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From 1861 to 1865 the American Civil war raged and has since been described as one of the most destructive wars of all time. It is now estimated that 2% of the population – over 620,000 men – lost their lives in

7-11 April 2025 The Easter holidays have arrived and the sun continued to shine - although the phones have stopped working! We were lovely and busy on Wednesday, at one point every table in the Tea Room was full, we ran out

Elizabeth Gaskell’s works explore the balance between nature and nurture, showing how both the natural world and supportive relationships shape her characters' emotional growth. In her novels, nature is not merely a backdrop but an active force and dynamic theme, while nurturing

31 March - 6 April 2025 The sun was out in force this this week and out in the garden (and the surrounding streets/parks) the tree blossoms looked striking against the blue Manchester sky. Once again we could be outside without a

In Elizabeth Gaskell’s works, gardens emerge as a potent metaphor for Victorian ideals, particularly those tied to femininity, class, and domesticity. In an era when gardens symbolised order and beauty, they also mirrored the rigid roles women were expected to perform. Elizabeth’s