The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-12-04
DECEMBER 90o
DEMoL1sH1NG DICKENS LONDON.

DEMOLISHING DICKENS LONDON
 An interesting memorial of Charles Aickens is now in course of demolltloil'
 Tavistock House, Tavistock Square,
 which he removed on leaving DeVon- aire Terrace, in 1851, is being pulieu own by the ground landlord, the Luke
 # Bedford. The dismanteling began t' eW days since; the windows are out
 nd the roof is being removed. up to
 le present week the house, which was
 handsome, substantial, and Well-kept
 Hiding, remained externally Just as
 ickens left it in 1860, and as it stands I the engraving in Forsters Llle or lickens. It has undergone some Vlcis- iGudes since Dickens days He sold to MT. Davis, a Jewish gentleman, or ybom he said in a letter to MT. Wills,
 must say, that in all things the pur-
 haser has behaved thoroughly We'll
 nd that I cannot call to mind any oc- asion when I have had money dealings 5ith a Christian that have been so sal sfactory considerate and trusting.
 IT, Davis was succeeded by MT. ana
 Irs. Weldon, with whom Gounod lived or some time, holding singing classes Il the large drawing-room. or late
 ears the house has been Jews col
 ge, and latterly has, for some months, oaen empty. It stands behind the noth- Aast corner of Travistock Square, and, ike it's neighbor, Bedford House, which also being dismanteled, is too large or the neighborhood.
 Dickens occupied the house for nlne vears He bought it of his friend, frank Stone who had lived there for ,everal years. Dickens house in Deyonshire Terrace had become too small for him, and his lease was falling n. Stone was also preparing a new house for himself, and moved his fur- 1iture into the Devonshire Terrace house, that Dickens might carry out some changes in Travstock House in November. MT. Forster tells us that Bleak House was begun in his new abode of Travistock House at the end of November 1851. On the first Twelfth Night in the new house the children $ theatricals were begun, and were re- newed till the chief actors were child ren no longer "The best of these per formances, says MT. Forster, were Tom Thumb and 'Fortunio,' in 1854 and 1855. Dickens now joining first in the reyel and MT. Mark Lemon brings into it his own clever children and very mountain if child-pleasing fun ln nm self" At a later period the school loom was turned into theatre, Clark son Stanfield providing the scenery, ana Cooke of Astleys planning the seats. You will be surprised at the look or the place." wrote Dickens. Tt is no more like the school-room than IL IS like the sign of the Salutation Inn at Ambleside. in Wetmoreland." Dickens was overwhelmed with requests rom friends to see the play. My audience is now ninety-three," he wrote in des- paire, "and at least ten will neither hear nor sec" So the play was con tinued for several nights. After he &C., d11ired Gadshill Place. and made it a temporary summer residence, he stlll regarded Travistock House not only as his London residence, but as his home. It continued to be his permanent family abode till 1860, when he sold it, and finally removed to Gadshill. His nine years occupancy of it has made it an object of much interest, and American admirers, especially, have constantly sought it out. It has been easily rec ognized by readers of Forster's mem oirs.-St. James Gazette.