Mary Dickens - Later Years

Later Years

After her father's death she lived with her brother Henry Dickens and her aunt, Georgina Hogarth; In his will her father had written, "I give the sum of £1,000 free of legacy duty to my daughter Mary Dickens. I also give to my said daughter an annuity of £300 a year, during her life, if she shall so long continue unmarried; such annuity to be considered as accruing from day to day, but to be payable half yearly, the first of such half yearly payments to be made at the expiration of six months next after my decease."

Georgina Hogarth found living with Mary difficult, complaining that she was drinking too much. With her aunt she edited two volumes of Dickens's letters, which were published in 1880. Later she seems to have embarrassed or angered her family, who largely cut themselves off from her.

Much of her life after her father's death in 1870 remains unknown, but after leaving her aunt's she lived for a period with a clergyman and his wife, Mr and Mrs Hargreaves, in Manchester, a 'scandal' which was kept a secret by her family. Later she lived alone in the country. Mary Dickens went on to write My Father as I Recall Him (1886).

On Mary's death her aunt, Georgina Hogarth, wrote to Connie Dickens, the widow of Edward Dickens:

"My love for Mamie as you know was most true and tender - so was her sister's and Harry's - But the loss - out of our lives - is not so great as it would have been years ago - For it is a long time since she ceased to be my companion. She had not lived in London for nearly 18 years. She was always dearly beloved whenever she came to see us - and stayed with us on special occasions. But she had given up all her family and friends for those people whom she had taken to live with her - Mr Hargreaves is a most unworthy person in every way - and it was always amazing to me that she could keep up this strong feeling and regard and affection for him to the very end of her life.

Mrs Hargreaves has kept true and devoted in her attentions to Mamie during her long illness - and Kitty and I were very grateful to her - I don't know what we could have done without her help at the last - we were thankful to have our darling Mamie all to ourselves - as both Mr and Mrs Hargreaves went away before she died - Kitty and I had been staying close by her for some time - and finally were always in her room - I don't know - and I don't care! what has become of Mr Hargreaves - I never want to meet his kind again - and I only hope and pray I never see him alive! She poor woman has been living since Mamie's death with some friends in the country and has two sisters who are very good to her - she is trying now to get some casual service as housekeeper or Companion and if Kitty or I can help or recommend her we shall be only too glad to do so - she has had a sad life - and will be much better without her detestable husband."

Mary Dickens died in 1896 at Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire and is buried beside her sister Kate Perugini in Sevenoaks. She was buried on the same day as her eldest brother Charles Dickens, Jr..