It is indeed an unusual fact that one of the most beloved children’s classic of all times was written by a mathematical lecturer at Oxford. Lewis Carroll whose actual name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, initially penned the story of Alice for a young girl called Alice Liddell, in order to entertain her and her sisters while they were boating.

  It appeared in print for the first time in 1865, accompanied by Sir John Tenniel’s memorable illustrations, and it was followed by Through the Looking Glass in 1872. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was an instant success when it was first published and, together with Through the Looking Glass, has remained popular with children and adults alike ever since.

  The book begins with a young girl, Alice, bored whilst sitting by a river, reading a book with her sister. Suddenly Alice spots a white rabbit dressed in a waistcoat and hurrying past looking at his pocket watch and saying....