Menial servant died -- Dickens character (6)
I believe the answer is:
drudge
'menial servant' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'died dickens character' is the wordplay.
'died' becomes 'd'.
'dickens character' becomes 'rudge' (I've seen this before).
'd'+'rudge'='DRUDGE'
(Other definitions for drudge that I've seen before include "skivvy" , "One does long and boring work" , "One who does monotonous work" , "Person who does dul laborious work" , "Person who does dull menial work" .)