Master Humphrey's Clock was the title of the weekly periodical in which The Old Curiosity Shop and Barnaby Rudge were originally published. Begun in 1840, the narrative comprises a series of short stories, with the two novels following. In the periodical, Master Humphrey starts a club in which the members read to one another. One of the members of this club is Mr. Pickwick, of The Pickwick Papers. A mirror club, run by Sam Weller, another character from The Pickwick Papers, meets in Mr Humphrey's kitchen and is called 'Mr Weller's Watch'.