Elizabeth Gaskell House

Elizabeth Gaskell’s House in Manchester is the former home of the famous author and her family.

Her novels include Mary Barton, Cranford, North and South and Wives and Daughters and are enjoyed on television, stage and radio.

Her husband, William Gaskell, was an Unitarian minister at Cross Street Chapel, charity worker and pioneer in the education of the working class. He was himself a writer and poet, and acted as the longest-serving Chair of the Portico Library from 1849 to his death in 1884.

Their beautifully restored family home has spectacular period rooms for visitors to enjoy. The House, combined with the story of Elizabeth Gaskell as a writer, public figure and private person, provides a unique and engaging experience.

We browsed the books in William Gaskell’s study and sat where Elizabeth sat to write, overlooking her beloved garden. The majority of the furniture and objects can be touched and used, providing a very rare hands-on experience.

We stood on the same doorstep as many of Elizabeth’s famous friends, such as Charles Dickens and Charlotte Bronte.

After a fascinating visit we went down into the Servants’ Hall where the Tea Room and shop are located. We enjoyed freshly brewed tea and coffee and delicious cake served in style on vintage china.

More photos can be seen here.

• Important notice: our tickets are valid for 12 months until 14 January 2026. If anyone wishes to visit again within the next year, there will be no charge, providing you make it clear when booking that this is a revisit and take the original ticket (which I will retain).

No one should be left lonely this winter

(reprinted from Diva Magazine)

Ella Gauci learns more about how isolation can affect queer older people at this time of the year.

Nestled in the cosy interior of The Eel Pie pub in Twickenham, something rather remarkable is happening in front of my eyes. With tea and cake dotted around, a group of older LGBTQIA people have gathered here today for a very special celebration: the anniversary of the Rainbow Café, their monthly meet-up group.

Carol Horne, wellbeing services manager at Age UK Richmond, asks if anyone has any words of reflection. Vito, one of the founding members, rouses the group with a powerful speech about the power of connecting on shared history and culture. As applause erupts around her, I try to control the tears welling up in my eyes.

The Rainbow Café is more than just a monthly get-together. It is all part of Age UK Richmond’s scheme to spearhead the fight for introducing better initiatives targeting older LGBTQIA people across the country. Especially in winter, the Rainbow Café offers everything, from a friendly face to a warm place to stay for a few hours.

Last year Age UK found that 1.4 million people over the age of 65 would be eating their Christmas dinner alone.  While typically associated with jolly family memories, tinsel and trays of stuffing, Christmas – and winter on the whole – is often the hardest time of year for LGBTQIA older people.

John, another founding member of the Rainbow Café, has felt this loneliness acutely. Despite the smile on his face, he admits that winter can be hard for people without family or children. “The people from this generation have face a lot of stigma,” Aydee Burke, communications and community fundraising manager at Age UK Richmond, tells me. “Now, they’re at the age where it feels more normal (to be LGBTQIA), but it’s still a massive step for them to (come to us) because of what they lived through. It used to be a crime to be LGBTQIA. Things are changing now, and we have to lead the way on that.”

For many older LGBTQIA people this Christmas, the holiday itself may feel like an exclusive club they don’t have access to. Kate, a volunteer at LGBT Foundation’s Pride In Ageing programme, started working with their team in Manchester to offer her advice to others about how to live as a single older LGBTQIA person.

“There’s great sadness when Christmas comes along,” Kate explains. “It’s like we can’t be ourselves anymore. Once you’re out, it’s very hard to go back into the closet. It brings home to you how painful it is to be rejected by family. One of the ironies is that Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of somebody who was all-inclusive. Commercial Christmas is geared towards heterosexual families. If you don’t have close friends, it brings it home to you just how lonely it can be.”

The Pride In Ageing programme offers support, events and advice for older LGBTQIA people. Helping to connect and amplify their voices is a vital part of this work.

“A lot of older LGBTQIA people are not out where they’re living”, Lawrie Roberts, LGBT Foundation’s Pride In Ageing manager, tells me. “That can be extremely isolating. Some people may have experienced discrimination where they live, especially those in care homes. It can be a really challenging time for people.”

And it’s not just isolation that LGBTQIA older people have to contend with. Heating, transport and a lack of LGBTQIA-focused events during winter can leave people feeling trapped inside their homes. “It’s like the gay world closes down for the winter”, Kate laments. “Everything just slows down and stops.”

But LGBT Foundation is determined to change that. They recently hosted a talent show, teaming up their Pride In Ageing scheme with a local youth group. Out of the performers on the day, the youngest was14, and the oldest was 84.

Their helpline is also open every day of the year, including Christmas, offering a lifeline for people who may not have anyone to talk to this year. Across the country, older LGBTQIA people are coming together to combat loneliness. But they shouldn’t have to do it alone. In the same ways that they fought for the rights we now enjoy, it is our duty to fight for their right to connection, warmth, joy and – in the case of the Rainbow Café – a lot of cake.

1853 Restaurant

1853 will reopen from Wednesday 22 January 2025 for lunch service, with bookings available going forwards every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday during term time from 12.00pm to 12.45pm.

The lunchtime menu comprises of small plates, of classic and contemporary dishes, delicious desserts and modern starters. The menu changes on a regular basis.

To make a lunch reservation, please email 1853@tmc.ac.uk

1853 Restaurant – Evening Events for 2025

Guest Chef Event – Dnata Catering (First Class Airline Catering)

Wednesday 22 January – Arrive for 6.00pm to dine for 6.15pm – £30.00 per head

Afternoon Tea with 1853

Wednesday 29 January – Arrive for 4.45pm to dine for 5.00pm – £14.00 per head

1853 theme event – Indian Cuisine Night

Wednesday 5 March – Arrive for 6.00pm to dine for 6.15pm – £18.53 per head

1853 theme event – Easter Themed Night

Wednesday 19 March – Arrive for 6.00pm to dine for 6.15pm – £18.53 per head

Afternoon Tea with 1853

Wednesday 26 March – Arrive for 4.45pm to dine for 5.00pm – £14.00 per head

Guest Chef Event – Dave Ashton and Zoe Wesson – Hilton Manchester

Wednesday 14 May – Arrive for 6.00pm to dine for 6.15pm – £30.00 per head

Afternoon Tea with 1853

Wednesday 21 May – Arrive for 4.45pm to dine for 5.00pm – £14.00 per head

1853 theme event – French Cuisine

Wednesday 4 June – Arrive for 6.00pm to dine for 6.15pm – £18.53 per head

1853 theme event – Mexican Night

Wednesday 11 June – Arrive for 6.00pm to dine for 6.15pm – £18.53 per head

To book your table email 1853@tmc.ac.uk

Free Special Showcase Concert at The Bridgewater Hall

Young musicians and singers from the Greater Manchester and Blackburn with Darwen Music Hub present a special concert performance of Neil Brand’s evocative ‘Wind In The Willows’, and Malcolm Arnold’s ‘Peterloo Overture’ (Choral Version), featuring new words written by Sir Tim Rice.

Over 150 young musicians will be joined by actor David Threlfall as Badger, Musical Director Stephen Threlfall, and actors from Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts.

Date: Sunday, 16 February 2025

Doors open: 2.00pm

Performance: 3.00pm – 5.00pm

Venue: The Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3WS

To book your free tickets to this event, please contact us here