• 10 Years of Elizabeth Gaskell's House

Blogs & News

: Piano Recital: Constance Harper’s ‘The Magic Casements’

Come and join us for a very special piano recital of children's songs, composed by a former resident of Elizabeth Gaskell's House! The Magic Casements, written by talented harpist Constance Harper in the 1920s, will be performed on our beautiful boudoir grand piano in the gorgeous drawing room here at 84 Plymouth Grove on Sunday 20 October. The Harper family lived in the House from 1913, and Constance, one of the daughters of the family and a member of

: Remembrance Sunday Talk: Poetry of the Great War

Join us to commemorate Remembrance Sunday, at our short, informal lunch-time talk on World War I poetry with Philip Watts. The discussion, on these powerful and moving pieces of writing, will include readings of complete poems. Included in House entry  Elizabeth Gaskell’s House is run by Manchester Historic Buildings Trust (charity no. 1080606) and all money gained through private tours, talks, room hire and ticket sales goes towards the ongoing maintenance and running costs of the House. If you

: Performative Talk: Songs of Work in Manchester and Bangladesh

In the neighbourhood of Oldham there are weavers, common hand-loom weavers, who throw the shuttle with unceasing sound Elizabeth Gaskell, Mary Barton There are surprising links between the Lancashire weavers of Elizabeth Gaskell's time, and those of modern Bangladeshi garment workers.  Join Jennifer Reid as she examines Bangladeshi work song and its links to Manchester weaving songs, through an exciting performative talk which will include singing and field recordings. Jennifer is a performer of nineteenth-century broadside ballads and Lancashire dialect

: The Sound of Servants: The Musical! Friends Event

This housekeeper has her chores and with the bell she answers doors...meets and greets the great and good....   Join us for an innovative new musical, with tea and cake afterwards, devised by local women’s group Herizons at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House on Saturday 27th April at 2pm. Performed promenade style, this musical adventure will explore the stories of servants, who worked at the house, bringing them to life through drama and original songs. The performance will last approximately

: Mother’s Day at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House

 "Mother's love is given by God, John. It holds fast for ever and ever." Elizabeth Gaskell, North and South Join us for a Mothering Sunday discussion on motherhood, as seen through the writings of Elizabeth Gaskell.  Meet Elizabeth Gaskell herself - in the guise of our very own Dr Diane Duffy - as she settles in the drawing room to talk to interviewer Chris Foley about motherhood through the lens of Elizabeth's own letters and novels. Don't forget to