The Charles Dickens Letters Project

To [JOHN BATE CARDALE],1 7 APRIL 1852

MS private.
On mourning paper.2

Tavistock House

Seventh April 1852

My dear Sir
      Will you divide the enclosed bill of Cubitts3 – so far as regards the prolonging of the garden walls of the three houses:4 the gates being of course my business – into three portions and favor me with yours at your convenience.5 I will then get Mr Stone’s6 and pay the bill.

      Faithfully yours

      CHARLES DICKENS

• 1. John Bate Cardale (1802-77; Dictionary of National Biography), CD's next-door neighbour in Tavistock Square; solicitor and a founder of the Catholic Apostolic ("Irvingite") Church. Practised as a London solicitor 1824-34; became first "apostle" of the new Church 1831, his wife claiming "to speak with tongues"; ordained Edward Irving (1792-1834; Dictionary of National Biography) as its minister 1833; helped to found its cathedral at Albury, Surrey, 1835. Issued a liturgy 1842 and published sermons and theological tracts. The neo-Gothic church that the Irvingites built in Gordon Square still stands, being now the (Anglican) University of London church.
• 2. CD's daughter Dora had died suddenly on 14 Apr 1851.
• 3. William Cubitt & Co., prominent engineering contractors who built several well-known public buildings, including Euston Station. The firm was employed by CD at Henry Austin’s suggestion to undertake the alterations to Tavistock House; see Pilgrim Letters 6, p. 479n.
• 4. See CD’s letter to Henry Austin of 10 April 1852, referring to "that part of the garden work which is to be paid by Stone and Cardale", in Pilgrim Letters 6, p. 639.
• 5. There was a payment of £557.15s.6d to William Cubitt & Co., which cleared CD's bank account on 15 April 1852 (MS Messrs Coutts). The payment is too large to have been only a one-third share of the cost of garden landscaping.  Dickens was engaged in major renovations at Tavistock House; this payment must have included that work, as well as work on the shared garden. Sometimes one of Dickens, Stone or Cardale would take it upon himself to settle a shared bill, and then collect a one-third contribution from the other two; the Coutts account ledger shows occasional payments to and from the co-tenants; that did not happen on this occasion: Stone and Cardale paid their shares directly to Cubitt.
• 6. Frank Stone (1800-59; Dictionary of National Biography), artist and friend of CD’s since the late 1830s. He relinquished the lease of Tavistock House to CD and moved next door but one.