List of Dickensian Characters - L

L

• La Creevy, Miss Miniature painter in the Strand. The Nickleby's lease lodging from her briefly and she becomes their faithful friend. In the end she marries the Cheeryble Brothers old clerk, Tim Linkinwater in Nicholas Nickleby.
• Lammle, Alfred and Sophronia Society couple who marry, each thinking that the other has money only to find after marriage that both are broke. They are frustrated in a scheme to worm their way into the Boffin fortune and leave England to escape debts in Our Mutual Friend.
• Landless, Helena Twin sister of Neville who, as the story ends prematurely, is falling in love with Canon Chrisparkle in The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
• Landless, Neville Twin brother of Helena. He and his sister are brought to Cloisterham by their guardian, Mr Honeythunder. Neville is attracted to Rosa Bud and, being set up by Jasper, quarrels with Edwin Drood. After Drood's disappearance Jasper cast blame on Neville who has no alibi and flees to London with his sister in The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
• Langdale, Mr Kindly vintner and distiller in Holborn based on an historical figure. The Catholic Langdale shelters Geoffrey Haredale from the rioters. His home and warehouse are burned in the riots, his stores of spirits are consumed by the mob in Barnaby Rudge.
• Larkins, Miss Early love of David Copperfield, "a tall, dark, black-eyed, fine figure of a woman." She later marries an officer in the Army in David Copperfield.
• Leeford, Edward (alias Monks) Villainous son of Edwin and half-brother of Oliver Twist who plots with Fagin to corrupt Oliver, in which case Leeford will inherit all of their father's property. After the plan is foiled Leeford is forced to emigrate to America where he dies in prison in Oliver Twist.
• Leeford, Edwin Father of Oliver, whom he has fathered out of wedlock with Agnes Fleming. Also father of Edward (Monks) from a previous marriage. Edwin has died before the story begins in Oliver Twist.
• Lenville, Thomas Member of Crummles' traveling stage troupe: "a dark-complexioned man, inclining indeed to sallow, with long thick black hair, and very evident inclinations (although he was close shaved) of a stiff beard, and whiskers of the same deep shade. His age did not appear to exceed thirty, though many at first sight would have considered him much older, as his face was long, and very pale, from the constant application of stage paint." in Nicholas Nickleby.
• Lewsome Medical man and old schoolmate of John Westlock. Westlock hires Mrs Gamp to nurse Lewsome through a serious illness. Lewsome has provided poison to Jonas Chuzzlewit who intends using it to kill his father, Anthony. His later confession helps lead to Jonas' arrest in Martin Chuzzlewit.
• Lightwood, Mortimer A lawyer too lazy to take on much work and friend of Eugene Wrayburn. His only client is the Boffins, which puts him in the middle of much of the story in Our Mutual Friend.
• Lillian Orphaned nine-year-old niece of Will Fern in The Chimes.
• Lillyvick, Mr Collector of water rates and uncle of Mrs Kenwigs. He secretly marries Henrietta Petowker in Portsmouth, much to the dismay of the Kenwigs, who had hoped to inherit his money. The Kenwigs expectations are renewed when Henrietta runs off with a half-pay (retired) captain in Nicholas Nickleby.
• Linkinwater, Tim Faithful clerk to the Cheeryble Brothers and friend of the Nicklebys. He marries Miss La Creevy in Nicholas Nickleby.
• Littimer Manservant to Steerforth, involved in the concealment of the elopement of Steerforth and Emily. He is later guilty of embezzlement and is captured with the help of Miss Mowcher. David says of him "I believe there never existed in his station a more respectable-looking man. He was taciturn, soft-footed, very quiet in his manner, deferential, observant, always at hand when wanted, and never near when not wanted; but his great claim to consideration was his respectability." in David Copperfield.
• Longford, Edmund Ailing student at the university where Redlaw teaches chemistry. He is adversely effected by Redlaw's gift of forgetting past sorrows and is later restored by his old nurse, Milly Swidger in The Haunted Man.
• Lorry, Jarvis A clerk in Tellson's bank who is instrumental in bringing Dr Manette, who is imprisoned in Paris, back to England. He returns to Paris to look after the bank's interest after the Revolution starts and while there helps Lucie and Charles Darnay, bringing them back to England after Sydney Carton sacrifices his life to save Darnay in A Tale of Two Cities.
• Losberne, Dr Impetuous doctor who treats Oliver and Rose in illness. A friend of the Maylie family in Oliver Twist.
• Lowten Clerk to the solicitor Perker. Spends evenings with other law clerks at the 'Magpie and Stump' tavern in Pickwick Papers.
• Lupin, Mrs Landlady of the Blue Dragon Inn. Eventually marries Mark Tapley in Martin Chuzzlewit.