British Literature Survey
Reference Pages: Charles Dickens Group

Debtors' Prisons: The Marshalsea
by Chris Tonog

Originally located near present day Mermaid Court in Southwark, London, the old Marshalsea prison confined “people found guilty of offences committed within the precincts of the [Marshalsea] Court.” It later became a prison for sea criminals: such as pirates and smugglers (Marshalsea 1). Though the original date of construction is unknown, scholars assert that it was built before 1381; the year Wat Tyler led an attack on the prison in the Peasant’s revolt. During the 18th century the old Marshalsea prison was demolished due to disrepair. It was then reconstructed near St. George's Church and imprisoned debtors and those charged with contempt of the Marshalsea Court. It remained there until it was permanently closed in 1849 (Wikipedia 1).

The 19th century Marshalsea prison’s best known inmate is John Dickens, the father of author Charles Dickens. John Dickens, a naval officer, was sent to the prison in 1824 due to poorly managed debt. During his father’s incarceration, young Charles Dickens was forced to work in Warren's boot-blacking factory for many months to help support the family (Magnet 45). This experience with Marshalsea prison and work at the factory is where he gets most of his inspiration for novels such as Little Dorrit and Oliver Twist (Crotch 255). In David Copperfield, Dickens uses the segment with the Micawbers to satirize society’s view of debtor’s prisons and even portrays his own father as the character Mr. Micawber.

Works Cited

Collie, Jan. "The Marshalsea." 7 Aug. 2005. Hidden London. 31 Jan. 2006. http://www.hiddenlondon.com/marshalsea.htm.

Crotch, Walter. Charles Dickens: Social Reformer. London: Chapman & Hall, 1913.

Magnet, Myron. Dickens and the Social Order. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1985.

Marshalsea. 26 Jan. 2006. Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia. 31 Jan. 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshalsea.

Paul Marchbanks
marchban@email.unc.edu