Prolific journalist, novelist and, for one day in 1860 Liverpool police constable Charles Dickens born Portsea 1812 died Gad's Hill, Kent 1870 Liverpool lies in my heart second only to London so wrote Dickens, whose first visit was in 1838. From 1842 until 1869, he was a frequent visitor, giving readings from his novels, usually to large audiences at St George's Hall, also at the former Masque Theatre, Duke Street. In 1860 he was sworn in as a constable for 'research purposes'