as a boy alfred, nicknamed enrique by friends, attended a school in hampstead with his brother frederick dickens for two years, until his father john dickens could no longer afford the fees. at the end of the school day the boys would be collected by their older brother, charles. on 20 february 1824, john dickens was imprisoned in the marshalsea debtors' prison for debt under the insolvent debtors act of 1813, because he owed a baker, james kerr, £40 and 10 shillings. his wife elizabeth dickens, and her four youngest children, including the two-year-old alfred, joined her husband in the marshalsea in april 1824. john dickens was released after three months, on 28 may 1824.