Linsey Row, Chelsea (Drawing by W. W. Burgess, 1820)

A Gaskell Chronology

1810

September 29, Elizabeth Cleghorn Stevenson born at 93 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, the eighth child of William Stevenson and his wife, Elizabeth (nee Holland).

1811

Her mother dies and Elizabeth is sent to her mother's sister, Aunt Lumb, at Knutsford.

1822-1827

At Avonbank School, kept by Miss Maria Byerley and her sisters, Stratford-upon-Avon.

1828

Her brother, John Stevenson, disappears on a voyage to India.

1829

Goes to London to help nurse her dying father. Most unhappy with her stepmother.

1829-1831

Visits Newcastle with Anne Turner, then travels to Edinburgh and Manchester, where she meets William Gaskell, assistant to John Robberds, Anne's brother-in-law, and minister of Cross Street Chapel.

1832

August 30, returns to Knutsford and marries William Gaskell in the parish church according to the rites of the Church of England. Honeymoon spent in North Wales, then returns to 14 Dover Street, Manchester.

1833

A daughter, stillborn.

1834

September 12, Marianne born, referred to in letters as Ma.

1837

January, "Sketches Among the Poor," No. 1, Blackwood's Magazine. Margaret Emily, known as Meta, born. Aunt Lumb dies on May 1.

1841

Visits Heidelberg and the Rhineland.

1842

October 7, Florence Elizabeth born. Family moves to larger house at 121 Upper Rumford Street.

1844

October 23, William born.

1845

October 10, William dies while the family is on holiday in Wales.

1846

September 3, Julia Bradford born.

1847-1848

"Libbie Marsh's Three Eras," "The Sexton's Hero," and "Christmas Storms and Sunshine" published in Howitt's Journal, published by William Howitt, a fellow Unitarian.

1848

Mary Barton published in two volumes by Chapman and Hall. Visits Southport and Plas Penthyn.

1850

Moves to new house at Plymouth Grove. Visits Kay-Shuttleworths at Windermere. Offers to visit Charlotte Brontë. "The Moorland Cottage" published by Chapman and Hall. "The Heart of John Middleton" in Household Words. Meets Charlotte Brontë August 19.

1851

Cranford in Household Words, "Mr. Harrison's Confessions" in the Ladies Companion. Visits London, Capesthorne, Knutsford, Broughton-in-Furness.

1852

"The Old Nurse's Story" in Household Words. Visits Silverdale, Lake District, London.

1853

Ruth published in three volumes by Chapman and Hall. Cranford published as single volume by Chapman and Hall. Visits London, Paris, North Wales. Invited to Haworth by Charlotte Brontë. "The Squire's Story" in Household Words.

1854

Visit to France with Marianne. William Gaskell appointed senior minister of Cross Street Chapel. Serial publication of North and South in Household Words.

1855

Visit to Mary and Julius Mohl in Paris with Meta. Requested to write Life of Charlotte Brontë by Patrick Brontë, Charlotte's father. North and South published in two volumes by Chapman and Hall. "Half a Life-time Ago" in Household Words. Lizzie Leigh and Other Stories published by Chapman and Hall.

1857

The Lift of Charlotte Brontë published by Smith, Elder. Travels to Italy with Marianne and Meta. Visits Oxford, Seacale, Chatsworth, Broad Leas.

1858

"The Doom of the Grifhths" in Harper's Magazine. "My Lady Ludlow" in Household Words. Spends autumn in Heidelberg, Florence, and Paris. "Right at Last" published in Household Words as "The Sin of a Father." "The Manchester Marriage" published in Household Words as "A House to Let."

1859

Visits Worleston, Ashbourne, London, Canterbury. "The Crooked Branch" published in All the Year Round as "The Ghost in the Garden Room." Round the Sofa and Other Tales published by Sampson, Low. "Lois the Witch" in All the Year Round. Holiday in Whitby (Monkshaven).

1860

Right at Last and Other Tales, Sampson, Low. Visits Haworth, Oxford, London, Winchester, Heidelberg.

1861

"The Grey Woman" in All the Year Round. Travels to Normandy and Brittany with Meta. "Six Weeks at Heppenheim" in Cornhill Magazine.

1862

Visits London, Paris, Eton, Eastbourne, and Oxford.

1863

Florence marries Charles Crompton, a lawyer. "A Dark Night's Work" in All the Year Round. Visits Mary Mohl in Paris and then travels to Rome. "Cousin Phillis" in Cornhill Magazine. Sylvia's Lovers published in three volumes by Smith, Elder. Visits Florence and Venice.

1864

Negotiates purchase of house for retirement. Wives and Daughters published serially in Cornhill Magazine.

1865

Buys the Lawn at Holybourne, Alton. The Grey Woman and Other Tales published by Smith, Elder. Dies suddenly while talking with her daughters at Holybourne on November 12. Buried on November 16 at Brook Street Chapel in Knutsford.

This extract is taken from Coral Lansbury, Elizabeth Gaskell [Boston: Twayne Publishers,1984]

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