Christmas with the Gaskells
Christmas with the Gaskells
Elizabeth Gaskell participated in the merriment that went on at Christmas time, even in a grim industrial city like Manchester. This illustrated booklet, by Anthony Burton and Diane Duffy,  gathers together everything they have found out about her experience of festive observances: carols, turkeys, Christmas trees and family parties. The perfect stocking-filler for all Gaskellites! The book will also be available to buy at our Cross Street and Brook Street Chapel meetings (subject to availability UK shipping only, sorry.  Overseas? We have a PDF downloadable ebook, available instantly here.  
£3.50 Add to basket
Elizabeth Gaskell’s Knutsford
Elizabeth Gaskell’s Knutsford
An illustrated walking tour of Knutsford (with map), plus an introductory essay: Elizabeth Gaskell: her Life and Works by John Rowe Townsend. See Elizabeth's happy childhood home, visit her final resting place and learn about the real-life characters behind the fictional folk of Cranford. UK shipping only, sorry.
£3.50 Add to basket
Gaskell’s Visit to Chatsworth – Recording
Gaskell’s Visit to Chatsworth – Recording

‘I feel more like Cinderella, than anyone else you can imagine’: Elizabeth Gaskell’s visit to Chatsworth

This is access (via a private web link) to a recording of the talk given by Fran Baker at our March meeting in Manchester. In September 1857, Elizabeth Gaskell and her daughter Meta were amongst many tourists arriving at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire with their printed admission tickets. Their tour of the house was interrupted by an invitation to stay for luncheon and an announcement that rooms were being made ready for them as guests of the 6th Duke of Devonshire!! This talk explores Gaskell’s memorable account of her experience at Chatsworth, and also examines what the episode can tell us about her professionalism as an author, the relationship between writers and aristocratic patrons in the age of the professional writer, and the rise of literary tourism as a leisure pursuit alongside country house visiting.
Please note that this talk (40 minutes) will be available for viewing at any time (and as often as you like) until 11.59pm (UK time) on Sunday 30 April 2023. It cannot be downloaded.
Please note - you'll see the download link when you complete your purchase (in the section headed Downloads). Click for a PDF which contains your ticket link. 
Please don't share this link with others: The Gaskell Society is a charity and relies on income from events to fund future events. 
£5.00 Add to basket
Membership (1) – UK Individual
Membership (1) – UK Individual
Annual membership of the Gaskell Society includes
  • Invitations (and discounted entry) to a programme of meetings, lectures, study sessions and outings, featuring Victorian history, literature and the works of women writers in addition to Elizabeth Gaskell. These take place in Knutsford, Manchester, London, Bath and also online.
  • An invitation to our Annual General Meeting in Manchester each Spring and our Autumn Meeting in Knutsford. Both include guest speakers and a lunch.
  • An invitation to our biennial Gaskell Society Conference.
  • The Gaskell Journal, published annually with scholarly articles on all aspects of Gaskell studies.
  • The Gaskell Society Newsletter, published twice a year, featuring interesting articles and information about events.
£23.00 Add to basket
Membership (2) – UK Joint
Membership (2) – UK Joint
Annual Joint membership (two people) of the Gaskell Society includes
  • Invitations (and discounted entry) to a programme of meetings, lectures, study sessions and outings, featuring Victorian history, literature and the works of women writers in addition to Elizabeth Gaskell. These take place in Knutsford, Manchester, London, Bath and also online.
  • An invitation to our Annual General Meeting in Manchester each Spring and our Autumn Meeting in Knutsford. Both include guest speakers and a lunch.
  • An invitation to our biennial Gaskell Society Conference.
  • The Gaskell Journal, published annually with scholarly articles on all aspects of Gaskell studies.
  • The Gaskell Society Newsletter, published twice a year, featuring interesting articles and information about events.
£28.00 Add to basket
Membership (3) – UK Student
Membership (3) – UK Student
Annual membership of the Gaskell Society includes
  • Invitations (and discounted entry) to a programme of meetings, lectures, study sessions and outings, featuring Victorian history, literature and the works of women writers in addition to Elizabeth Gaskell. These take place in Knutsford, Manchester, London, Bath and also online.
  • An invitation to our Annual General Meeting in Manchester each Spring and our Autumn Meeting in Knutsford. Both include guest speakers and a lunch.
  • An invitation to our biennial Gaskell Society Conference.
  • The Gaskell Journal, published annually with scholarly articles on all aspects of Gaskell studies.
  • The Gaskell Society Newsletter, published twice a year, featuring interesting articles and information about events.
£15.00 Add to basket
Membership (4) – Europe
Membership (4) – Europe
Annual European membership of the Gaskell Society includes
  • The Gaskell Journal, published annually with scholarly articles on all aspects of Gaskell studies.
  • The Gaskell Society Newsletter, published twice a year, featuring interesting articles and information about events.
  • Invitations (and discounted entry) to a programme of meetings, lectures, study sessions and outings, featuring Victorian history, literature and the works of women writers in addition to Elizabeth Gaskell. These take place in Knutsford, Manchester, London, Bath and also online.
  • An invitation to our Annual General Meeting in Manchester each Spring and our Autumn Meeting in Knutsford. Both include guest speakers and a lunch.
  • An invitation to our biennial Gaskell Society Conference.
£28.00 Add to basket
Membership (5) – Student International
Membership (5) – Student International
Annual International Student membership of the Gaskell Society includes
  • The Gaskell Journal, published annually with scholarly articles on all aspects of Gaskell studies.
  • The Gaskell Society Newsletter, published twice a year, featuring interesting articles and information about events.
  • Invitations (and discounted entry) to a programme of meetings, lectures, study sessions and outings, featuring Victorian history, literature and the works of women writers in addition to Elizabeth Gaskell. These take place in Knutsford, Manchester, London, Bath and also online.
  • An invitation to our Annual General Meeting in Manchester each Spring and our Autumn Meeting in Knutsford. Both include guest speakers and a lunch.
  • An invitation to our biennial Gaskell Society Conference.
£20.00 Add to basket
Membership (6) – Rest of the World
Membership (6) – Rest of the World
Annual Rest-of-the-World membership of the Gaskell Society includes
  • The Gaskell Journal, published annually with scholarly articles on all aspects of Gaskell studies.
  • The Gaskell Society Newsletter, published twice a year, featuring interesting articles and information about events.
  • Invitations (and discounted entry) to a programme of meetings, lectures, study sessions and outings, featuring Victorian history, literature and the works of women writers in addition to Elizabeth Gaskell. These take place in Knutsford, Manchester, London, Bath and also online.
  • An invitation to our Annual General Meeting in Manchester each Spring and our Autumn Meeting in Knutsford. Both include guest speakers and a lunch.
  • An invitation to our biennial Gaskell Society Conference.
£30.00 Add to basket
New! Christmas with the Gaskells PDF Ebook
New! Christmas with the Gaskells PDF Ebook
In Victorian England the celebration of Christmas surged. Following Dickens, many authors produced heart-warming stories for the season. Elizabeth Gaskell wrote seven of these, but was not comfortable doing so, for “I could not write about virtues to order”.  However, like everyone else, she participated in the merriment that went on, even in a grim industrial city like Manchester. This illustrated booklet, by Anthony Burton and Diane Duffy, gathers together everything we have found out about her experience of Christmas observances: carols, turkeys, Christmas trees, and family parties. 40pp plus covers.  Please note that the download link will appear on your checkout confirmation page.  If you have any queries, please contact us. There is a printed version of this book (UK shipping only), available here.
£3.50 Add to basket
Passion and Propriety – print edition
Passion and Propriety – print edition
Elizabeth Gaskell’s letters demonstrate a keen interest in fashion, but also practicality. Her novels and stories, meanwhile, make use of clothing as a device that reveals much more about a character than mere appearance. In this illustrated guide, Margo Singer describes the fashions of the time, exploring Gaskell’s attitude to clothes and Manchester’s role at heart of this rapidly-expanding industry. A5, perfect bound, 56pp plus covers.  UK shipping only, sorry. Overseas readers may prefer our PDF ebook edition which can be downloaded from this site.
£5.00 Add to basket
Passion and Propriety PDF Ebook
Passion and Propriety PDF Ebook
Elizabeth Gaskell’s letters demonstrate a keen interest in fashion, but also practicality. Her novels and stories, meanwhile, make use of clothing as a device that reveals much more about a character than mere appearance. In this illustrated guide, Margo Singer describes the fashions of the time, exploring Gaskell’s attitude to clothes and Manchester’s role at heart of this rapidly-expanding industry. 56pp plus covers.  Please note that the download link will appear on your checkout confirmation page.  If you have any queries, please contact us. There is a printed version of this book (UK shipping only), available here. 
£5.00 Add to basket