Frances Dickens (1810-1848), more commonly known as Fanny Dickens, was the beloved older sister of Charles Dickens and the first child of John Dickens and Elizabeth Barrow following their marriage the previous year.
Royal Academy of Music.
Fanny had a talent for music and began attending the Royal Academy of Music at the age of 14. She won their silver medal and second prize for piano and later taught there.
In 1837, Fanny Dickens married Henry Burnett, a fellow pupil from the Royal Academy of Music. The couple had two children together, Henry and Charles. Henry was a weak and deformed child who died at the age of 9.
Charles Dickens and Fanny Dickens.
Charles Dickens was very fond of his elder sister throughout his life. They grew up together and shared many happy memories in Portsmouth and Chatham as well as the upsets faced by their parents John and Elizabeth because of debt and constantly having to move home. Like Charles, she was full of energy and hard working.
Fanny’s husband, Henry Burnett, was somewhat disliked by Charles Dickens who ridiculed him. Henry Burnett was an Evangelical Christian and Fanny had converted under her husbands influence.