A SALE of items from a museum which celebrates Malton’s link with author Charles Dickens is to take place this weekend.

The Counting House Museum in Chancery Lane, said to be Dickens’ inspiration for Scrooge’s office in A Christmas Carol, closed in December, with the lease reverting back to the Fitzwilliam (Malton) Estate at the beginning of April.

Malton Town Council and the Malton and Norton Area Partnership have pledged £2,000 towards the cost of securing the future of the museum, which is run by the Charles Dickens (Malton) Society, if further support can be found.

A possible venue is the Milton Rooms in Malton, subject to Heritage Lottery funding.

However, Brian Oxberry, from the society said the premises had to be emptied by the end of the month.

“As we have to clear the museum by the end of March, we are

holding a sale on the premises,” he said.

“There is a twin pedestal leather topped Victorian-style desk, a Victorian clerk’s desk, a corner cupboard, two full-sized mannequins, sets of Dickens’s novels, pictures and picture frames, novelty teapots and various other artefacts. We will take any reasonable offer for the sale goods.”

Dickens was said to be a regular visitor to Malton where his best friend, Charles Smithson, worked as a solicitor at his office in Chancery Lane. It is said that Dickens was inspired to base Scrooge’s Counting House on Smithson’s office.

When Smithson died aged 39, Dickens attended his funeral in the town and dedicated an early edition of A Christmas Carol to Mrs Smithson.

Linda McCarthy, secretary of the society, said: “The society would like to thank the many benefactors who have enabled it to develop the museum over the past nine years.

“The society itself will continue with its monthly members’ meetings and performances of its talks, and it will retain its website.”

The sale will take place on Saturday, from 10.30am, at the Counting House Museum Chancery Lane.

For more information, go to dickenssocietymalton.co.uk