Separating fact from fiction of Dickens' visit to Teesdale

TEESDALE’S role in inspiring a literary classic has been put under the microscope.

Author Robert Kirkpatrick has sought to separate myths from the truths about Charles Dickens’ visit to the dale in 1838 in a new academic book.

His 350-page work trawls over the fine detail of Nicholas Nickleby alongside newspapers of the time – including the Mercury – to unpick some of the exaggerations and sensationalism which ensued following its release.

Mr Kirkpatrick, 64, has written several books on housing and history in Britain.

He hoped it would be the “final word” on dale schools in the 19th century.

He said: “Plenty of people have said these things but it has never been put together before.

“I hope in terms of the number of schools and where they were, that this is the last word.”

Dickens famously visited Barnard Castle and Teesdale seeking out inspiration for what would become Nicholas Nickleby. The influence of Bowes Academy and its master, William Shaw, was seen to be a model for the infamous Dotheboys Hall, where the story of his tyrannical boarding school unfolds.

Mr Kirkpatrick looked beyond Bowes to accounts of schools in Cotherstone, Startforth, Boldron, Gainford and Barningham to paint a “fuller and more balanced picture of the Yorkshire school in a bid to free them from the dogmatism and bias that has typified previous studies”.

He had help on the book from archivists and enthusiasts at the Teesdale Record Society as well as staff at The Bowes Museum and Barningham’s Jon Smith.

Mr Kirkpatrick added: “I was pottering about re-reading his works when I hit Nicholas Nickleby.

“Little bits I read made me think ‘hang on this does not add up’ – that’s why I did the research.”

His work, published by Mosaic, in Snaisgill, seeks to dispel the myth that Bowes was “awash with cheap boarding schools” – misconceptions which persisted into the 20th century.

He also questions whether Dickens’ two day visit to the dale was enough to uncover a proper picture of conditions in these establishments – throwing doubt on whether they really were the cruel and neglectful places Dickens had depicted.

To buy the book and find out more, Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby and the Yorkshire Schools can be found on Amazon or on the Mosaic website at www.mo saicteesdale.co.uk/books-for-sale at a price of £18.

Mr Kirkpatrick also hoped The Bowes Museum shop would stock his work in the near future.