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Malcolm Chalk is a businessman in Malton. He has a great affection for the town and wants to bring people to it. As Chair of Malton’s Dickens Society, he thinks he might have found the way to do just that: by making a bit more of the town’s links to the world’s most famous Victorian author.Ìý

Here Malcolm tells the tale.

Charles Dickens

“The town of Malton was visited often by Charles Dickens because of his long friendship with Charles Smithson, a solicitor in the town. The Smithson family had their offices on Chancery Lane in Malton and they also shared a practice in London.

"At the age of 19 Charles Smithson was being trained by his eldest brother John in Chancery Lane in Malton, but John died and Charles moved to the business in London to continue his training with another older brother, Henry.

Smithson's office/Scrooge's counting house

"Three years later Charles Smithson’s father died and his older brother Henry went back to Malton to take over that firm, whilst Charles stayed at the London office. During this period Charles Dickens acted as surety for a friend of his to buy into the Smithson’s London business and that’s how he and Charles Smithson met and became lifelong friends.

"But then Henry, the brother that had returned to Malton after their father’s death died too and Charles Smithson returned to Malton to take over that business.

Charles Smithson's home, Abbey House, Old Malton.

"He lived at Easthorpe Hall until the autumn of 1843, when he moved to the Abbey House in Old Malton, behind St Mary's Priory Church. But because he and Charles Dickens were close friends Dickens came up regularly to see him.

"And because Dickens was famous his visits made the news! It said in The Yorkshire Gazette on July 8th 1843, ‘We understand that Charles Dickens Esq the admired and talented author of "Pickwick", etc is now on a visit with his lady at Easthorpe, the hospitable abode of Charles Smithson Esq Solicitor, Malton, and that he has visited Old Malton Abbey and other remarkable places in the vicinity.’

St Mary's Priory, Old Malton

"When he was in Malton Dickens used to stay with Smithson at Easthorpe Hall and then at the Abbey house and he was inspired by the town, by the people in it and by the surrounding area.

St Leonard's Church, Malton

"I think Dickens was inspired to use the Smithson building as the model for Scrooge’s counting room, because it’s not a big office and would be a typical solicitor’s office of the day.

"It’s also thought Dickens got to know a Malton couple called Mr and Mrs Jump. TheyÌýÌý lived in a white house below a clump of beech trees on the north side of what is now Middlecave Road. Mrs Jump was apparently the model for Mrs MacStinger in Domeby and Son.

"Unfortunately in 1844 Charles Smithson died early like his brothers, he was only 39. He died without leaving a will, but he became one of Dickens’ characters too. The family were told he was Mr Spenlow of Spenlow and Jorkins in David Copperfield (on his death the character Mr Spenlow also failed to leave a will).

Charles Smithson's grave, Old Malton

"Dickens attended the funeral at Old Malton. He left York by fast carriage at 7.00 am on 5th April and arrived in Malton just in time for the funeral at 9.30 am.

"Now it's time Malton made more of this great literary connection.

"The lease for the building in Chancery Lane, the model for Scrooge's counting house in A Christmas Carol, is due to expire soon and its landlords, the Fitzwilliam Estate, are willing to see the ground floor become a museum.

"I’m not sure it’s big enough for a full museum, but we plan to turn it into a viewing platform at least, a static exhibit, perhaps with a bit of voice over.

"It would still be the focal point of Dickens in Malton. With a bit of luck that will be open by the middle of 2009.

"And there are bags of other buildings about in Malton with early Victorian connections, which we could use for a full museum. I can’t mention the favourite at the moment. Watch this space!"