The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-07
PAY TRIBUTE ID
 DICKENS TODAY High School Pupils Prepare
 Programme DICKENS ANCESTRY
DICKENS
Two Very Near Relatives of Famous English Author Live in Birming- ham Right Now-Relatiye
 in BrewtOn

lcved English author. Charles Dickens, to- day. The occasion of the 1o0th anniver- sarv of his birth will be observed at the Central High school this afternoon at 12.so o'clock with programme prepared by the pupils of this institution, and to which the public has been invited
 The following programme. artistically arranged on hand sketched cards in pen and ink. will be carried out today at the High school:
 'Dickens As a Man." Miss orline Bar nett.
 Dickens As a Reformer." Harry White.
 "sairey Camp Sits Up With the Dead- ' Miss Marguerite Tood.
 Reunion of the Little Folks Miss Tillie Alexander.
 Scenes from the Cricket on the Hearthn:f Ail g
 Caleb Hummer. Lewis Woodson.
 Bertha, Frances Williams.
 Dot, Ruth Gregory.
 Tackleton, Orville Coston. "A Christmas Carol"
 Fred, George Cox.
 Scrooge, Joseph Cook. Bob Cratchitt. Jack Smith. Jacob Marley, Erie Stapleton. The following extracts taken rom The Childhood and Youth of Charles Dickens, by Robert Langston, published In 1891, Is of interest:
 Dickens Father John Dickens, father of Charles Dick ems, was descended on both sides from well to do middle class parents He was born in London in 17S6, and Is first trace l able in the books of the navy pay office
 at Somerset house. under date of April D. 1S0J, as seventh assistant clerk. He was | then 19 years old. and four years later l he was married in the. Church of Mary | Le-Strand to Elizabeth Marrow. In the i register of this church we find date of 1 this marriage, name of curate who per | formed the ceremony (J. J. Ellis) and wit l nesses, whose names were Charles Bar
 row, Mary Barrow and Sarah Barrow. l '0f the character of John Dickens he
 is described as a thorough good fellow,
 and speaking of the family, I.angston de- | scrlbes them during their residence at 1 Ordnance Terrace as a most genial, lov- able family, and no doubt with something
 more than ghost of gentility lowering
 in their company.
 During the residence of the family
 on the Brook. the marriage of Mrs. Mary Allen took place. (Aunt Fannie,
 as she was called by the Dickens children). She was married to Mathew Lamert and the marriage was solemn | ized in the Parish of Chatham in the County of Kent in the year 1921. Wit l nesses 10 this ceremony were John and Elizabeth Dickens their son, Charles and his sister, George Elliot, and John IT. Barrow, brother of Mrs. Allen.
 | Maternal Ancestry | The great literary genius of Charles | Dickens was no doubt transmitted by his maternal ancestry. since study of | lis pedigree reveals that many of tho | Barrow family were literary people He
 was directly descended from the noted scholar Isaac Barrow. who lived CO., temporary with Newton and he is said
 to have been almost if not equal, 10
 the latter as literary genius. Was
 the most learned minister of his time | a Presbyterian.
 John II. Barrow, uncle of Charles | Dickens, was originator and editor of
 the Mirror of Parliament, paper be-
 gun January 29 1926, and extended | through the sessions of parliament,
 lasting till the end of the session of | 1887. He was of the Honorable So- ciety of Grays Inn, and barrister at
 law, also till time of his death jour nalist for the London Times. Charles
 Dickens was for several years engaged | on the staff of his Uncle John Barrow S paper. The Mirror of Parliament" | In connection with the above ex- | tracts concerning the great English au- | thor, It may be of interest to know that Birmingham shelters two near relatives
 of Charles Dickens. the same being grandchildren of John IT. Barrow, men, | toned in tho last paragraph. They are
 John IT. Barrow and Miss May Barrow also another sister. Mrs c. NJ. Parker
 of Brewton, Ala the children of the
 late Thomas Freshfield Barrow, who
 after many years of travelling spent i in the service of the English govern
 ment, located and married in south Ala bama, where he died number of years 1 ago. His widow resides in Birmingham with her children.