Dickens' Character Dolls by Edith Russell

Jane Fulton shares the story of her family's collection of Dickens character dolls made by Edith Russell

Our Dickens Dolls

Written by Jane Fulton (22 August 2019)

Dolls donated to Dickens Museum, London, UK, June 2019 in memory of our Father Geoffrey Malcolm Millard-Thompson, physicist.

Just as Dickens made Broadstairs his summer retreat for 22 years from 1837 at Fort House, perched high above the town on prominent chalk cliffs, so did our family (me and two sisters and parents) some 130 years later. We visited nearby Botany Bay regularly in the 1960s during the Spring and Summer holidays – and Broadstairs was an easy 10 minute car ride away.

Provenance of Edith Russell Dickens’ dolls

One rainy grey day, circa 1967, after a family visit to Bleak House, we ambled into the town below and into ‘Charlotte Studios’ - our idea of ‘The Old Curiosity Shop’ - at 10 Charlotte St, Broadstairs, Kent. Today, it is the ‘Broadstairs Gallery’.

My father, a physicist not prone to bouts of indulgent shopping therapy, was captivated by an array of dolls that, as if by magic, conjured up Dickens’ characters! Only eight inches tall, we marveled at the detail, the way each one was hand made by Edith Russell.

Edith Russell was a talent, through her dolls she brought Dickens’ characters to life, from the facial expressions, use of fabrics (silks, lace, needlecord), accessories (top hats, daggers, parasols, handkerchiefs, cravats) and attention to detail, down to ladies’ undergarments! That afternoon, my father bought 14 dolls – characters from seven of Dickens’ novels: Bleak House, David Copperfield, Great Expectations, Martin Chuzzlewit, Oliver Twist, Pickwick Papers, and The Old Curiosity Shop. By contrast, my mother was not that enthusiastic and from memory the dolls were not displayed at home – I think she thought they were a bit ‘creepy’ – especially Fagan and Miss Haversham. They also appear to have REAL hair.

We know little about Edith Russell other than she was associated with the Charlotte Studios where her dolls were sold. When the gallery closed, some of her dolls went to the Dickens’ Museum in Broadstairs. Clearly, she was a resident of Broadstairs and a Dickens’ enthusiast and was making and selling dolls during the 1960s. A google search will bring up Edith Russell dolls, all standing on wooded bases signed by her, along with name of the character and book, and a Charlotte Studios stamp.

When my sisters and I later emigrated to Australia , the dolls came with us, and my sister had them on display in her home in a glass-front case. The Australian sun was too strong for the delicate fabrics and the dolls were packed away in my attic to be forgotten.

Some 30 years later, it was only by chance I mentioned them to my friend and neighbour Catherine de Peloux Menage, secretary of the NSW Dickens Society (Australia) that they got a fresh airing at a talk I gave (at her urging) to the society earlier this year (6th April 2019).

New Home for dolls: The Dickens Museum, London, UK

It was then that our family decided the dolls needed a new home. And in June this year all 14 dolls were added to the collection of Dickens’ Memorabilia at The Dickens Museum at London, 48 Doughty Street, WC1N 2LX. The Museum is Charles Dickens’ former home and it there that our dolls will join two other Edith Russell dolls.

The museum is planning a Dickens’ Memorabilia exhibition in a year or two when it is hoped its Edith Russell doll collection, including our 14 dolls, will be on display. Do hope you will get a chance to see them then. And if you know anything about Edith Russell please let the Museum know or contact me directly: Janefulton100@hotmail.com

Miss Havisham from Great Expectations

Fagin and the Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist