Charles John Huffam Dickens was born in Portsmouth, UK in the winter of 1812. His family struggled to survive and eventually his father was sent to prison for non-payment of debts. In a time when few mothers went out to work and there was no system of social benefits for those in need, Charles left school at the age of just fourteen, to find work and help feed the family. Despite his lack of formal education, he showed himself to be a gifted writer and his works quickly became hugely popular in Victorian England. Dickens often wrote about the hardships of the times, making acute observation about the people, housing and desperate times. As well as being widely acknowledged today as a literary genius, he also appears to have been generous of spirit, campaigning for children's rights and their educational welfare. Dickens died in 1821, but his influence continues today with words like 'Scrooge' often used to describe a mean person, or 'Dickensian', which can be used to describe something Victorian looking, or that is reminiscent of old, poverty stricken times. If he were alive today, this educational campaigner would doubtless be delighted to know that his works continue not only to be a source of inspiration for books, television and films, but also a popular choice of study topics for UK exam boards and secondary school children.