Master Humphrey's Clock

The framework of Master Humphrey''s Clock centers around the character of Master Humphrey an old man who lives in a London lodging and regularly invites friends to hear and share stories. The collection includes a mixture of short stories character sketches and anecdotes. One of the most notable features of Master Humphrey''s Clock is that it originally serialized two of Dickens''s later novels within its pages: The Old Curiosity Shop and Barnaby Rudge. These novels were presented as part of the ongoing narrative of Master Humphrey''s gatherings and were published alongside other stories and essays. The Old Curiosity Shop tells the story of Little Nell and her grandfather and their adventures and misfortunes as they travel through England while Barnaby Rudge is a historical novel set during the Gordon Riots of 1780. Despite the unique format of Master Humphrey''s Clock it was not as successful as some of Dickens''s other works. Eventually Dickens abandoned the framework of Master Humphrey and his clock and the serialized stories and novels were published as separate works. While Master Humphrey''s Clock may not be as well-known or widely read as some of Dickens''s major novels it is still of historical interest to Dickens enthusiasts and scholars because of its unique format and its inclusion of The Old Curiosity Shop and Barnaby Rudge.