an elephant
31 May 1836
Charles Darwin in Cape Town; meets Sir John Herschel
2 Oct 1836
HMS Beagle returns to England
1837
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
20 Jun 1837
Victoria becomes Queen
1838
Charles Dickens publishes Nicholas Nickleby in 20 serial installments.
1839
Charles Darwin weds first cousin Emma Wedgwood
1840
Charles Dickens publishes The Old Curiosity Shop in short weekly installments.
1841
Charles Dickens publishes Barnaby Rudge in short weekly installments.
1841
Charles Dickens vacations in America; is received as celebrity
1843
While working on Martin Chuzzlewit, Charles Dickens writes A Christmas Carol on the side in just a few weeks. It is published the same year and becomes one of his most popular and beloved works.
1844
In the New Spirit of the Age, R.H. Horne describes Charles Dickens as "in private, very much what might be expected from his works.... His conversation is genial.... [He] has singular personal activity, and is fond of games of practical skill. He is als
1844
Darwin requests posthumous publication of Origin of Species
6 Jun 1844
George Williams founds the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) in London.
1849
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
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