Portsmouth, Ohio, and Portsmouth, UK may be separated by an ocean and thousands of miles, but they share more in common than just a name. Both cities have a rich history and culture that have influenced generations of residents.
One such resident was the famous author Charles Dickens, who grew up in the Portsmouth located in the UK. Despite being born and raised in England. At one time, both cities were bustling port towns and were both centers of trade and commerce. Both were close-knit communities, which fostered a sense of belonging that Dickens carried with him throughout his life.
As a young boy, Dickens was fascinated by the stories of travelers and sailors who passed through the port of Portsmouth. He would often visit the docks and listen to their tales, which would later inspire his own writing. In fact, many of his most famous works, such as “Oliver Twist” and “Great Expectations,” are set in gritty, urban environments that bear a striking resemblance to the streets of Portsmouth.
Despite his travels around the world, Dickens never forgot his roots in Portsmouth. In his later years, he often spoke of the city with great fondness and nostalgia. For him, it was a place where he felt truly at home, and his experiences there shaped him into the writer and person he became.
Dickens’ work, like the beloved “A Christmas Carol” addresses tough topics that still resonate today like poverty, lack of access to medical care, homelessness, and hopelessness.
Today, Portsmouth in the UK remains a vibrant city while Portsmouth, Ohio is in the midst of an unprecedented comeback.
Many have suggested that Portsmouth, Ohio would be just the place to hold a Dickens festival. Stratford, Ontario in Canada, which shares its name with Stradford Upon Avon, William Shakespeare’s hometown, holds a Shakespeare Festival every summer featuring top-name actors in plays that draw tourists from all over the world. Why couldn’t Portsmouth, Ohio do the same?
Stories like “A Christmas Carol” are so powerful that they continue to be told and remade even 180 years after the book’s publication. Portsmouth Little Theater is presenting a new twist on the classic tale, “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol” the weekends of December 8-9 and 15-16.