Edward Bulwer Lytton DickensPrint Page

An obelisk over the grave commemorates Edward Bulwer Lytton (Plorn) Dickens (13 March 1852 – 23 January 1902).  He was an Australian Politician and the youngest son of English novelist Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine.

Charles Dickens encouraged Edward, along with his elder brother Alfred, to migrate to Australia, which he saw as a land of opportunity. Alfred migrated in 1865 and Edward in 1868. Edward arrived at Momba Station just before his sixteenth birthday. Dickens settled at Wilcannia, New South Wales where he became manager of Momba Station. He married Constance Desailly, the daughter of a local property-owner, in 1880. He opened a stock and station agency, was elected as an alderman of Bourke Shire Council and bought a share in Yanda station near Bourke. He lost heavily from bad seasons and in 1886 he was appointed government inspector of runs in the Bourke District. He was never able to pay back a loan of ₤800 from his most successful brother, Henry. 

Dickens nominated for the seat of Wentworth at the 1882 by-election, but withdrew before the polls, won by fellow pastoralist Edward Quin, then was elected member for Wilcannia in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1889 and held the seat until defeated by the Labor Party candidate, Richard Sleath in 1894.Dickens then became a rabbit inspector for the Government of new South Wales  and was afterwards an officer for the Lands Department in charge of the Moree district. He subsequently had difficulty finding employment and died after several months' illness in Moree, in debt and childless and was buried in Moree cemetery in an unmarked grave. 

The obelisk was erected by Mr Gordon Williamson of Sydney who was a cousin by marriage. An additional black granite plaque with some of the words in Gaelic has been placed on the grave. 

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