A British film company, Hopscotch, are searching for the family of a long time resident of Howick. Charles Tennyson Dickens lived in Howick from the 1940s until his death in the mid 1980s. He believed he was the grandson of Charles Dickens, the author. His father was Hector Charles Bulwer Lytton Dickens (1854-1932).
In 1984 Jim Gorman, Charles' friend, made a film directed by Kevin Harris, about his life. It is a fascinating interview. In it Charles Tennyson makes a heartfelt plea for the world to take seriously his father's claim that he was the son of Charles Dickens and Georgina Hogarth. Recently, in 2009, a ring that belonged to Hector - inscribed Alfred Tennyson to Charles Dickens 1854 - was sold at auction, along with other former possessions of the famous author, that seemed to support the claim.
Jim's son Stephen, now in Scotland, has been working with Hopscotch Films and Artful Productions to check out the validity of the link with the famous author. They are keen to track down anyone who knew Charles Tennyson, particularly anyone who can put them in touch with his son Edward or Charles Tennyson's grandchildren. It is thought that they now live in England.
Another Howick resident who knew both Charles Tennyson Dickens and Jim Gorman was the accountant John Wright who worked for Cooke and Fuller. Hopscotch are keen to contact his family too, if anyone knows where they might be.
In time there will be a bigger story to write and maybe a new film to be made. If you have any knowledge at all of Charles Tennyson Dickens, his son Edward and his children and John Wright and where their families might now be living, please contact Phil Vasili by sending him an email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.