Lewis Carroll – Cottage Capers

On this day in history : 14th January 1898 – the death of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson – who under the pseudonym of Lewis Carroll brought us ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ and its sequel ‘Through the Looking-Glass’…

Charles was born on the 27th of January 1832, in Daresbury, Cheshire; the son of a parson, he came from a large family, being the third of eleven children…. The Dodgson family had their roots in Northern England but also had Irish connections….

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson – 2nd June 1857

Until the age of 12 Charles was educated at home; he was then sent to Richmond Grammar School and then on to Rugby…. In January 1851 he went into residency at Oxford University – where he was to remain in varying capacities all of his life…. A stained-glass window at Christ Church College can be seen that depicts a White Rabbit and Alice holding a flamingo….

Charles studied mathematics at Oxford – such was his talent that he won the Christ Church Mathematics Lectureship in 1855, which he held on to for 26 years….

Throughout his life Charles did not enjoy the best of health; he was deaf in one ear after a childhood fever – and whooping-cough had left him with a weak chest…. Later in life he suffered debilitating migraines….he also had a life-long stutter….

Although we always associate Lewis Carroll with ‘Alice in Wonderland’, which was published in 1865 and its sequel ‘Through the Looking-Glass, And What Alice Found There’ in 1872 – there was so much more to the man. He wrote twelve works of literary fiction and a further eleven books on mathematics…. He was a poet, philosopher, satirist, inventor and photographer….

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson – self portrait

Charles had written short stories and poetry from an early age….and had successfully had some published in magazines and national publications…. It was in 1856 that he wrote for the first time under the pen name of ‘Lewis Carroll’ – a poem entitled ‘Solitude’…. The pseudonym came from the anglicised ‘Ludovicus’ (which in turn came from the Latin for ‘Lutwidge’) to give ‘Lewis’ – whereas ‘Carroll’ is an Irish surname – similar to the Latin ‘Carolus’ – from which we get ‘Charles’….

Although Charles always claimed his character of Alice was not based on any one particular child – there are many who believe she was a real person….and with good reason…. Charles became close to the Liddell family, Henry Liddell being Dean of the College. Charles was especially good friends with the Dean’s wife, Lorina and their three daughters, Lorina, Edith and ‘Alice’….and it is perhaps ‘she’ who was his influence…. Indeed the poem at the end of ‘Through the Looking-Glass’ ‘A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky’ is an acrostic spelling out ‘Alice Pleasance Liddell’….

Alice Liddell – taken by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson circa 1858

Even after his success and his increase in wealth and fame (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is translated into over 70 languages) little changed in his life…. He continued to teach at Christ Church and remained in residence until his death ~ although as he got older he did spend more of his time at the house of his six unmarried sisters – ‘The Chestnuts’ in Guildford….

Two weeks before his 66th birthday Charles died from pneumonia after a bout of influenza – at ‘The Chestnuts’…. He is buried at Mount Cemetery, in Guildford….

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson taken by Oscar G Rejlander

On this day in history : 4th May 1852 – The birth of Alice Liddell – thought by some to be the inspiration behind Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’….

Alice dressed in her best outfit, 1858 – Charles Lutwidge Dodgson – Public domain

Alice Pleasance Liddell was the fourth child and second daughter of George Henry Liddell, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford and Lorina Liddell….

On the 25th of February 1856, as newly appointed Dean of Christ Church, Henry moved his family into the Deanery…. At the time the sub-librarian of the college was one Charles Dodgson – who was to use the pen name of Lewis Carroll…. The window of his room overlooked the garden of the Deanery and he would watch the Liddell children play….

By early summer Dodgson had made the acquaintance of the family and as a keen photographer on the 3rd of June 1856 he photographed Alice, her elder sister, Lorina and younger sister, Edith…. After that the three girls would often go to visit him and a strong friendship was formed…. However, this was not something the girls’ parents were particularly comfortable with – eventually their mother was to ask Dodgson not to take any more photographs…. Which he understood, acknowledging that perhaps he had been intruding too much….

Alice (right) with her sisters c.1859 – Lewis Carroll – Public domain

Henry and Lorina Liddell were to go away for a while and left the children in the care of their governess, Miss Prickett…. Some believe she and Dodgson were romantically involved – she certainly let him see the children and he would entertain them with some wonderful tales….

It was on the 4th of July 1862, whilst on a summer picnic and in a boat being rowed by the Reverend Robinson Duckworth, that Alice asked Dodgson to tell them a story…. He told them the fantastic tale of a little girl called Alice and of her adventures after falling down a rabbit hole…. Alice loved it so much that she begged him to write it down for her…. He eventually got around to doing so a couple of years later and gave her the manuscript ’Alice’s Adventures Under Ground’ in November 1864….

Alice Liddell – published on last page of original manuscript of ‘Alice’s Adventures Underground’ – Lewis Carroll – Public domain

Dodgson was to rewrite the story under the name of Lewis Carroll and in 1865 it was published as ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ – with illustrations by John Tenniel…. ‘Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There’ followed in 1871….

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – John Tenniel – Public domain

For some reason Dodgson and the family completely broke all ties in June 1863 – there is no record as to why and it remains controversial…. Some think it was because he was becoming too close to Lorina, Alice’s older sister, or even Alice herself…. It is widely assumed Alice was the inspiration behind his writing but literary experts disagree to what extent the character is based on her…. Indeed Dodgson himself later said Alice was purely a fictional character….

Photograph of Alice Liddell by Dodgson, 1858 – Public domain

As for Alice Liddell herself…. When she was around 20-years-old Prince Leopold, the youngest son of Queen Victoria arrived at Christ Church as an undergraduate…. It is rumoured that he and Alice were involved in a romance – but as she was a commoner marriage would never have been allowed…. Instead, in 1880, she married Reginald Hargreaves…. Dodgson did not attend the wedding but he did send a gift…. She was to go on to have three sons, two of whom were to die during World War One…. She maintained a friendship with Prince Leopold – naming her first born Leopold and indeed the Prince was godfather to him…. In turn Prince Leopold named his daughter Alice….

Alice Liddell, aged 20 – photo by Julia Margaret Cameron – Public domain

In 1928 Alice sold her manuscript as she needed to raise money in order to pay death duties…. A reserve of £4K was put on it by Sotheby’s but it actually fetched over £15K – an awful lot of money in the day….

Alice lived most of her adult life in and around Lyndhurst in the New Forest…. She died on the 16th of November 1934 and was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium…. Her ashes were buried at St. Michael and All Angels, Lyndhurst….

Tag: Lewis Carroll

On this day in history….14th January 1898

On this day in history….4th May 1852