Brampton was once home to one of the world’s largest collections of memorabilia devoted to the famous 19th century author, Charles Dickens. Edmund S. Williamson’s collection became legendary, with a list of his collection turned into a book and mentioned internationally.

While Williamson was a student at Brampton High School, he began going into Toronto to study shorthand. Shorthand was a writing alternative, that looks like scribbles to the untrained eye. He soon found himself working at Queen’s Park, as the secretary to an assistant commissioner.

Having built a career on knowing shorthand, he became obsessed with the topic. That interest soon evolved into an affinity for Charles Dickens, author of A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities, and Oliver Twist. Dickens’ own early career included a stint as a court reporter, where he too had used shorthand, making him a celebrity in that community.

Williamson’s collection of “Dickensiana” was so acclaimed, that it was featured in the Toronto World newspaper in 1893. That led to him publishing two books listing his collection, one of which was reviewed by The New York Times. Williamson co-founded the Toronto chapter of the Dickens Fellowship, which attracted over 1,000 members. The chapter is still in operation, the oldest group of its kind in North America.