Elizabeth Gaskell had a love of fashion, enjoying foreign styles on her travels, and a fan of beautiful shawls and patterns at home. This talk, by Margo Singer, looks at Elizabeth’s conflicting reactions to contemporary fashions in her letters and novels, as she sought to reconcile her desire for conservative dress for her daughters, and […]
Our discussion series for 2022-23 looks at Wives and Daughters. First published in serial form in the Cornhill Magazine, between August 1864 and January 1866, Wives and Daughters was unfinished when […]
‘I feel more like Cinderella, than anyone else you can imagine’: Elizabeth Gaskell’s visit to Chatsworth On Saturday 12 September 1857, Elizabeth Gaskell and her daughter Meta were amongst many […]
The monthly second-hand book sale at Elizabeth Gaskell's House is a must-visit for book lovers. Two rooms packed full of books of all genres, including contemporary fiction, art, gardening, photography, classics, […]
Join Dr Diane Duffy for a special look at 19th century women writers’ experiences, starting with Elizabeth Gaskell and reflecting on the lives of giants of literature including Jane Austen, […]
Our discussion series for 2022-23 looks at Wives and Daughters. First published in serial form in the Cornhill Magazine, between August 1864 and January 1866, Wives and Daughters was unfinished when […]
The monthly second-hand book sale at Elizabeth Gaskell's House is a must-visit for book lovers. Two rooms packed full of books of all genres, including contemporary fiction, art, gardening, photography, classics, […]
A celebration of Mary Barton and the greatest 19th century literary heroines by women writers from Jane Austen to the Brontës. Writers like Elizabeth Gaskell question our views of Victorian […]
The Alliance of Literary Societies has its AGM weekend in April (the same weekend as our own AGM on 22 April, unfortunately). The Gaskell Society is a member of the ALS, […]
Our Annual General Meeting takes place at Cross Street Chapel in Manchester 10.00 Tea and Coffee 10.30 Annual General Meeting 11.45 The Daphne Carrick Memorial Lecture Why Read Elizabeth Gaskell? […]
Our discussion series for 2022-23 looks at Wives and Daughters. First published in serial form in the Cornhill Magazine, between August 1864 and January 1866, Wives and Daughters was unfinished when […]
A talk by Kathleen Gentle Kathleen Gentle, a postgraduate researcher at Anglia Ruskin University, examines the depiction of psychological abuse in familial and spousal relationships and focusing on Sylvia’s Lovers […]
Gaskell Society member and good friend, Professor Michael Sanders, in conversation exploring the defining literary and cultural pioneers of the era. He’ll be joined by folk singer, Jen Reid, who sings Lancashire dialect songs. 5:30-6:10: Collections Encounter Drop in at the Rylands and discover objects and books connected to our exhibition Workers' Playtime: Culture and […]
Elizabeth Gaskell had great hopes for the garden at Plymouth Grove, not just as a beautiful place to relax, but as a source of food for the family. She even joked that ‘I find my proper vocation is farming‘. Now you can find out about what she grew, where and why based on original sources […]
We're absolutely delighted to tell you about a new Elizabeth Gaskell conference, organised by Gaskell Society members at Anglia Ruskin University, working with the British Association for Victorian Studies (BAVS). […]
Knutsford is luckier than many English towns as it boasts two historic houses with Gaskell connections: Tatton Park, the seat of the Egerton family, and Tabley House, which belonged to the Leicester family until 1975. Both houses feature in Gaskell’s final novel Wives and Daughters. Although Cumnor Park is considered to be loosely based on […]
Cairo Street Unitarian Chapel Chapel members are opening the chapel and garden to visitors and guests on Saturday 15th July. The chapel contains memorials and information regarding the Gaskell family and the important role they played in the life of the chapel. The grounds contain not only a well-maintained and attractive hidden walled garden in […]
Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South continues to be beloved by fans around the world. Many who admire the novel or the BBC series, have been inspired to contribute their own twist to this iconic love story set against the backdrop of industrial England. Through the use of retellings and continuations, Gaskell fans have developed a […]
Our passion for North and South continues as we take a closer look at lead character Margaret Hale. Our heroine is famous for her growing love affair with mill-owner John Thornton (played so well by Daniela Denby-Ashe and Richard Armitage in the 2004 BBC TV adaptation) and their relationship is at the heart of both […]
Bob’s book of this title appeared in August 2020 and highlights connections between Unitarian communities across England by following the life and times of Elizabeth Gaskell's dear friend, Janetta Bishop […]
‘Revenge may be wicked, but it’s perfectly natural.’ Becky Sharpe, Vanity Fair, 1847 The stereotype of the Victorian woman is that of a domestic angel, pure, innocent and a helpmate to her husband. But the women in this talk challenge that with a vengeance! Enjoy a look at the dark side with the bad women […]
Every year, on a Sunday close to what would have been Elizabeth Gaskell's birthday, we lay flowers on her grave (10.45am) at Brook Street Chapel in Knutsford. We also lay […]
Mary Barton and the Year of Revolutions: ‘John Barton became a Chartist, a Communist’ Elizabeth Gaskell’s debut novel Mary Barton (1848) is recognised as one of the most important Victorian works to explore […]
The Joan Leach Memorial LectureA Cranford Reader: Margaret Leicester Warren (1847–1921) of Tabley House Pic: Wikimedia Commons We're delighted to welcome Sarah Webb, a trustee of the Tabley House Collection.In 1861 Margaret […]
Kathleen Gentle's talk for our October meeting will focus on familial/spousal abuse in Gaskell's works. She'll discuss Gaskell's depiction of physical and mental cruelty and how she criticises her contemporary […]
