What's On

Online Talk: South and North Rather than North and South: Ellen Wilkinson, Elizabeth Gaskell and the ‘Big Strike’ novel

Elizabeth Gaskell may have been one of the first to write a ‘picket-line’ romance, in her much-loved classic North and South, but she was certainly not the last. In the centenary year of the ‘General Strike’ we uncover another novel which combines romance with industrial relations – Clash by another iconic Manchester woman: Ellen Wilkinson, one of the first women Labour MPs (Member of Parliament) and best known for leading the ‘Jarrow March’ of the unemployed in 1936.

In 1926 Ellen Wilkinson spoke at rallies and meetings in support of the ‘General Strike’, when workers walked out in support of striking miners.

Three years after the strike, she published Clash, a semi-autobiographical novel in which a young woman searches for romantic and personal fulfillment in the midst of economic and social unrest.

How did these two trailblazing women write about strikes? Are there any similarities between Clash and Elizabeth Gaskell’s Victorian novel? What do these two women have to say about changing attitudes to strikers in literature?

Marking the 2026 centenary of the General Strike.

‘It was absolutely superb – very informative and delivered with authority.’ Visitor to previous online event

Wednesday 20 May, 7-8pm

£6 per ticket

What else do I need to know?

**Refer to your e-ticket for zoom joining instructions and links. Please check your spam/junk mail for ticket. This talk will also be recorded and all ticketholders will receive a link to the recording via TicketSource after the event.**

If you have any questions about this event, please see our Frequently Asked Questions.

Keep the Pages Turning

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 would like to support the House with an additional donation you can do so via this link.