Elizabeth Gaskell: A Connected Life

As we have published before, the John Ryland University Library in Manchester celebrates the 200th anniversary of Elizabeth Gaskell with the exhibition: Elizabeth Gaskell: A Connected Life
Elizabeth Gaskell: A Connected Life.

Elizabeth Gaskell: A Connected Life
Christie Gallery
15 July to 28 November 2010

Elizabeth Gaskell was a prolific correspondent and stood at the centre of a wide and varied social network. Her personal connections extended to people from many different walks of life – from some of the most famous figures of the day to the poorest factory workers in her home town of Manchester. This exhibition, which marks the bicentenary of her birth, draws on the Library’s world-class Gaskell collections to explore her place in these diverse communities. It looks at how Gaskell’s social networks influenced her fiction and the worlds she depicted in her books. It also considers the worldwide community of readers past and present who have found enjoyment in Gaskell’s work. Some items from the Library’s collections will be on public display for the first time, including letters from Elizabeth Gaskell to her friends and family. Other highlights include extracts from Gaskell’s autograph collection, her passport and a family portrait kindly loaned by descendants of the Gaskell family.

Some other related events that will be held are:

Curator tour and close-up
Saturday 24 July, Wednesday 29 September* & Wednesday 10 November
12.00-12.45 £3.00
Join the curator of A Connected Life for a tour of the exhibition, see some of the items from the Library’s extensive Gaskell collections which didn’t make it into the exhibition, and discuss Elizabeth Gaskell’s life and works.
* This date marks Elizabeth Gaskell’s 200th birthday – celebrate by joining us for this special event!

Woman of Letters: Elizabeth Gaskell’s autograph collection and Victorian celebrity
Thursday 5 August
6.00-7.30 FREE
This lecture, given by Dr Pamela Corpron Parker of Whitworth University, USA, will explore how Gaskell accumulated and shaped her autograph collection in order to situate herself among an elite community of nineteenth-century British writers. Gaskell’s autograph books are held in the Library’s collections and will be on public display for the evening.

The History Wardrobe presents: Elegant Economy
Saturday 14 August
11.00-12.30 FREE
An entertaining and informative talk on Gaskell-period clothing, which will include dramatic performances and readings in period costume.

The Grace Darling Singers
Saturday 4 September
5.00-7.00 FREE
This performance by The Grace Darling Singers focuses on the joy of congregational singing, and explores the musical legacy of the churches and chapels around Manchester which would have been familiar to Elizabeth Gaskell.

Country and City
Thursday 16 September
6.00-7.30 FREE
Jenny Uglow, Elizabeth Gaskell’s biographer, considers the tensions in Gaskell’s stories and novels between the values of the countryside and the city. The talk focuses on the experience of country folk who leave their villages to work in the industrial towns and sets this in the context of Gaskell’s own experience. Is she a romantic or a realist?

The History Wardrobe presents: Fashioning the Past: A closer look at the clothes of Cranford
Saturday 18 September
11.00-12.30 FREE
A fascinating account of how costume historian Gillian Stapleton researches and creates the lovely replica corsets, costumes and bonnets of the History Wardrobe – with a particular focus on the fashions of the Ladies of Cranford, as described by Elizabeth Gaskell.

Singing Histories: A concert of Manchester ballads
Sunday 26 September
3.00-4.00 FREE
Lancashire folk singers Mark Dowding, Chris Pollington and Alison Younger, will give a performance of nineteenth-century Manchester ballads from the Library’s collections. Ballads are a valuable source of social history as well as entertainment and Elizabeth Gaskell included many such songs in her work – some she reproduced in full, whilst others provided inspiration for chapter titles.

Making Connections –a family fun day
Wednesday 11 August
11.00-4.00 FREE
How did Elizabeth Gaskell create and maintain connections with her friends, family and the different people she met? How has modern technology affected the way we connect withthe world around us? Explore the differences between writing letters and email, talking face-to-face or chatting online, through a series of creative activities.
Most suitable for families with children aged 8-12, but all are welcome.

Directions to the Printer: Elizabeth Gaskell and her publishers
Thursday 14 October
6.00-7.30 FREE
This lecture by Alan Shelston considers Gaskell’s novels from the point of view of her relationships with her publishers.

Christmas at Cranford – a family fun day
Saturday 27 November
11.00-4.00 FREE
A day of creative fun for all the family– make Victorian Christmas decorations, cards and presents using the Library’s collections as inspiration. Activities will include making your own advent calendar, a beautifully decorated journal, Christmas cards, crackers and pomanders. Most suitable for families with children aged 5-10, but all are welcome. Activities will be led by Library staff and all materials are free.

Check the BBC website for a nice slideshow celebrating this anniversary. EDIT: Or this article in The Guardian.

Categories: Art-Exhibitions, Elizabeth Gaskell