Over the coming weeks we will be introducing everyone from our small staff team at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, and getting them to answer some questions about working at the House.
Lynda Jackson is our Events Manager and has worked at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House for three years, working 1.5 days a week.
Lynda has worked in museums for over 20 years and also manages the beautiful Judges Lodgings Museum in Lancaster.
A fun fact about Lynda is that she once lost her team a lot of money on the Eggheads TV game show because she answered ‘Victor Hugo‘ instead of ‘Emile Zola‘ on a history question!
Lynda visiting the House back in 2021
What do you do?
I run the events programme, which includes curating the programme, contacting speakers, promoting events, managing ticket sales and then hosting on the day. It’s mainly online but once a year we have a big event at the House too. In 2024 our theme for our online talks is on the novel Wives and Daughters.
What’s your favourite place in Elizabeth Gaskell’s House?
The Study! (pictured above) I love having a look through all the old editions in William Gaskell’s study. The Tea Room is pretty nice too 😉
What is the best thing about working at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House?
The people. The staff and volunteer team are so friendly, and there is so much knowledge about Elizabeth Gaskell, her life and times. There’s a real online community around the events programme too which is great. I often work from home for online events but I love coming into the House and imagining what it was like when she was writing her novels.
What is the worst thing about working at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House?
Trying not to spend all my wages on the cakes in the Tea Room!
Aside from Elizabeth Gaskell (who is your favourite author, book or genre?
Hmm tough one. I came pretty late to the classics, so am enjoying working my way through Jane Austen and Alexander Dumas at the moment. The books I always go back to though are J G Farrell and Maya Angelo, but my secret crush is Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne Du Maurier.
