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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 12, Issue 9 (December 1, 1937.)

Associations with Dickens

Associations with Dickens.

Of all our great writers, none portrayed the Christmas scene more humanly than Charles Dickens. We may, therefore, appropriately record in this issue, the thoughtful action of the L. & N.E. Railway in recently presenting as a gift to the nation a building having intimate associations with the author of “The Christmas Carol”—the famous old coaching inn known as “The George,” Southwark, London. “The George” is one of the two only remaining galleried coaching inns in Britain, and for the last sixty-odd years it has been used as a railway parcels depot. The Dickensian Tabard Players have on many occasions performed in the courtyard, by courtesy of the railway, and Dickens himself is known to have been a frequent visitor to “The George.” Actually, the history of the place goes back to pre-Reformation days, when an inn known as the “St. George” stood on the site. It was destroyed by fire in 1670 and rebuilt. The new building was gutted in the great Southwark fire of 1676, but again rebuilt, and this is the picturesque structure which stands on the site to-day.

Dickensian Tabard Players in Courtyard of “The George” Inn, Southwark, London.

Dickensian Tabard Players in Courtyard of “The George” Inn, Southwark, London.