Manchester Historic Buildings Trust (MHBT) was established in 1998 to rescue and restore Elizabeth Gaskell’s House and comprises the Board of Trustees and The Members (Friends). Trustees have the ultimate responsibility for directing the affairs of Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, ensuring that it is solvent, well run and delivers the charitable outcomes for which it has been set up.
We are always looking for new Trustees to join the Board who have the skills, knowledge, experience, and commitment to help the organisation to build on its achievements, continue to meet its objectives and provide a sustainable future.
Trustees can also take leading roles on working groups and committees, which meet regularly, produce reports, and make recommendations to the full Board. Board meetings are held every two months in the late afternoon/early evening. The majority are held on Zoom. Trustee roles are voluntary and unremunerated.
The following people currently sit on our Board of Trustees.
Our Trustees
Alex Walker (Chair)
Alex retired as Head of Arts & Heritage for Preston City Council after a 40-year career, spanning Decorative Arts Curator to Head of the Harris Museum and Art Gallery. She spent four years as Chair of the British Association of Friends of Museums, leading reviews of governance, communications and sustainability. She is a member of the advisory panel for the Heritage Volunteering Group and Secretary of the Harris Free Library and Museum Endowment Trust. She has been a Museums Association regional representative and is completing her term as Chair of the NW Federation of Museums. She joined the Board of Trustees and became Chair in 2022.
Jane Baxter
Jane joined the board in May 2018 and has been a regular volunteer at the House since 2014. Jane’s career has included setting up and running a Stained Glass Business, designing panels and decorative lighting for the hotel and leisure sector, and working as a Marketing and Product Development Manager for a window and door company . She now works freelance in marketing and design for small businesses. Jane is the Trustee contact for Friends of Elizabeth Gaskell’s House and was a member of the project team responsible for the restoration of Elizabeth’s bedroom 2020-21.
Amy Boylan
Amy is a fundraising and supporter experience specialist, who has worked for national charities like Alzheimer’s Society and now Macmillan Cancer Support. Focusing on both donor acquisition and retention, she currently manages the In Memory Fundraising Team for Macmillan. With a passion for museum and heritage work, she completed her Museum & Gallery Studies MLitt at University of St Andrews in 2017. Amy joined the Board in 2024.
Lesley Burn (Vice Chair)
Lesley joined the Board in November 2021 after having volunteered at the House for five years, both as an open day guide and also contributing to the development of the House’s social media presence. During her 35-year paid career, she ran a management consultancy providing project development and implementation expertise to public sector organisations, particularly to the NHS, at local, national and international levels.
Madeleine Carnwath (Secretary)
Madeleine joined the Board in 2024 and is a Senior Legal Counsel at the University of Manchester. She also has a lifelong interest in 19th century history and literature.
Dr. Diane Duffy
Diane joined the Board in November 2021 after having volunteered at the House for seven years. As well as being a tour guide and a regular presenter of talks, she has also been heavily involved in the research and delivery of several exhibitions and pieces of interpretation at the House. Diane holds a Ph.D. in early nineteenth-century women’s writing and was a secondary school English teacher for 38 years. She now works in the community as a teacher and is the Chair of the Gaskell Society.
Liza Leonard
Liza joined the board in 2024 and has worked in the cultural / heritage sector for over 17 years in roles specialising in visitor experience and commercial income generation. During her career she has worked for IWM, The John Rylands Library, Manchester Art Gallery and currently works for Bolton Library and Museum Service. She has successfully increased commercial income throughout her career and is passionate about the delivery of an exceptional visitor experience.
Shanna McGoldrick
Shanna joined the board in 2014. She has more than 10 years of experience as a journalist and editor, with a background in lifestyle news and features in particular. She has also worked in content management and communication roles for various commercial enterprises, and has a lifelong love of books, libraries and most genres of literature.
Rose Palmer
Rose joined the Board of trustees in 2024 as part of a project with Kids in Museums to recruit a Young Trustees. Rose is currently studying History at Sheffield University and has a wide range of volunteering experience including being the Salford Youth Mayor from 20-22 and as a panel member for Salford CVS wellbeing fund.
Rana Rofifah
Rana joined the Board of trustees in 2024 as part of a project with Kids in Museums to recruit a Young Trustees. She had previously been a volunteer at the House and whilst studying at university worked for the National Trust and as a young ambassador for Chatsworth House. She is currently a Programmes Assistant for the Royal Geographical Society in London.
Hannah Riches
Hannah is a senior civil servant, who specialises in regulatory policy and currently works for the Competition and Markets Authority in Manchester. She brings experience of strategy development and delivery, budget management, and leading teams across organisational boundaries. She has a degree in economics and masters in public policy from the London School of Economics. She’s an avid reader and also volunteers at the Pankhurst Trust. She joined the board in 2024.
Kate Rodwell (Treasurer)
Kate is a chartered accountant with 25 years’ experience in financial management. She qualified with Deloitte and has subsequently worked in a variety of roles at both large and small businesses, including 9 years with Guardian Media Group. She has previously volunteered as a treasurer at her local netball club. Kate joined the board in 2024. She is looking forward to using her accounting experience to provide support and advice to the board and finance staff.
Janet Allan MBE (President)
The guiding hand behind the preservation and restoration of Elizabeth Gaskell’s House. As Chair of the Gaskell Society 1998-2004 she led a group of campaigners who set up the MHBT in 1998, who went on to buy the house and raise funds for its restoration. She was chair of the MHBT throughout the restoration process, culminating in the successful opening of the house to the public in October 2014. In 2015 she was elected as President in recognition for her work. She has also been a Trustee of the Buxton Opera House, the Spring Bank Arts Centre in New Mills and a Librarian at the Portico Library, Manchester.
Vision and Values
Vision: To ensure Elizabeth Gaskell’s House gives pleasure, inspiration and a place to learn for today’s visitors, volunteers and businesses who use the House, and continues to do so for generations yet to come.
We aim to bring the Gaskell home to life as a part of Manchester’s community by:
- Protecting and promoting the literary and cultural heritage of the House and its visitors
- Celebrating the life and literature of Elizabeth Gaskell and her relevance today
- Valuing and promoting the Gaskell family’s role in the history of Manchester and Ardwick
- Being an educational and intellectual hub, a place of learning and discovery
- Supporting local groups, residents and schools to use and value the House and its heritage
The Board of Trustees, staff and volunteer team at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House aim to:
- Welcome visitors and volunteers of all backgrounds
- Make every visitor and volunteer feel valued
- Nurture a family and community feeling at the House
- Be an inspirational place where people can learn and share their knowledge
- Commit to sustainable business practise that reduce our impact on the environment
- Embrace our Mancunian identity – be authentic and proud of being part of this great city
If you would like to contact any of our Trustees or are interested in becoming a Trustee please do so via the House address or email enquiries@elizabethgaskellhouse.co.uk
