Everyones heard of Ebenezer Scrooge the Miserly anti hero of 'A Christmas Carol'.
But did you know that Dickens actually pinched the name from a Scottish tombstone?! The story goes that, prior to giving a lecture in the Edinburgh 1841, Dickens headed to the Canongate for a time-killing stroll around the graveyard . It is here, as recorded in Dickens’ own diaries, that he stumbled upon a headstone in memoriam to “Ebenezer Lennox Scroggie - a meal man”, ( meaning Scroggie’s occupation was a corn merchant.) Dickens, misread the inscription as saying 'a mean man”, and proceeded to ponder how stingy the late Ebenezer must have been for that to be the only thing he was remembered for! See link below for more info www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/how-edinburgh-gravestone-inspired-ebenezer-scrooge-609726
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
peculiar londonInteresting bits of London history and news of our tours and events Categories |