Online Talk: At Home with Elizabeth Gaskell
onlineof all the weary, killing wearing out bustles in this life that of the last week passed all belief’. Elizabeth Gaskell to her friend Eliza Fox, 1852 Elizabeth Gaskell was […]
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of all the weary, killing wearing out bustles in this life that of the last week passed all belief’. Elizabeth Gaskell to her friend Eliza Fox, 1852 Elizabeth Gaskell was […]
« All Events Autumn Meeting 2025 – Isabella Banks’s Tales of Two Cities 20 September , 10:30 am - 1:00 pm This year's Joan Leach Memorial Lecture will be given by Michelle D. Ravenscroft (Manchester Metropolitan UniversityManchester-born Isabella Banks is best known for her popular novel, The Manchester Man (1876). Set against the backdrop of […]
Every year, on a Sunday close to what would have been Elizabeth Gaskell's birthday, we lay flowers on Elizabeth Gaskell's grave (10.45am) at Brook Street Chapel in Knutsford. We also lay flowers on the nearby grave of the Gaskell Society's founder, the much-missed Joan Leach. We then go into the chapel for a special service, […]
Join Curator Elinor Camille-Wood as she takes you on fabulous fashion journey. You can find out more about the novel and tv adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s classic North and South. Take […]
« All Events Samuel Bamford and the Gaskells 7 October , 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm £5 – £6 We're delighted to welcome Robert Poole to our October meeting. He'll talk about the radical writer and reformer, Samuel Bamford (1788-1872), best known for his prominent role in the 1819 Peterloo demonstration in Manchester and his […]
« All Events Thomas Hardy and Elizabeth Gaskell – Far From the Madding Crowd 28 October , 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm £5 – £6 Dr Diane Duffy continues her popular study session series looking at Elizabeth Gaskell's literary legacy. This season, she turns her attention to this classic work by Thomas Hardy. As Diane […]
« All Events The Rural Idyll and the Changing World: Challenging Conventionality in the Novels of Elizabeth Gaskell and Thomas Hardy 4 November , 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm £5 – £6 Dr Diane Duffy continues her exploration of Elizabeth Gaskell's literary legacy.This paper developed from an idea that Thomas Hardy could be viewed as […]
A talk by Dr Julia Allen These two women were regarded as being outstanding authors during the times in which they lived. Mary Sidney Herbert (1561-1621) is mainly associated with her accomplished poetic translations of the Psalms. Amongst her other publications is a play based on the Antony and Cleopatra story, before Shakespeare wrote his […]
« All Events Thomas Hardy and Elizabeth Gaskell – Far From the Madding Crowd 25 November , 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm £5 – £6 Dr Diane Duffy continues her popular study session series looking at Elizabeth Gaskell's literary legacy. This season, she turns her attention to this classic work by Thomas Hardy. As Diane […]
Anthony Burton, one of our most popular speakers, returns for his annual festive lecture - now a traditional part of every Gaskell Society Christmas celebration. Elizabeth Gaskell liked to spend Christmas quietly by her fireside. But around her, Victorian people showed increasing seasonal mobility. Children came to celebrate with the family: “Home for the Holidays” […]
« All Events Thomas Hardy and Elizabeth Gaskell – Far From the Madding Crowd 27 January , 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm £5 – £6 Dr Diane Duffy continues her popular study session series looking at Elizabeth Gaskell's literary legacy. This season, she turns her attention to this classic work by Thomas Hardy. As Diane […]
The term grand tour conjures up English aristocrats sent to the Continent to complete their cultural education. Less well known is the reverse grand tour. In the first half of the eighteenth century Continental visitors came in increasing numbers to Great Britain (including Voltaire, Montesquieu and Rousseau). None came to Manchester. It was not until […]
« All Events Thomas Hardy and Elizabeth Gaskell – Far From the Madding Crowd 24 February , 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm £5 – £6 Dr Diane Duffy continues her popular study session series looking at Elizabeth Gaskell's literary legacy. This season, she turns her attention to this classic work by Thomas Hardy. As Diane […]
« All Events Manchester Meeting – ‘Elizabeth and Ruth’ with Livi Michael 3 March , 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm £5 – £6 We're thrilled that our speaker for March will be the wonderful author Livi Michael, who will talk about the background research undertaken for her Victorian novel, Elizabeth and Ruth, published by Salt […]
« All Events Thomas Hardy and Elizabeth Gaskell – Far From the Madding Crowd 31 March , 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm £5 – £6 Dr Diane Duffy continues her popular study session series looking at Elizabeth Gaskell's literary legacy. This season, she turns her attention to this classic work by Thomas Hardy. As Diane […]
« All Events Thomas Hardy and Elizabeth Gaskell – Far From the Madding Crowd 28 April , 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm £5 – £6 Dr Diane Duffy continues her popular study session series looking at Elizabeth Gaskell's literary legacy. This season, she turns her attention to this classic work by Thomas Hardy. As Diane […]
Our 2026 conference takes place in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, England. Our theme is literary links. We've issued a call for papers and look forward to announcing the full programme when it's ready. We hope to see you in Ilkley!