Charles Wickham
Charles Wickham
Journalist
Journalist
Meet Charles Wickham!
One of the main characters in the Forever Lost at Sea series - Charles is a man on a mission! His mission to be a world traveller, an explorer of renown, bravely documenting the wonders of the world, his name spoken in the hallowed halls where men of his calibre meet and plan their next adventure!
Unfortunately for Charles, he has neither the skill nor experience to venture into the dark, cold, and often scary places needed to meet his ambition .... but he goes anyway!
Is it bravery? Stupidity? Or just the British way!!
Follow Charles on his journey in the first of the Forever Lost at Sea Series: Ryujin Rising!
Background
Charles Wickham was born into an upper-middle class family in [insert city] to parents, Robert and Meredith Wickham. His parents were married after being introduced at a society event and their marriage was approved by both families as being a match which would allow the families to build on their already considerable wealth.
It was expected that Charles would also follow this tradition once he returned to England, following his exploits in the US, which his parents thought were a waste of time and talent. Charles had been expected to join his father’s business and not run off to the United States in search of adventure. It had been assumed he would come to his senses within a few months, but it has horrified his family that he has taken off in search of creatures that do not exist and married a lower class American woman of no standing.
The publication of this book caused no end of embarrassment to his parents and they refuse to discuss the book with anyone within their circle, although it is talked about behind their backs and has been the delight of many ladies circles when they snigger about the misfortunes of Robert and Meridith in having a son who is such a disappointment.
In England, the upper-middle class placed great emphasis on their social circles and would only consider social events which were attended by those of the upper-middle class or above.
Charles grew up in a comfortable home, and his father owned other property, including his factories and business offices. One property was purchased for Charles as a home for himself and his family, however at present, this is not being used as it should be.
Charles was raised in a home with servants, where his every need was met. In the main family home, his family employs a full staff including a butler, nanny, tutor, scully maids, a cook, ladies’ maids, a carriage driver, grooms, and a stable boy for general unpleasant duties. [need to check roles and probably give them names]
Before his departure for the US, Charles would have attended many society events and have been considered an eligible bachelor for the daughters of his father’s business and social circle friends.
Education
Education was extremely important for the upper-middle class, and as such Charles would have been expected to study hard and to learn the refinement that was expected for a young man of his status. He would also be expected to become a cultured individual, with travel being part of that. His parents consider his cultural education to be somewhat of a failure, as he learnt nothing of values whilst in the United States.
Charles had a nanny when he was a young child, who was required to look after Charles and ensure that his needs were met. Charles spent most of this time in the nursery, only being brought out when requested by his parents or when he was being shown off to visitors. Once Charles was of an age where education would begin, he was educated at home by a private tutor until he was old enough to be shipped off the boarding school to further his education and social training.
Education
As you can see, the uniform consisted of a blacktail coat, waist coat and a stiff, starched collar. Some boys wore ties to hide the collar studs, and older boys were sometimes allowed to wear bow ties with a winged collar. Hats and canes were a must.
Education
When Charles turned 13, he was sent to Eton School in Berkshire as a boarder, as was the norm for boys of his social standing. At Eton he was introduced to the standards that would be expected of him, including a strict uniform policy, which followed him into later life and the need to always dress well.
Education
Whilst at school, Charles studied Latin and Classical Studies, including ancient history, archeology, anthropology, art and a short period of mythology. He enjoyed classical literature, and it fueled his dream of being a writer; much to his father’s disgust.
Charles was a member of the Literary Society, the Debating Society, and the Classical Society. He also got involved in the school magazine, The Chronicle, which was used as a way to attack and make fun of the school rules.
Good school work could be rewarded (rarely) with being Sent Up for Good and stored in the College Archives, a feat Charles never managed. He did, however, manage to achieve a number of ‘Show up as a Rip’ pieces of work, which were below the standard expected by his teachers and resulted in a ‘White Ticket’ and a period of doing chores for his House Master and fellow pupils. This is not a fact that Charles likes to share with anyone, as he found the experience humiliating having never done a household chore in his life: that was the role of the scully maids.
Charles attended school with many boys from royal families, especially from abroad and likes to drop this into conversation whenever possible.
Charles had a good education during his time at Eton College, and then furthered his educational journey when he attended Oxford University in 1902. Where he followed his ambition to be a man of letters.
The Eton coat of arms
Education
The Eton motto was Floreat Etonia or ‘May Eton Flourish’ which the boys were compelled to live to the fullest.
The coat of arms was awarded to the school in 1449 by King Henry VI and the lilies were said to stand for the flourishing of knowledge but also to represent the Virgin Mary, in whose honour the school was begun. This was backed up by the fact that there were three flowers which represented the Holy Trinity - God, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Coat of Arms for Oxford University
Education
At Oxford, Charles undertook his degree in Literae Humaniories or Classics as it is called for ease. For the first year, his studies were heavily based on classical languages as required for all Oxford students. He then went on to study from a selection of Latin, classical literature, philosophy and linguistics, gaining his degree in 1907.
Following his university education, Charles departed for the United States in search of adventure and journalist success.
He gained much more than he bargained for!
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RYUJIN
Forever Lost at Sea
Forever Lost at Sea
Until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore, you will not know the terror of being forever lost at sea.” – Charles Cook
Charles Wickham is bored with writing the same old stories for a small-town newspaper and wants to find inspiration for that one story that will make his career. A spur-of-the-moment decision to investigate the mass beaching of a group of whales leads Charles on an adventure that may be more than he bargained for.
After meeting Hideo, the mysterious only survivor of a Japanese whaling ship tragedy, Charles is drawn into a world where the monsters that lurk in the old tales are much more real than anyone would ever believe. Alongside Bess, a woman who defies the expectations of the era , and a Russian sea captain who has lived in the world of folklore and myth for longer than anyone could imagine. The crew hunts and confronts an ancient creature evil lurking in the icy waters of the North Pacific. Charles has found the story that will make him a renowned author… if he survives long enough to write it!