Elizabeth Gaskell’s House in Manchester has today (20 November) announced the launch of a new project that will celebrate ten years since the house opened as a visitor attraction and introduce the work of Elizabeth Gaskell (1810-1865) to a new generation of writers. 10 Years of Elizabeth Gaskell’s House: Inaugural Writers Residency is funded by National Lottery players, via The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and will partner with The Writing Squad and Manchester City of Literature.

The project aims to explore Elizabeth’s writing on social equality and her role as a changemaker through the perspective of young writers. Working with The Writing Squad and Manchester City of Literature, three writers aged 18 to 30 will have the opportunity to be part of the very first writers residency at the House during its 10th anniversary year. The residency will culminate in an exhibition opening in summer 2025.

Elizabeth Gaskell’s House is Manchester’s only literary house and a rare example of a Regency villa. The Grade II* listed building plays a hugely significant role in the city’s status as a UNESCO City of Literature, but had a campaign by a group of volunteers not been successful it might have been lost. It was thanks to £2.5million of funding by The National Lottery Heritage Fund that the House was restored in 2014 from a crumbling shell into a destination for visitors to experience how Elizabeth Gaskell would have lived with her family c1857.

Elizabeth wrote about the conditions experienced by the working class in incredible detail, but her activism is often overlooked and she never enjoyed the profile of her friends and contemporaries, including Charlotte Brontë and Charles Dickens, despite having been described as ‘one of the greatest female novelists of all time’ after her death. This means there is a great deal for the young writers to explore about this supporter of progress and change who believed in education for all, played a part in the foundations of the trade union movement and even joined her daughters in helping at soup kitchens.

Sally Jastrzebski-Lloyd, Director of Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, says, “This is a very exciting project during a momentous year for Elizabeth Gaskell’s House. We are delighted that, after supporting the restoration of the house, The National Lottery Heritage Fund is now helping us to connect young writers to Elizabeth Gaskell’s legacy thanks to National Lottery players. In many ways this project is a milestone for Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, signifying our role and contribution as a literary house and we are thrilled by the possibilities of the work that our writers in residence will create.”

Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, says, “It is exciting news that in the Heritage Fund’s 30th birthday year, we’ve awarded Elizabeth Gaskell’s House a grant to engage younger audiences and celebrate their 10 year anniversary! Thanks to National Lottery players, Elizabeth Gaskell’s work and legacy will be introduced to new audiences through a young writer’s residency, as well as associated activities including the production of a short film.”

The Writing Squad is all about nurturing the next generation of writers and will be supporting the selection of the writers in residence and mentoring them throughout the process. Manchester City of Literature celebrates Manchester’s literary heritage, creativity and voices, both within the city and internationally. As well as supporting the writers in residence it will be showcasing their work at a special exhibition as part of the 2025 Festival of Libraries (June 2025). This will follow with an exhibition at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House opening in July 2025.