When Alice Pleasance Liddell, moved to Oxford in 1856, at just four years of age, I'm sure she had no idea of the adventure's that lay ahead of her. As the fourth born child of Henry Liddell, the newly appointed
Dean (Head) of Christ Church, Alice was never short of company. Together with his
wife Lorina, Dean Liddell provided Alice with a total of nine siblings, but it
was the two sisters nearest to her in age, Lorina and Edith, with whom she was
closest.
Alice Pleasance Liddell, Summer 1858. Charles Dodgson. Photograph: National Portrait Gallery
With the Christ Church Deanery as their new home, the
girls undoubtedly had much to explore and were often found playing in the Deanery
garden. On one such occasion they stumbled upon a man taking photographs of the
Cathedral who introduced himself as Charles Dodgson,(otherwise known as Lewis Carroll). Alice's father shared an interest in this new art form, so it was not long
before Dodgson was invited to take the first of the many photographs of his
growing family, and of Alice in particular.
From left to right: Edith, Lorina & Alice Liddell, circa 1859. Charles Dodgson.
During the long process of sitting to have their photographs taken, Dodgson often told the children stories to keep them entertained. However, Alice's real 'Adventures in
Wonderland' began on the 4th of July, 1862, as she rowed merrily along the Isis with her sisters Edith (age 8) and Lorina (age 13).
Accompanied by their friends Mr Dodgson and
Rev. Duckworth, 10-year-old Alice asked Dodgson to entertain her and
her sisters with a story. As Rev. Duckworth
rowed the boat, Dodgson happily obliged, regaling the girls with stories of a
girl named Alice as they made their way from Folly Bridge to Godstow. (The Oxford River Cruises 'Mad Hatter's Tea Party' follows this very same route today).
Alice and the Dodo, by Sir John Tenniel, 1865. Image: The Victorian Web
Although these stories were not unlike those that Dodgson had
spun for the sisters before,
this was the first occasion that Alice had begged him to write it down
for her.
Those of you who know the story well, may now even be able to guess who inspired a few of the charters in Chapter 2, “The Pool
of Tears.” Any ideas who Duck, Lory, Eaglet and the Dodo might be? None other than Rev. Robinson Duckworth, Lorina
Liddell, Edith
Liddell and Charles
Dodgson himself of course!
Read the story here, if you'd like, and weigh in: Have you, too, found it hard to make new friends as an adult? What about during you time here in Oxford? Do you ever find it awkward to "ask someone out"?
