Great expectations?: Meet the Toronto group that’s been celebrating Charles Dickens’ birthday each year since 1905

An unusual birthday wish has been appearing in this newspaper’s classified section every Feb. 7 on and off for more than a decade now. Most peculiarly, the subject of the wishes has been dead since 1870.

A previous year’s reads, in part: “HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Charles Dickens, 208 today (born Feb. 7, 1812) … Since you left us in 1870, there has been an absence in English literature that has been impossible to meet.”

“They think I’m kind of weird placing an ad for a person’s (211th) birthday,” admitted Stefan Sierakowski, referring to the Star’s classified department.

He crafts the ad each year on behalf of the Toronto branch of the Dickens Fellowship, a group of dedicated Charles Dickens fans who have celebrated the birthday of the Immortal Boz annually since 1905. If alive today, the prolific writer, novelist, social reformer and Victorian-era celebrity would be celebrating his 211th birthday.

Sierakowski, the group’s publicist, admits the idea wasn’t originally his. Birthday salutations for Dickens had appeared ages before he started placing them, although he’s unaware how the tradition started.

Besides celebrating Dickens’ birthday, the Boz Reading Group meets regularly to read passages from Dickens’ novels aloud and discuss his writing, usually at the Toronto Public Library. The fellowship hosts a Dickens-themed Christmas tea as well as the birthday bash. “This is not a scholarly society. It’s for the average person interested in learning more about the writer,” Sierakowski said.

Branch president Terry Sleightholm — who gives Sierakowski kudos for the ad, especially since he covers the expense himself — admits that, while the popularity of the most recognized English writer after Shakespeare remains as strong as ever among the public, branch membership has waned over the years. Current membership sits at around 60.

The Dickens Fellowship was founded in 1902 in London, England, and soon after established branches worldwide. Today, 56 chapters cover the globe, including the Central Fellowship in the U.K., presided over by Ian Dickens, the author’s great-great-grandson. According to its website, the non-profit group exists “to knit together in a common bond of friendship, lovers of that great master of humour and pathos.” Besides preserving the novelist’s memory, branches support various social causes through fundraising endeavours.

Toronto received the first charter in 1905 and, while it’s never had a permanent home, it held events in venues all over the city. The inaugural meeting in May of that year occurred at the Central YMCA on Yonge Street. A hundred people took out memberships. Enrolment grew significantly after that.

The heyday for the branch was in the 1920s when Lady Eaton was its patron and membership grew to more than a thousand. They hosted a well-attended annual picnic at Exhibition Place that June, while the Dickens Fellowship Players adapted novels to the stage throughout the year. The performances filled venues like the Music Conservatory and Eaton Auditorium to capacity. There was even a needlework group. A holiday season wasn’t complete without the fellowship hosting a Christmas pageant.

The tradition of the Dickens Victorian Christmas Tea continues today hosted by Blythwood Road Baptist Church.

For as long as Sleightholm remembers, the Boz Reading Group gathered monthly, free of charge, in space at the Northern Branch of the Toronto Public Library. When COVID hit, things went virtual. Determined to ensure the group’s survival, Sleightholm increased the output of the fellowship newsletter, Mudfog News, from a quarterly to a monthly, distributed by email to members. But Sleightholm explained, “As soon as things returned to normal we got back to meeting in person.”

Sleightholm reports that membership numbers have remained stable over the three years of COVID lockdown. However, just as activities began ramping up in the spring of 2022, Toronto Public Library officials threw a wrench into their plans by introducing a policy that requires the fellowship and other organizations to pay for meeting space, so they are searching for someplace new.

Recent meetings have been at various locations around the city including the Manulife Centre in downtown Toronto. According to Sleightholm, this location isn’t ideal, the preference being someplace more central. “It’s been hard to find a suitable replacement,” he said.

Actor and friend of the fellowship John Huston has performed at events on several occasions. Huston has graced the stage for over 30 years in various Dickens roles, including as the author reciting “A Christmas Carol” precisely 747 times. Huston bears a striking resemblance to the 19-century writer. Even great-great-grandson and fellow actor Gerald Dickens noted the similarity between Huston and his forefather when the two crossed paths.

Huston recalls Gerald asking, “Are you sure you’re not a member of the family? You look more like my great-great-grandfather than I do.”

Although he will not perform at this year’s celebration, Sleightholm said of Huston’s past performances for the fellowship, “We are always impressed with him. We’ve had him at least half a dozen times at the dinner in February and at Christmastime. He’s great.” Sleightholm is hoping Huston will soon revive his performance of “The Murder of Nancy” from “Oliver Twist” for the branch.

The big event on the Dickens calendar is the birthday party and tickets are still available. As in past years, the event will take place in the Library Bar at the Royal York Hotel. The bash takes place Saturday and the public is invited.

The event starts with a tribute called “The Toast to the Immortal Memory.” Next comes a traditional English meal of roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and dessert, followed by a guest speaker. There will be a raffle and door prizes, with proceeds going to the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, which the fellowship has been supporting since 1905.

This year’s keynote speaker is vice-president Dan Calinescu. Calinescu boasts the most extensive private collection of Dickensian memorabilia in Canada. His collection began in 1984 while on vacation. Browsing through a used bookstore in Dublin, he discovered a first-edition copy of Dickens’ novel “Oliver Twist” by chance and purchased it for one dollar. The collection has grown to over 5,000 items.

Calinescu’s address this year is titled “Dickens and His Publishers.” Calinescu will discuss Dickens’ sometimes conflicted relationship with his publishers and how one even tried to kibosh publishing his most recognized title, “A Christmas Carol.”

Will the fete include a cake with 211 candles? Sierakowski explained, “If (the event) falls on Dickens’ actual birthday, we have cake and candles.” That alignment won’t occur until 2026, but this year’s party promises to be as delightful.

To purchase tickets or to inquire about membership, contact Terry Sleightholm at [email protected]

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