Mary Barton season at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House online

Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor
Elizabeth Gaskell's House
Elizabeth Gaskell's House

18 January — 13 December 2023 Tickets from £5.00 — Book now

The team at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House on Plymouth Grove has already celebrated the author’s famous novels Cranford and North And South, and in 2023 it’s the turn of Mary Barton: A Tale Of Manchester Life. The special season of events and online talks will feature various experts exploring the story, characters and industrial background of Chorlton-on-Medlock’s most famous writer Elizabeth Gaskell’s first novel.

Gaskell’s novel powerfully dramatises the historical reality of Victorian life.

Written in 1848, the novel is a tale of class strife, romantic love and action adventure, and follows the eponymous heroine Mary Barton, daughter of a trade unionist, as she finds herself torn between the working-class Jem Wilson and a mill owner’s son, Henry Carson. Mary’s dilemma, in the wake of tragic shooting, foresees the class struggle and romantic plot of later works such as North And South, and Gaskell’s novel powerfully dramatises the historical reality of Victorian life. In the opening event on 18 January, the speaker Elizabeth Williams will provide an introductory look at Mary Barton: A Tale Of Manchester Life, giving audiences the chance to find out more about the context in which the book was written, including industrial Manchester and Elizabeth Gaskell’s personal life.

The following week, on 25 January, Dr Diane Duffy is back by popular demand, exploring ‘Mary Barton’s Manchester’,  leading participants on a virtual literary journey of discovery to the places, buildings and landmarks of the city as featured in the novel, with extracts from the text to map the way. Says the blurb: ‘This fascinating talk will interest anyone who wants to find out more about historical reality in Elizabeth Gaskell’s writing.’

The Mary Barton Season continues on 15 February, with a nod to Valentine’s Day by comparing Elizabeth Gaskell’s heart-throbs to Jane Austen’s Mr Darcy, then March and April’s events focus on the role of women as both author and heroine. More on those soon – watch this space – and don’t forget to check out the monthly secondhand book sale in the house itself.

18 January — 13 December 2023 Tickets from £5.00 Book now

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Where to go near Mary Barton season at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House online

pub
Liverpool
Bar or Pub
The Merchant

The Merchant is a chilled pub, with a great selection of beers and gins and lots of outdoor seating. It’s also the home of Nightcrawler Pizza.

food and drink
City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
Artefact

Artefact combines vintage finds with a laid-back coffee shop experience, plus a busy schedule of events from open mic nights to exhibitions

food and drink
City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
Lovelocks

Lovelocks is a chilled café on the outskirts of Liverpool city centre, serving delicious sweet and savoury foods and championing inclusivity.

food and drink
City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
Hardware Coffee + Kitchen

Hardware Coffee + Kitchen has taken Liverpool by storm since its opening in December 2022, with news of its fresh pastries and delicious lunches spreading far and wide. It’s located…

food and drink
Liverpool
Café or Coffee Shop
Parliament Square Coffee

A highlight of Baltic Triangle’s speciality coffee scene, don’t miss Parliament Square Coffee’s fresh brunch options and excellent brews.

food and drink
City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
COFFI

A speciality coffee shop in Liverpool’s historic Georgian Quarter, COFFI serves some of the best coffee in the city.

food and drink
Liverpool
Café or Coffee Shop
Bean There Coffee

Sample delicious croissants with your lovingly made cappuccino at Bean There Coffee & Kitchen in South Liverpool.

food and drink
Liverpool
Café or Coffee Shop
Rose Lane Coffee

Speciality coffee, delicious sweet treats and the super friendly staff make Rose Lane Coffee one of the best coffee shops in Liverpool.

Stow
City Centre
Restaurant
Stow

Stow is a new fire-based restaurant on Bridge Street in Manchester, from the team behind Trof.

Cumbria
Restaurant
Gilpin Spice

Gilpin Spice is the two AA Rosettes Asian restaurant at the stunning Gilpin Hotel in the Lake District.

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