The Gaskell Society
Meetings & Events

Meetings
North West Branch

Manchester Meetings
The Manchester meetings are usually held on the second Tuesday of the month in Cross Street Chapel, Manchester at 1.00pm. The Chapel will usually be open at 12 o’clock so that you can bring in lunch from one of the local sandwich bars.
All are welcome £2.00 members £3.00 non members.

The Manchester Meetings will be held on the following dates.
14th October, 11th November and 9th December 2008. Also 10th February and 10th March 2009.

Further details of speakers and subjects will follow when available.

Knutsford Meetings
Our meetings are held on the last Wednesday of the month in St John’s Parish Rooms, Knutsford, Cheshire. A buffet lunch is served between 12:15 and 12:30 followed by the talk which will start at about 1.30pm. Meetings should finish at about 3 o’clock.

Autumn Meeting
The Autumn Meeting will be held at The Catholic Church, Knutsford, Cheshire on Saturday 27th September 2008. The speaker for the morning will be Patsy Stoneman who will be giving a talk on the adaptation of Cranford for television. Coffee will be served from 10.30am. The afternoon speaker will be announced soon.

The Annual General Meeting 2009
will take place at Cross Street Chapel, Manchester. Date to be confirmed.

The next season of Knutsford Meetings will be held on the following dates. 29th October, 3rd December 2008, 28th January, 25th February, 25th March and 29th April 2009.

29th October 2008
Alan Shelston
will be giving an introductory talk on Cousin Phillis and Six weeks at Heppenheim

Wednesday 18 June
A visit to Liverpool
where we hope to see Gaskell memorials at Ullet Road Unitarian Chapel and visit Sudley House which has Holland family links and a fine art collection. After seeing Sefton Park Palm House there may be time to spend at The Albert Dock.

Further information from
Joan Leach hon.secretary@gaskellsociety.co.uk
or Elizabeth Williams chairman@gaskellsociety.co.uk

Associated Literary Associates

The Harriet Martineau Society's Annual Conference
will take place this year in Manchester at the Luther King House, Rusholme. The Society will be visiting the Gaskell House at 84 Plymouth Grove on Friday 18th July at 2pm, and would welcome the involvement of Gaskell Society members at their events. For further details contact Rev. Dr. Ann Pearl on 0161 249 2531.

London and South East Branch

Saturday September 13 2008
From Monkshaven to Middlemarch:
the provincial landscapes of Elizabeth Gaskell and George Eliot.

Fran Twinn
Fran will look at the way in which the provincial landscapes of four novels are portrayed and inform the novels. If you fancy doing some reading the novels under scrutiny will be: The Mill on the Floss and Middlemarch; Sylvia’s Lovers and Wives and Daughters

Saturday November 8 2008
Elizabeth Gaskell and the Victorian Conduct Book -
Respect or Rebellion ?

Gwen Clarke
In the nineteenth-century girls & young women - especially young wives - were bombarded with literature concerned with what was  perceived to be the correct way to behave, hence the conduct or etiquette book. Did these publications influence Gaskell at all - either in her life or in her work? Gwen will seek to discover the answer by examining some of the conduct books, together with examples from Gaskell's letters & fiction.

Saturday February 14 2009
Intimate and Trusted correspondents:
the Gaskells and the Greens

Fran Baker
Fran who is an archivist and in charge of the Gaskell Collection at John Rylands Library; University of Manchester will consider the correspondence between the Green family-Mary Green was a friend of Gaskell and their daughters were good friends too.

Saturday May 9 2009                      
Character and Environment: Freedom and Enclosure

Shirley Foster
Shirley will  lead a discussion on Sylvia's Lovers. She will talk for about 25 minutes and then there will be a discussion based on some selected passages which she will indicate in advance. More homework!

Saturday June  6  2009 3 – 5.30 pm or thereabouts
A Tea party in the garden (weather permitting!!)
85 Calton Avenue Dulwich London SE21 7DF

Bring your favourite reading about the summer or gardens or any seasonally appropriate reading. It does not have to be Gaskell! Weather permitting we shall have tea first followed by our readings in the garden. You don’t have to read but your reading would be welcome.

Further information from
Dr Fran Twinn, 85 Carlton Avenue, Dulwich, London SE21 7DF
Telephone: 020 8693 3238
E-mail: frantwinn@aflex.net

Mrs Gaskell 1864
Knutsford, Cheshire 1800s
Cross Street Chapel
Manchester 1856
The Gaskell Medallion, Knutsford