Charles Dickens statue: Why was his dying wish ignored?

By Eleanor Williams - BBC News - 7 February, 2014

Dickens was born in Portsmouth where his father worked as a clerk in the pay office of the Royal Dockyard

Charles Dickens stipulated that when he died there should be no memorial to his life, save his writings. However, his home city of Portsmouth has now erected a statue to the celebrated author. Should the will of England's greatest novelist have been respected?

"I conjure to my friends on no account to make me the subject of any monument, memorial or testimonial whatsoever. I rest my claims to the remembrance of my country upon my published works."
Those were the words of Charles Dickens' will as he stipulated his wishes for his funeral in 1870. And for 144 years there has not been a statue of him in his homeland - until now.


On what would have been the author's 202nd birthday, a bronze statue of him has been unveiled in Portsmouth, the city in which he was born.
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