A historic blue plaque has been unveiled at Birmingham Town Hall, marking the spot where Charles Dickens first performed his beloved festive tale, A Christmas Carol, to a public audience.
Unveiling a Literary Landmark
The Birmingham Civic Society presented the plaque on Monday 15 December 2025. It commemorates the seminal event on 27 December 1853, when Dickens took to the stage to read his "little Christmas book" for the very first time. The unveiling was conducted by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Zafar Iqbal MBE, and acclaimed Birmingham actor Anton Lesser, known for roles in Game of Thrones and Wolf Hall.
A Night of Celebration and Performance
The plaque's installation coincided with a special performance of A Christmas Carol in the hall. Anton Lesser, who has recorded numerous Dickens audiobooks, narrated the story, accompanied by the Orchestra of the Swan. This brought Dickens' words back to life in the exact location of that first reading over 170 years ago.
Rachel Cranny, Head of Development and Impact at B:Music, highlighted the significance. "Dickens had a genuinely special relationship with Birmingham," she said. "He was very clear that he wanted these performances to be for working men and their families, which was highly unusual then."
Despite terrible weather, nearly 2,000 people attended the original 1853 reading, which lasted more than three hours. Seating was cleared to maximise capacity, making the evening a huge success. This event also marked the beginning of Dickens' career touring his own work.
Preserving Birmingham's Cultural Heritage
Nicola Gauld, Co-Chair of the Birmingham Civic Society Heritage Committee, stated the Society was "pleased to award a blue plaque to commemorate the first ever reading of one of the world’s most famous stories."
This plaque is part of the wider Amplify Town Hall project, an ambitious refurbishment and archive initiative led by B:Music. The project has received £123,651 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. It has already compiled a new archive of over 1,500 items of memorabilia from the venue's 191-year history, celebrating its extraordinary past.
The installation ensures that a pivotal moment in both literary and local history is permanently recognised, connecting Birmingham's vibrant present with its rich cultural legacy.
