Lant Street, Southwark
In 1824, when Charles Dickens was 12 years old, his father, John Dickens, was arrested and sent to Marshalsea Prison for failure to pay a debt. During this time, Charles (the only member of the family not imprisoned) took up residence in the back-attic of a house on Lant Street, a short walk away from the prison. Lant Street was in an area known as 'The Mint' which was notorious for its overcrowded conditions.