Master Humphrey s Clock — Charles Dickens

Master Humphrey s Clock was a weekly periodical edited and written entirely by Charles Dickens and published from 4 April 1840 to 4 December 1841 It began with a frame story in which Master Humphrey tells about himself and his small circle of friends which includes Mr Pickwick and their penchant for telling stories Master Humphrey appears as the first person narrator in the first three chapters of The Old Curiosity Shop but then disappears stating And now that I have carried this history so far in my own character and introduced these personages to the reader I shall for the convenience of the narrative detach myself from its further course and leave those who have prominent and necessary parts in it to speak and act for themselves Master Humphrey is a lonely man who lives in London He keeps old manuscripts in an antique longcase clock by the chimney corner One day he decides that he would start a little club called Master Humphrey s Clock where the members would read out their manuscripts to the others The members include Master Humphrey a deaf gentleman Jack Redburn retired merchant Owen Miles and Mr Pickwick from The Pickwick Papers A mirror club in the kitchen Mr Weller s Watch run by Mr Weller has members including Humphrey s maid the barber and Sam Weller