The Charles Dickens Letters Project

To GEORGE BEADNELL,1 [?MARCH 1838-JULY 1839]

MS Free Library of Philadelphia. Date: between March 1838 (“Esquire” in full and handwriting supports) and 16 July 1839 when Macready retired from his management of Covent Garden. Address: George Beadnell Esquire | 2 Lombard Street | City.

My Dear Sir

I find that the ticket of our box does not mention on which side of the house2 it is. There is a private box entrance next the grand entrance in Bow Street, and another out of the Court Yard in Hart Street. You will hear of us at one, but I should recommend you to try the Bow Street door first, as we are usually on that side. The Box will stand on the boxkeeper’s list3 in the name of MR. FORSTER.4

Faithfully Yours

 CHARLES DICKENS

George Beadnell Esquire

• 1. George Beadnell (1773-1862), clerk in Smith, Payne & Smith’s bank, Mansion House; father of CD’s first love, Maria. Beadnell and CD renewed contact not later than July 1837, since Beadnell sent CD a real-life incident, incorporated as the cobbler’s narrative in Pickwick Papers (No. XVI, Ch. 44, published August 1837): see Pilgrim Letters 1, p. 289.
• 2. Covent Garden Theatre, which fronts on Bow Street.
• 3. The boxkeeper kept a list of those who had rented a box for the season and of those boxes to which access was allowed by loan or by favour of the management: e.g. CD used Macready’s box, 13 Oct 38 (Pilgrim Letters 1, p. 440n).
• 4. Doubly underlined.