Barnaby Rudge Barnaby Rudge Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of Eighty (commonly known as Barnaby Rudge) is a historical novel by British novelist Charles Dickens. "Barnaby Rudge" was one of two novels (the other was "The Old Curiosity Shop") that Dickens published in his short-lived (1840–1841) weekly serial "Master Humphrey's Clock". "Barnaby Rudge" is largely set during the Gordon Riots of 1780. "Barnaby Rudge" was the fifth of Dickens' novels to be published. It had originally been planned to appear as his first, but changes of publisher led to many delays, and it first appeared in serial form in the
Elizabeth Dickens Prison for debt, with Elizabeth Dickens and their four youngest children joining her husband there in April 1824. John Dickens was released after three months, on 28 May 1824, on the death of his mother who had left him the sum of £450 in her will, allowing him to clear his debt. When John Dickens was released from prison Charles' mother did not immediately remove him from the boot-blacking factory which was owned by a relation of hers, James Lamert. However, a disagreement between John Dickens and Joseph Lamert, Charles' employer, resulted in his being removed from the blacking factory.