October 2024 was the 10-year anniversary of Elizabeth Gaskell’s House being opened to the public following its restoration. It took many years of fundraising and determination from a dedicated group of volunteers to get to where we are today.

To celebrate this milestone a new exhibition has been created using oral history interviews from some of the people involved. From Janet Allan, who led the campaign, to Frank Galvin, the self-dubbed ‘House detective’, this new exhibition delves into the personal stories and memories of those who played a part in saving this much loved House.

The story will take you from the near dereliction of the early days and the battles that had to fought to ensure its survival, right up to the beauty of the building and museum today, via servings of cake and lifelong friendships. It is a true underdog story that involved many different people who all came together to save the House.

The centrepiece to the exhibition is an anniversary quilt created by textile artist Dr Sarah-Joy Ford who has been inspired by the stories and recollections shared through the project.

Dr Sarah-Joy Ford is an artist, researcher and quiltmaker working with textiles to explore the complexities and pleasures of queer communities, histories and archives. Her practice sits at the intersection of digital and traditional: using strategies of quilting, digital embroidery, digital print, applique and hand embellishment.  Sarah-Joy’s involvement in the project has been supported by funding from The University of Manchester – SALC Social Responsibility Award.

Included in admission to the House.