Feb 7, 1812: Charles Dickens

In the evening of February 6 1812, a very pregnant Elizabeth Dickens was attending a dance at Beneficial Society Hall when she went into labour. She was rushed to her home where she gave birth to a son, Charles Dickens born on the 7th of February 1812 at 13 Mile End Terrace, Portsea, Portsmouth.

Charles was the second child of what would be eight children and the first son of John Dickens and Elizabeth née Barrow. John Dickens was a clerk in the navy pay office. John was also the younger son of William Dickens and Elizabeth Ball, who had both been employed as a butler and housekeeper for the same family. Elizabeth's father was Charles Barrow who had been a senior official in the navy pay office before he had to leave England when he was caught embezzling public money. The stories were there from the beginning. 

For more information, see the Oxford DNB entry found here.