What the Dickens?

Here's a little fact for you: did you know, that Charles Dickens left his wife for an 18 year old actress? The swine!

This was one of many facts I discovered yesterday on the Charles Dickens Tour of Highgate Cemetery. 

I have been on a general tour here before that covered the history of the cemeteries, and looked at the graves of famous people from history or their families (such as the Rossetti's, Faraday etc.) And although I'm all for a bit of celebrity spotting, it does strike me as rather tasteless or possibly disrespectful to traipse across peoples graves and photograph them. Of course, this didn't stop me and I have been quite snap happy on both visits to the cemetery. 

It does make you wonder at what point after a high profile death does it become acceptable to partake in this kind of behaviour. Would it have been OK to take a shot of Jeremy Beadle's grave? I didn't think so. However, I imagine that Mr. Beadle wouldn't have minded as his grave is really quite elaborate. 

After the tour, Ellie and I decided to enjoy a little tipple in The Flask public house- where Dickens himself used to drink. I kept trying to remind myself of the history of the building to prolong the atmosphere of the day but the cab sav had set in by this point and conversation again focused on Dickens and his 18 year old floozy. 

I cannot recommend a tour of Highgate Cemetery followed by a trip to The Flask more highly. 

Tickets £7 

More info here: http://www.highgate-cemetery.org