We are the Gaskell Society, a group devoted to the study and appreciation of the life and work of the Victorian author, biographer, humanitarian, social campaigner, wife and mother, Elizabeth Gaskell.

Her books, which include North and South, Cranford, Wives and Daughters, Mary Barton and a biography of Charlotte Brontë, explore timeless themes of human dignity, suffering and hope. Her pioneering independent spirit and tireless energy showed she was, in so many senses, an absolutely modern woman.

The Gaskell Society has UK regional branches in Manchester; Knutsford; London & South East, and the South West of England. We host several events a year, including meetings, trips and socials, which you can read about in our events calendar.  We host a national conference every two years. We also publish a regular newsletter (back copies of which can be read online) and an annual journal of academic Gaskell studies.

We are a mixed group – what unites us is our admiration of Elizabeth Gaskell’s spirit and work. If you’ve visited Elizabeth’s beautiful house on Plymouth Grove in Manchester, strolled through picturesque Knutsford, or you’d just like to learn more about this extraordinary woman, her life and her work, then join us!