by Alfie, age 9, asks who wrote A Christmas Carol and how, about Portsmouth’s coast, and its naval history
Dear Santa,
Hello from Portsmouth. My name is Alfie and I am 9 years old. My teacher told our whole class that a very famous author, the one who wrote that Scrooge story we read every year, was actually born right here in our own city, which none of us had ever realised before.
My first question is: who wrote A Christmas Carol, and how did he come to write it?
My second question is geography: what is Portsmouth famous for, being right on the coast?
My third question is from school: why is Portsmouth such an important naval city in British history?
I left you a slice of spotted dick and custard, an old English pudding.
Love, Alfie, age 9, Portsmouth, England
From the Desk of Father Christmas
Dear Alfie, spotted dick and custard is proper old-fashioned English comfort food, thank you for sharing it. Now, to your famous fellow Portsmouth native, and your other questions.
Who wrote A Christmas Carol?
A Christmas Carol was written by Charles Dickens, who was indeed born right there in Portsmouth in 1812. What is especially remarkable is that Dickens wrote the entire story in just about six weeks in the autumn of 1843, working quickly partly because he badly needed money at the time and hoped a Christmas story would sell well. It worked brilliantly, becoming one of the most beloved and enduring stories ever written, and it helped shape how many people in Britain came to celebrate Christmas, with warmth, generosity, and family, ever since.
What is Portsmouth famous for, being on the coast?
Portsmouth sits right on the south coast of England, home to one of the busiest and most historically important naval harbours in the whole country, with ferries, warships, and fishing boats all sharing the same waters.
Why is Portsmouth such an important naval city?
Portsmouth has served as a major base for the Royal Navy for over five hundred years, launching and repairing ships that shaped British naval history, including famous vessels like HMS Victory, Admiral Nelson’s flagship, which still sits proudly in the historic dockyard today.
Tell your class their own city has a very proud literary history too, and I shall see you very soon.
Ho ho ho, Santa
