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In Dickens’s Oliver Twist (serialized 1837–39) the Artful Dodger is a precocious streetwise boy who introduces the protagonist Oliver to the thief Fagin and his gang of children, who work as thieves and pickpockets. Today the Artful Dodger still roams the streets In February 2022 there were 562 juvenile children in Britain in custody. CrimeContinue reading “The Artful Dodger.”

Fagin is one of the villains in Dickens’s novel Oliver Twist (serialized 1837–39) and one of the most notorious anti-Semitic portraits in English literature. He is an old man in London who teaches young homeless boys how to be pickpockets and then fences their stolen goods. Although a miser and exploiter, he shows a certainContinue reading “Fagin”

In Dickens novel Bleak House of 1850, the fictional Probate case Jarndyce v Jarndyce is the central theme. It is Dickens highlighting the intricacies of the Chancery Court as an Inheritance is fought over by the many beneficiaries of Trusts and Will. The case though fictional was compared to real cases that had been goingContinue reading “Jarndyce v Jarndyce.”

Oliver Twist in the Dickens novel of equal name is the young boy in the workhouse who at lunch dares to ask ‘ Please Sir , may I have some more ‘. The more that Oliver asks is not greed but need for this hungry little boy, a top up on the mere morsels given.Continue reading “More Please.”

In the Dickens’ story Great Expectations there was nothing more scary than seeing the young 7 year old Pip find the escaped convict , Abel Magwitch in the marshlands . Chained , covered in mud , wet and desperate the escaping Magwitch begs for help from young Pip. A file to cut the chain andContinue reading “Abel Magwitch”

My colleague and I work with a man of sycophant character being ever so humble yet praising our every move. Like Heep in the Dickens novel David Copperfield , this man is ‘ ever so humble ‘. Not to be trusted the man slithers like a snake behind telling half truths and only that heContinue reading “Uriah Heep”

Bob Cratchit lives, in many towns across Britain today as Bob prepares to feed his family this Christmas. The Charles Dickens character out of Ebenezer Scrooge’s Office in Camden Town has to work till 7pm on Christmas Eve then wait to get paid before he goes shopping for food and family gifts. His wife waitsContinue reading “Bob Cratchit lives.”

I’ve met Ebenezer Scrooge on many occasions during my business career. Those people who will hold every penny captive often driven by greed are invariably unhappy. The pursuit of the pound , every pound will in the end cause misery. On one occasion in a 11 hour meeting with lawyers whilst buying a business forContinue reading “Scrooge.”

In Genesis 1 verse 3 God said ‘ Let there be light ‘. He may not have reckoned that mankind post Faraday would add to His illumination. Now Scientist Johan Eklof in his book The Darkness Manifesto ‘ explains that ever increasing illuminations are a bigger threat to insects and animals than climate change. EssentiallyContinue reading “Illuminating”

St George Patron Saint of England slayed the Dragon so legend has it. By George is an exclamation and by George one wonders whether the English can slay the Welsh in Qatar tonight. Now known as the Lions can their mouths be kept shut by the Welsh. On paper Wales look the inferior team ofContinue reading “Dragons v Lions in Arabia.”