In 1843, Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine were about to welcome their fifth child, Francis (later to become a Canadian Mountie) and his last book Martin Chuzzlewit had not sold particularly well. He needed a hit and fast! A Christmas Carol was completed in just six weeks and its combination of ghosts, the transformation of a very Victorian type of sinner and a lot of Christmas cheer meant he had a huge seller on his hands. The initial run sold out in days and the author had no end of trouble with legal actions to deal with ‘pirated’ copies of his creation. In the same vein my own family enjoys an annual visit to London’s West end to join the singalong Muppets Christmas Carol. 

However Dickens was seeking much more than a hit: his story highlights the conditions of those in the  ‘ragged schools’ he had recently visited, as well as his own experience as a 12 year old factory worker whilst his own father was sent to a debtor’s prison. He wanted to show how understanding the misfortunes of others could affect the fortunate to change for the better. This was a theme he reprised in the less well known follow up, The Chimes, well worth a read if you want some alternative Dickensian cheer with added goblins this Christmas.  

While it is not true to claim that Dickens invented Christmas, he certainly super-sized it. For the newly-industrialised 1840s city dweller Christmas had become a one-day wonder with barely time to cook one’s goose before returning to work. The novel tapped into a desire to bring joy to this rather dark and dreary season with lights, days of feasting, Christmas Carols and family celebrations.  

At Royal High we will be fully entering this Dickensian spirit for the last few days of term. Our House Christmas trees grow more beautiful by the day, our Christmas entertainment Anastasia is playing to packed houses and Tuesday will bring our Christmas jumper day and Christmas lunch as well as carolling a-plenty at the Extravaganza and the Abbey on Wednesday. I hope the students and their families enjoy every last moment! 

This will be my last Heads’ blog and I would like to thank you for your help, support and indulgence during my time as Acting Head. To remind you I have shared and celebrated:  our Year 6’s, Horford Ness, Hong Kong, Wittgenstein’s arm, Jazz, Michel de Motaigne and the essay, Hadrian’s Wall, Marissa Cocifissa’s  mystical language (and MFL Karaoke),  the Staring Experiment, Alice and Social Media, the Chipko movement, Hildegard of Bingen, our poet laureate, Barbie, wackapapa, Jeanne Baret’s circumnavigation of the globe, Angelique Kidjo, Merrit Moore and Science Week and Judy Chicago’s dinner party. It was been a privilege to lead the school during this time and I look forward to welcoming Heidi-Jane Boyes with you in the New Year.