A RARE 1844 edition of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol which was due to be auctioned in London yesterday (Tuesday) has been secured for Malton at the 11th hour.

The book, which was commissioned by Charles Dickens for the wife of his friend, lawyer Charles Smithson, after his death at the age of 39, was originally bought by a consortium of people from a private dealer in New York eight years ago.

However, due to the impact of the coronavirus on fundraising, trustees of A Dickens Gift to Yorkshire were forced to put the book up for auction to help pay outstanding loans.

Television presenter Selina Scott, who spearheaded the 2012 campaign to buy the book due to the tradition that the office of Scrooge was based on Smithson’s office in Chancery Lane, said due to the Covid-19 pandemic the Dickensian Festival had been cancelled.

“Like many things we have been hugely impacted by Covid and with outstanding loans to be paid we had no alternative but to put the book up for auction. In the meantime we put out feelers to people connected with Malton and at the 11th hour a donor came forward.

“Lady Juliet Tadgell, who is originally from Malton has agreed to act as benefactor for the book which would be returned to the town. It is like a Christmas miracle.”

Fellow trustee Clair Chadwick said the aim was to revive the Dickensian Festival with new volunteers.

“This year has decimated the arts, but we are hopeful for 2021 and continue to have so much support from people including Lucinda Hawksley, the great-great-great-granddaughter of Dickens. It is such a relief to secure the book for the benefit of Malton.”

Dickens and his links to Malton will be featured on A Very Country Christmas on BBC One this Sunday at 10.30am