Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-02-01
DICKENS OLD HOME.
Demolition of Tavistock House, In
Which He Lived Nine Years.

DGmOItIOu Oh ldVt9tOCk hOuSCe
Which He Lived Nine Years.
An interesting memorial Of Charles
Dickens is now in course Of destruction
by the house-breaker, says the London
News. Tavistock House, Tavistock
square, to which he removed on leav-
ing Devonshire terrace in 1881, Is
being pulled down by the ground land
lord, the Duke of Bedford. U to the
present the house, which was a hand
some, substantial and well-kept build
ing, remained externally just as Dick
ems left it in 1860, and as it stands in
the engraving in Forster's Life of
Dickens" 1t has undergone some
vicissitudes since Dickens days. He
sold it to Mr.. Davis, a Jewish gentle
man, of whom he said in a letter to
Mr.. Willis: Il must say that in all
things the purchaser has behaved
thoroughly well. and that cannot call
to mind any occasion when have had
money dealings with Christian that
have been SO satisfactory. considerate
and trusting"
Mr.. Davis was succeeded by Mr.. and
Mrs. Weldon, with whom Gounod
lived for some time, holding singing
classes in the large drawing room. OF
late years the house has been a Jews
college, and latterly has for some
months been empty. 1t stands behind
the northeast corner of Tavistock
square, and, like it's neighbor. Bedford
house, which is also being dismantled.
is too large for the neighborhood.
Dickens occupied the house for nine
years. He bought it of his friend.
Frank Stone, who had lived there sew
eral years. Dickens house in Devon
shire terrace had become too small for
him. and his lease was falling in. Stone
was also preparing a new house for
himself, and moved his furniture into
the Devonshire terrace house, that
Dickens might carry out some changes
In Tavistock house, which were PLAN
ned by his brother-in-law, Henry Aus
tin. Dickens and his family went to
Broadstairs while these works were
being carried out. and removed into
Tavistock house in November Mr.
Forster tells us that BLEAK House,
was begun in his new abode of Tav-
istock house, at the end of November,
1851.
In the first Twelfth Night in the new
home the children's theatricals were
being run, and were renewed till the
chief actors were children no longer.
''The best of these performances"
says Mr.. Forster, "were Tom Thumb
and Fortunio,' In 1854 and 1855.
Dickens now joining first in the revel
and Mr.. Mark Lemon bringing into it
his own clever children and very
mountain of child-pleasing fun in him
self" At later period the schoolroom
was turned into a theater Clarkson
Stanfield providing the scenery and
Cooke. of Astley's, planning the seats.
"You will be surprised at the look of
the place." wrote Dickens. "It is no
more like the schOolroom than it is like
the sign of the Salutation inn at Am
bleside, in Westmoreland."
Dickens was overwhelmed with re-
quests from friends to see the play.
"My audience is now ninety-three," he
wrote, in despair, land at least ten will
neither hear nor see." So the play was
continued for several nights. After he
acquired Gadshill place, and made it
temporary summer residence. he still
regarded Tavistock house not only as
his London residence, but as his home.
1t continued to be his permanent fam
lily 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.