Gradgrind ""Gradgrind, a character in "Hard Times," who weighs and measures everything by a hard and fast rule and makes no allowances. "" (from the Gurenberg Project's version). Gradgrind Mr Thomas Gradgrind is the notorious school board Superintendent in Dickens's novel "Hard Times" who is dedicated to the pursuit of profitable enterprise. His name is now used generically to refer to someone who is hard and only concerned with cold facts and numbers. In the story, the man himself he was the father of five children, naming them after prominent utilitarians such as Robert Malthus. He also ran a model school
Francis Dickens cities. Francis Dickens is a character in Matthew Pearl's 2009 novel, "The Last Dickens". Dickens also appears in Bill Gallaher's "The Frog Lake Massacre" (2008). "The Diary of Francis Dickens", edited by Vernon LaChance, Kingston Jackson Press, 1930 "Francis Jeffrey Dickens", The Canadian Encyclopedia, (entry by John Evans) Eric Nicol, "Dickens of the Mounted: The Astounding Long-lost Letters of Inspector F. Dickens NWMP 1874–1886." (1989) McClelland & Stewart "Francis J. Dickens, An Ordinary Officer", "Beaver" Vol.78, No.3 June/July 1998 David J. Carter "Inspector F.J. Dickens: "The Christmas Carol baby"" (1998) Francis Dickens Francis Jeffrey Dickens (15 January 1844 – 11