Francis Dickens

Dickens, Francis Jeffrey
Francis Jeffrey Dickens, North-West Mounted Police inspector (b at London, Eng 15 Jan 1844; d at Moline, Ill 11 June 1886), third son of Charles Dickens. In 1864, after numerous unsuccessful career starts, Dickens joined the Bengal Mounted Police in India. He returned to England in 1871 and eventually obtained a commission in the NWMP in 1874. His unspectacular career was marked by recklessness, laziness and heavy drinking. He retired in 1886 and died shortly thereafter. Dickens can be blamed for worsening relations between the Blackfoot and the NWMP and for the growing antipathy of the officer cadre toward Englishmen.

Author DAVID EVANS

Links to Other Sites
The RCMP March West
Read Commissioner George Arthur French’s day-by-day account of the treacherous journey that brought peace and order to Canada’s prairies -- the March West of 1874. A Royal Canadian Mounted Police website.

Francis Jeffrey Dickens
A brief profile of the colourful career of 19th century police officer Francis Jeffrey Dickens. Also, see the websites linked to their page for additional biographical information. From the Manitoba Historical Society.

Transcript of "Inspector Dickens Journal" Fort Pitt, 1885.
A typed copy of "Inspector Francis Dickens's North West Mounted Police journal" from Fort Pitt in 1885 (more likely the Fort Pitt NWMP Post Journal). Recounts the events of the Resistance, the skirmish and subsequent abandonment of Fort Pitt by Dickens who was in command of the installation when hostilities broke out. From the University of Saskatchewan Library.

Inspector F. J. 'Frank' Dickens
Click on "Database" on the left menu to begin a search for the official RCMP obituary and grave site information for Inspector F. J. 'Frank' Dickens. From the National RCMP Graves Inspection and Maintenance Information Website.