Elizabeth Gaskell’s House Celebrates Its Tenth Anniversary

Elizabeth Gaskell’s House is celebrating a decade since one of Manchester’s most important historic cultural venues was saved from dereliction with a new exhibition.

Running until June 2025, The story of Elizabeth Gaskell’s House from dereliction to delight explores the building’s restoration and launch as a cultural attraction. It focuses on the personal stories of those who played a part in saving the city’s only literary house and ensuring its rebirth as an elegant museum.

The centrepiece of the exhibition is a quilt created by textile artist Dr Sarah-Joy Ford whose involvement in the project was supported by funding from The University of Manchester – SALC Social Responsibility Award. The work was inspired by the stories and recollections shared through oral history interviews collected as part of the exhibition.

“I want the quilt to show how this amazing group of people, with all these different skills, worked together as a labour of love," said Dr Sarah-Joy Ford. "Saving the House was a great example of heritage activism. These houses don’t save themselves.”

Sally Jastrzebski-Lloyd, Director of Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, said: “Producing this exhibition and collecting all the oral history interviews has been an incredible experience. When I heard about all the challenges the volunteers faced to save the building it makes it all the more remarkable to be standing in this beautifully restored, and watertight, house which so easily could have been lost. This exhibition is dedicated to all those who contributed their time, support and love to Elizabeth Gaskell’s house and garden, some of whom sadly didn’t get to see it opened in October 2014.”