Elizabeth Gaskell (1810-1865)

Elizabeth Gaskell was an English novelist and biographer. Her best known works include 'Cranford', 'North and South' and 'Wives and Daughters'. Her novels are notable for their detailed descriptions of the different classes of society in Victorian Britain. She also wrote the first biography of her friend Charlotte Brontë. Charles Dickens published several of her short ghost stories in his magazine 'Household Words'. Mrs Gaskell's books declined in popularity after her death but were reappraised in the mid 20th century and she is now regarded as one of the most important authors of the Victorian period. 

"I am so overwhelmed with visitors, that I have had no

time to finish the 'Doom of the Griffiths'...” 

In her letter written in 1859, Mrs Gaskell thanks the recipient (most likely Sampson Low) for the £50 cheque she has received and refers to her short story 'The Doom of the Griffiths' which she has not yet finished for publication. 'The Doom of the Griffiths' was subsequently published by Sampson Low in 1859 in 'Round the Sofa', a two volume collection which contained a novel and five short stories. 

View Elizabeth Gaskell's letter [opens in a new window]

Image Rights: GL Archive / Alamy Stock Photo