Showcasing the Elizabeth Gaskell Collection
30 Oct 2024
The John Rylands Research Institute and Library holds the largest collection of materials relating to Elizabeth Gaskell (1810-1865) in the world. These materials have now been brought together to form the Elizabeth Gaskell Collection, with a new catalogue to aid discoverability.
Autograph Collection
Previously labelled ‘Miscellaneous letters’ these unassuming boxes contain autograph letters from an impressive list of notable 19th century figures. They were donated to the Rylands by the estate of Meta (Margaret Emily) Gaskell in 1933. Autograph collecting saw a boom in the19th century. The sense of intimacy that was felt by the possession of a letter in the authors’ original hand was unparalleled. The correspondence in this collection sheds light on the social networks that the Gaskells operated within. 113 of the letters are directly addressed to Elizabeth & William Gaskell, including William Wilberforce (1759-1833), leader of the British movement to abolish the slave trade, and American abolitionist and author Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896).
The letters from Beecher Stowe also situate Gaskell within an international network of female writers: some well-known figures (such as Elizabeth Barrett Browning) and others forgotten (including Caroline Clive, Frederika Bremer, and Dinah Maria Mulock).
The final section of the autograph collection includes letters written in French and German. Identifying the authors of these letters has been fruitful but challenging. One of the most intriguing letters is written in French, from author George Sand (Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin de Francueil) (1804-1876) to novelist Geraldine Jewsbury (1812-1880). Sand was a prolific novelist who has become a French feminist icon; as well as adopting a male pseudonym, Sand wore masculine clothing and was a vociferous advocate of women’s’ rights. Likewise, Sand’s correspondent was also known for defying gender norms.
The Elizabeth Gaskell Collection contains a wealth of material that will be of value to scholars of the 19th century: the new catalogue will make the collection easier to navigate and will generate further research on Gaskell and other lesser-known figures.