June 10, 1870: Charles Dicken’s death reported in America

Most likely the Miss Hogarth, who speaks about the dinner party, was his sister-in-law, Georgina Hogarth. She had lived with the Dickens family since she was 15 years old, working as the family housekeeper even after her sister and eldest son Charles Jr. moved out of the family home in 1858. 

Because of this, many people believed that she and Dickens were having an illicit relationship, and to prove this was untrue Dickens had Georgina, then 31, examined by a doctor to prove she was still a virgin.

After her brother-in-law’s death, she, together with her niece Mary (Mamie), edited and published two volumes of his letters.