Named as ‘Manchester’s best second-hand book sale‘ the Elizabeth Gaskell’s House second-hand book sale is a must visit for book lovers. Held within Manchester’s very own literary house, there are two […]
RECORDING: Moss and Mosses in Elizabeth Gaskell's Worlds This year's Joan Leach Memorial Lecture was given by Dr Ingrid Hanson. You can now watch a recording of the talk for […]
Edmund Potter is probably most famous for being the grandfather of the author, Beatrix Potter, but he had an illustrious career of his own. Edmund was a Calico Printer who […]
Elizabeth Gaskell’s last novel, Wives and Daughters, explored the position of women in 19th century society and the pressure on them to marry. Her book had much to say about […]
Many critics have considered the similarities between these two texts, thus suggesting one having influenced the other. Eliot’s reputation has been such that there is often an assumption that Gaskell would be influenced by Eliot, however, this could not be the case as ‘The Moorland Cottage’ was published ten years before The Mill on the […]
A talk to mark the bi-centary year of Lord Byron. Step into the dark side to look at literary vampires, starting with his unfinished novel The Burial: A Fragment. Byron’s […]
Author Sherry Ashworth looks at how Elizabeth Gaskell, George Eliot and Charles Dickens used biblical heroines to develop their own characters. Our Manchester meetings take place in Cross Street Chapel […]
The Gaskells’ relationship with the Portico Library is well-documented. A bust of William Gaskell sits in the Library, honouring his tenure as the Chairman - the longest running Chairman in […]
Many critics have considered the similarities between these two texts, thus suggesting one having influenced the other. Eliot’s reputation has been such that there is often an assumption that Gaskell would be influenced by Eliot, however, this could not be the case as ‘The Moorland Cottage’ was published ten years before The Mill on the […]
Manchester is the dramatic backdrop to literary classics, such as Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South, and lesser-known works, such as Isabella Banks’s The Manchester Man. The city has been at the forefront of […]
Available until 30 November 2024. Hannah Palmer, a PhD student at Loughborough University, talks about her research into abortion and maternal histories in nineteenth-century literature and culture. Her thesis explores […]
Elizabeth Gaskell, Celebrity: How she coped with fame In ordinary life, Elizabeth Gaskell enjoyed a certain status in Manchester as the wife of a prominent clergyman. But she soon achieved […]
Named as ‘Manchester’s best second-hand book sale‘ the Elizabeth Gaskell’s House second-hand book sale is a must visit for book lovers. Held within Manchester’s very own literary house, there are two […]
The Gaskell Society New Year Lunch 2025 We're thrilled to welcome back members and friends for our wonderfully convivial New Year lunch - a firm favourite in our society's calendar. […]
In Session 3, Dr Diane Duffy takes a look at the portrayal of sisters in these well-loved works by George Eliot and Elizabeth Gaskell. Our monthly Knutsford meetings are held on the last Tuesday of each month, between October and April (except December). They take the form of an informal and friendly open discussion / […]
Margaret Emily Gaskell (1837-1913) – universally known as Meta – was the second of William and Elizabeth Gaskell’s four daughters, and the elder of the two who remained unmarried. She […]
Who were the potential models for Signor Brunoni? Could Dickens (who performed as “The Unparalleled Necromancer Rhia Rhama Rhoos”) have been one of them? What kind of text did Miss […]
Many critics have considered the similarities between the works of Elizabeth Gaskell and George Eliot, thus suggesting one having influenced the other. Eliot’s reputation has been such that there is often an assumption that Gaskell would be influenced by her. The question we should be asking is: Did Gaskell in any way influence Eliot? In […]
We're delighted to welcome Duncan Hamilton to our March meeting. We live in a world of friction between the nations of the United Kingdom. Resurgent Scotland, resilient Wales and confident […]
In this session, Dr Diane Duffy will be looking at Fallenness in Adam Bede, Ruth and Mary Barton with a focus on the characters of Hetty Sorrel, Ruth and Aunt Esther. Our monthly Knutsford meetings are held on the last Tuesday of each month, between October and April (except December). Bring your own packed lunch […]
« All Events Paris Conference: Elizabeth Gaskell – Revolutionary 3 April - 4 April Free Campus des Grands Moulins, Université Paris CitéThis conference explores Gaskell’s unorthodoxies, including her keen observation […]
« All Events The Gaskell Society Annual General Meeting 2025 12 April , 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Our 40th Annual General Meeting takes place at Cross Street Chapel in […]
To round off her season of discussions comparing the works of Elizabeth Gaskell and George Eliot, Dr Diane Duffy takes a look at some critical reponses from the nineteenth and twenties centuries - including what Eliot said about Gaskell's work. How much do we agree with these various points of view and how well have […]
Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon was one of the most intriguing of Victorian heroines: unconventional, illegitimate, yet at the centre of a luminous circle of influential Victorians, including Elizabeth Gaskell, George […]
Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon was one of the most intriguing of Victorian heroines: unconventional, illegitimate, yet at the centre of a luminous circle of influential Victorians, including Elizabeth Gaskell, George […]
