Lewis Carroll's boating trip that became Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Background. Dodgson's friendship with the Liddell family was significant in the late 1850s. He developed a habit of taking the children, including Alice, Edith, and Lorina, on rowing trips accompanied by an adult friend. These excursions typically went to nearby locations such as Nuneham Courtenay or Godstow. The specific trip on 4 July 1862 was part of this established pattern of social outings.

The Rowing Trip. On 4 July 1862, Dodgson and Reverend Robinson Duckworth rowed up the river Isis from Folly Bridge, Oxford, to Godstow for a picnic. The passengers were the three Liddell daughters: Lorina (13), Alice (10), and Edith (8). During this journey, Alice asked Dodgson to entertain her and her sisters with a story, leading to the invention of the narrative.

Story Creation. It was during this specific expedition that Dodgson invented the outline of the story that would eventually become his most famous work. The narrative was extemporised for the benefit of the children on the boat. This event is widely recognized as the conception moment for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.