William Gaskell
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

William Gaskell (24 July 1805 – 12 June 1884) was an English Unitarian minister, charity worker and pioneer in the education of the working class. The husband of novelist and biographer
Elizabeth Gaskell Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell (''née'' Stevenson; 29 September 1810 – 12 November 1865), often referred to as Mrs Gaskell, was an English novelist, biographer, and short story writer. Her novels offer detailed studies of Victorian era, Victoria ...
, he was himself a writer and poet, and acted as the longest-serving Chair of the
Portico Library The Portico Library, The Portico or Portico Library and Gallery on Mosley Street in Manchester, England, is an independent subscription library designed in the Greek Revival style by Thomas Harrison of Chester and built between 1802 and 1806. ...
from 1849 to his death in 1884. His personal theology was Priestleian rationalism; he rejected the doctrine of
original sin Original sin () in Christian theology refers to the condition of sinfulness that all humans share, which is inherited from Adam and Eve due to the Fall of man, Fall, involving the loss of original righteousness and the distortion of the Image ...
, believing humans to have an innate capacity for good, and this belief seems to have underpinned his lifelong commitment to charitable and educational projects.Uglow pp.Hughes P. 'William Gaskell', Unitarian Universalist Historical Society (accessed 24 July 2007)
/ref> Unlike many of his
Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...
contemporaries, Gaskell always favoured social and educational work above political lobbying for
free trade Free trade is a trade policy that does not restrict imports or exports. In government, free trade is predominantly advocated by political parties that hold Economic liberalism, economically liberal positions, while economic nationalist politica ...
or factory reform. His personal philosophy can perhaps be summarised in his dedication which he penned at the publication of his poetry collection ''Temperance Rhymes'': 'to the working men of Manchester ... in the hope that they may act as another small weight on the right end of that lever which is to raise them in the scale of humanity.'


Early life and education

Gaskell was born in Latchford, a suburb of
Warrington Warrington () is an industrial town in the Borough of Warrington, borough of the same name in Cheshire, England. The town sits on the banks of the River Mersey and was Historic counties of England, historically part of Lancashire. It is east o ...
, the eldest of six children.Brill pp. 3–4 The Gaskell family were prominent
Dissenter A dissenter (from the Latin , 'to disagree') is one who dissents (disagrees) in matters of opinion, belief, etc. Dissent may include political opposition to decrees, ideas or doctrines and it may include opposition to those things or the fiat of ...
s. His father, also William, was a sailcloth manufacturer with a business on Buttermarket Street and also a Unitarian theology teacher; according to one source, his mother, Margaret Jackson, was a housemaid. He was tutored by a local minister, Joseph Saul. Barred as a non-conformist from attending
Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...
or
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
, Gaskell studied at
Glasgow University The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in post-nominals; ) is a public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ...
(1820–25), taking his BA and MA in 1825. He then trained for the Unitarian ministry at Manchester New College (1825–28), at that time located in
York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
, where his tutors included Charles Wellbeloved and James Turner.


Work


Ministry

Gaskell was the assistant minister of Cross Street Chapel in Manchester from 1828 to 1854, and senior minister thereafter, a position he held until his death. Founded in 1694, Cross Street was the major Unitarian chapel of the city, and its congregation contained many influential Manchester figures, at one time including five MPs. The prominent public health reformers James P. Kay (later Sir James Kay-Shuttleworth), Benjamin Heywood and
Samuel Samuel is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the biblical judges to the United Kingdom of Israel under Saul, and again in the monarchy's transition from Saul to David. He is venera ...
and William Rathbone Greg were all associated with the chapel. Contemporaries considered Gaskell to be a brilliant preacher, though he never spoke extemporaneously; he was certainly a hard-working one, often preaching three times on Sundays. The Ministers of the Chapel by and large abstained from overt political involvement, but they were active in social work, underpinning the thrust of their laypeople. William Gaskell led the congregation from 1828 to 1884, exercising wide influence within and outside the Unitarian movement. He supported the Manchester Domestic Mission Society, which assisted the poor “in such a way that at no time should any denominational or sectarian name or test be introduced”. He championed the Lower Mosley Street Schools, which the Cross Street Chapel sponsored to serve the areas near the
River Medlock The River Medlock in Greater Manchester, England rises in east Oldham and flows south and west for to join the River Irwell in Manchester city centre. Sources Rising in the hills that surround Strinesdale just to the eastern side of Oldham M ...
. A Fellowship Fund supported congregations in poorer locations. A nurse superintended by a lady of the congregation was financed to visit poor families near the town centre. Gaskell worked for education opportunities for the area's working class, and advocated for the Mechanics Institute movement. Gaskell was legendary in humanitarian efforts. To honor his fifty-year point in the Cross Street ministry, a soirée was held in Manchester Town Hall; it was attended by over one thousand people. The congregation honored him with a gift of silverware, and during the festivities a large sum of money was raised for the founding of a scholarship for ministerial students at Owen's College (now Manchester University). William Gaskell was supported in his educational and humanitarian work by his wife, the novelist
Elizabeth Gaskell Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell (''née'' Stevenson; 29 September 1810 – 12 November 1865), often referred to as Mrs Gaskell, was an English novelist, biographer, and short story writer. Her novels offer detailed studies of Victorian era, Victoria ...
. He came to be numbered among the most prominent Unitarians in the country; in 1859, he was offered the ministry at Essex Street Chapel in London, the leading post in the British Unitarian ministry, but turned it down, preferring to remain at Cross Street. From 1865, he served as President of the Assembly of Presbyterian and Unitarian Ministers of Lancashire and Cheshire. In 1861 he co-founded the '' Unitarian Herald'', a publication aimed at the working-class audience, and was an editor until 1875.


Charitable works

Throughout his life, Gaskell worked for numerous local charitable concerns to alleviate poverty, improve living conditions and reduce the transmission of disease, particularly epidemic
cholera Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some Strain (biology), strains of the Bacteria, bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea last ...
and
typhus Typhus, also known as typhus fever, is a group of infectious diseases that include epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, and murine typhus. Common symptoms include fever, headache, and a rash. Typically these begin one to two weeks after exposu ...
. During the 1830s–1860s, some of the worst conditions for the poor in England were to be found in Manchester. In 1845, Engels described one of the poorest slums, not far from the Gaskells' house:
'ruinous cottages behind broken windows, mended with oilskin, sprung doors, and rotten doorposts, ..dark wet cellars, in measureless filth and stench...'
It was also a city of extreme social inequality between the so-called 'millocracy' and the workers; Elizabeth Gaskell once described an acquaintance attending a ball wearing £400 of lace and £10,000 in diamonds.Letter to Marianne Gaskell (December 1863) in Chapple & Pollard The Gaskell family moved between the two worlds, allowing Gaskell not only to collect charitable subscriptions from their wide circle and promote longer-lasting changes from within the local bureaucracy, but also to understand the real concerns of those living in poverty, with whom he was probably more at ease. In 1833 he helped to found the non-denominational Manchester Domestic Home Mission, and he acted as its secretary for many years. Inspired by a visit from
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
minister Joseph Tuckerman, the mission gave practical assistance such as food and blankets to the poor. He was also active in the District Provident Society, an organisation founded by James Kay and William Langton with similar pragmatic aims. Gaskell supported
public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the de ...
measures and housing reform, sitting on the committee of the Manchester and Salford Sanitary Association, as well as another committee formed to regulate beer halls in the area.


Education and societies

Gaskell was a gifted teacher and lecturer, with a lifelong determination to expand the educational opportunities available to the working classes in Manchester. Such opportunities were limited in the 1830s; a
Manchester Statistical Society The Manchester Statistical Society is a learned society founded in 1833 in Manchester, England. It has a distinguished history, having played an important part in researching economic and social conditions using social surveys. It continues to ...
report of 1834 showed that, with the exception of
Manchester Grammar School The Manchester Grammar School (MGS) is a highly Selective school, selective Private_schools_in_the_United_Kingdom, private day school for boys aged 7-18 in Manchester, England, which was founded in 1515 by Hugh Oldham (then Bishop of Exeter). ...
and
Chetham's Hospital Chetham's School of Music () is a private co-educational boarding and day music school in Manchester, England. Chetham's educates pupils between the ages of 8 and 18, all of whom enter via musical auditions. The music school was established i ...
, the main establishments involved in educating the poor were Sunday Schools. These schools gave children of 5–15 years a few hours of education each Sunday, with two-thirds of children benefitting. Two-thirds of the Sunday Schools worked outside the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
.Shercliff WH. ''Manchester: A Short History of its Development'', pp. 35–38 (Municipal Information Bureau, Town Hall, Manchester; 1960) Both the Gaskells taught at the two Mosley Street Sunday Schools, which instructed young mill workers. Lessons covered basic numeracy and literacy in addition to traditional Biblical teaching, and Gaskell defended the practice of giving non-religious instruction on a Sunday, saying that they were doing 'their Father's business' by teaching reading. He and others lobbied successfully in 1832 for the two schools to be moved to improved premises, and some 400 pupils had been enrolled by 1847. In 1836, Gaskell started to give evening classes at the Manchester Mechanics' Institute, which was later to become the
University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) was a university based in the centre of the city of Manchester in England. It specialised in technical and scientific subjects and was a major centre for Research univer ...
. Founded in 1824 to teach the poorest mill workers the institute was the first of its kind in the country. Its principal goal was to give mill workers sufficient knowledge so they might keep pace with the rapid technological progress of the time. From the first, however, Gaskell seems to have embraced the idea of a broader education: his initial lecture series was entitled 'The Poets and Poetry of Humble Life'. Elizabeth wrote that her husband's lectures aimed to increase appreciation of 'the beauty and poetry of many of the common things and daily events of life in its humblest aspect'.Letter to
Mary Howitt Mary Howitt (12 March 1799 – 30 January 1888) was an English poet, the author of the famous poem '' The Spider and the Fly''. She translated several tales by Hans Christian Andersen. Some of her works were written in conjunction with her husba ...
(18 August 1838) in Chapple & Pollard
The lectures were popular, and Gaskell repeated them in several other venues. Who those 'humble poets' actually were no one knows but he is known to have studied J. F. Bryant and many other contemporary poets living in Manchester, including his friend,
Samuel Bamford Samuel Bamford (28 February 1788 – 13 April 1872) was an English radical reformer and writer born in Middleton, Lancashire. He wrote on the subject of northern English dialect and wrote some of his better known verse in it. Biography Bamford ...
. Gaskell became renowned for his reading, which a former student described as 'clear and sweet'; his reading of poetry was recalled to have 'a peculiar charm, for while he had a keen ear for the subtleties of rhyme, rhythm and metre, nothing was ever lost of the meaning or the beauty of the words'. When the New College moved to Manchester in 1840 Gaskell continued to lecture on literature. From 1846 to 1853, he was Professor of history, English literature and logic at New College (Another professor was Gaskell's contemporary from his studies at York, the prominent Unitarian
James Martineau James Martineau (; 21 April 1805 – 11 January 1900) was a British Christian philosophy, religious philosopher influential in the history of Unitarianism. He was the brother of the atheist social theory, social theorist, abolitionist Harriet M ...
.) When the college later moved to London, he served as Chairman of the Trustees. He also lectured at the
Owens College Owens may refer to: Places in the United States * Owens Station, Delaware * Owens Township, St. Louis County, Minnesota * Owens, Missouri * Owens, Ohio * Owens, Texas * Owens, Virginia People * Owens (surname), including a list of people with ...
, founded in 1846 with a legacy from John Owens (it became the
Victoria University of Manchester The Victoria University of Manchester, usually referred to as simply the University of Manchester, was a university in Manchester, England. It was founded in 1851 as Owens College. In 1880, the college joined the federal Victoria University. A ...
in 1904). Beginning in 1858, Gaskell taught literature at the Manchester Working Men's College. He also gave private tutoring to both men and women; notable pupils included hymn translator
Catherine Winkworth Catherine Winkworth (13 September 1827 – 1 July 1878) was an English hymnwriter and educator. She translated the German chorale tradition of church hymns for English speakers, for which she is recognized in the calendar of the Evangelical Luth ...
and her sister, the translator Susanna Winkworth. He was also chairman of the
Portico Library The Portico Library, The Portico or Portico Library and Gallery on Mosley Street in Manchester, England, is an independent subscription library designed in the Greek Revival style by Thomas Harrison of Chester and built between 1802 and 1806. ...
in Manchester for 30 years. In 1854 Gaskell co-founded (with
John Beard John Beard may refer to: * John Beard (artist) (born 1943), Welsh artist and painter * John Beard (colonial administrator) (died 1685), Chief Agent and Governor of Bengal * John Beard (embryologist) (1858–1924), Scottish embryologist and anatomis ...
) the Unitarian Home Missionary Board, which trained working-class Unitarian ministers. He taught literature, history, and New Testament Greek, initially from his study at Plymouth Grove. He became its Principal in 1874. In addition to his tutoring and lecturing, Gaskell campaigned for better education for the working classes, co-founding the Lancashire Public Schools Association in 1847. He served on the committee of the
Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society The Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, popularly known as the Lit. & Phil., is one of the oldest learned societies in the United Kingdom and second oldest provincial learned society (after the Spalding Gentlemen's Society). Promi ...
, which gave public lectures and campaigned for social change; in 1849, he became the Chairman of the
Portico Library The Portico Library, The Portico or Portico Library and Gallery on Mosley Street in Manchester, England, is an independent subscription library designed in the Greek Revival style by Thomas Harrison of Chester and built between 1802 and 1806. ...
, a subscription lending library. In 1861, he helped to organise a meeting of the
British Association for the Advancement of Science The British Science Association (BSA) is a Charitable organization, charity and learned society founded in 1831 to aid in the promotion and development of science. Until 2009 it was known as the British Association for the Advancement of Scienc ...
which brought scientists from across the world to Manchester. Gaskell seemed to relish the immense teaching burden he accumulated in later life. Elizabeth Gaskell complained that 'you might as well ask St Pauls to tumble down, as entreat him to give up this piece of work; which ''does'' interest him very much, & which no one could do so well certainly...'Letter to Anne Robson (10 May 1865) in Chapple & Pollard Though she was referring specifically to his Owens College lectures, he seems to have diligently pursued all his various projects, and found excuses to avoid giving up any obligation he had once started.


Literature and writings

Gaskell had a fascination with language and was an expert on the
Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...
dialect A dialect is a Variety (linguistics), variety of language spoken by a particular group of people. This may include dominant and standard language, standardized varieties as well as Vernacular language, vernacular, unwritten, or non-standardize ...
. Extracts from his lectures on dialect were published in '' The Examiner'', and the 1854 edition of Elizabeth Gaskell's first novel, ''
Mary Barton ''Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life'' was the Debut novel, first novel by English author Elizabeth Gaskell, first published in 1848. The story is set in the English city of Manchester between 1839 and 1842, and deals with the difficulties ...
'', was accompanied by his notes on dialect. He published numerous pamphlets and sermons, and wrote or translated over seventy
hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' d ...
s, some of which are still sung. His poem, "Sketches among the Poor, No. 1" (co-written with his wife in the manner of Crabbe), was published in ''
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine ''Blackwood's Magazine'' was a British magazine and miscellany printed between 1817 and 1980. It was founded by publisher William Blackwood and originally called the ''Edinburgh Monthly Magazine'', but quickly relaunched as ''Blackwood's Edinbu ...
'' in 1837, and his poetry collection ''Temperance Rhymes'' (1839) won the approval of
Wordsworth William Wordsworth (7 April 177023 April 1850) was an English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication '' Lyrical Ballads'' (1798). Wordsworth's ...
. His poetry varied in form, but always employed plain language and attempted sensitive portrayals of characters drawn from the working classes. The poem "Manchester Song" supplies two of the chapter epigraphs to ''Mary Barton''.


Religious writings

*''The Person of Christ'' 1853


Personal life and Elizabeth Gaskell

Gaskell married Elizabeth Cleghorn Stevenson, daughter of the late Unitarian minister William Stevenson, in 1832. The couple had four surviving daughters. Despite differences in personality, the couple seem to have had a strong relationship, although they frequently spent long periods apart, and Elizabeth Gaskell's biographer
Jenny Uglow Jennifer Sheila Uglow (, (accessed 5 February 2008).
(accessed 19 August 2022).
born 1947) is an English biographer, his ...
describes her as breathing more freely when William was away, but still always longing for his return. Unfortunately, none of Elizabeth's many letters to him survives. Gaskell is said to have encouraged his wife to write her first novel as a distraction from her grief at the death of their infant son from
scarlet fever Scarlet fever, also known as scarlatina, is an infectious disease caused by ''Streptococcus pyogenes'', a Group A streptococcus (GAS). It most commonly affects children between five and 15 years of age. The signs and symptoms include a sore ...
in 1845. Elizabeth Gaskell's
industrial novel Industrial may refer to: Industry * Industrial archaeology, the study of the history of the industry * Industrial engineering, engineering dealing with the optimization of complex industrial processes or systems * Industrial city, a city dominate ...
s ''
Mary Barton ''Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life'' was the Debut novel, first novel by English author Elizabeth Gaskell, first published in 1848. The story is set in the English city of Manchester between 1839 and 1842, and deals with the difficulties ...
'' and '' North and South'' were directly inspired by her experiences as a minister's wife in the cotton-manufacturing city of Manchester. Gaskell always encouraged his wife's writing, advising her on dialect, editing her manuscripts and acting as her literary agent. He also supported her when some of her novels, particularly ''Mary Barton'' and ''
Ruth Ruth (or its variants) may refer to: Places France * Château de Ruthie, castle in the commune of Aussurucq in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département of France Switzerland * Ruth, a hamlet in Cologny United States * Ruth, Alabama * Ruth, Ark ...
'', drew strong criticism for their radical views, as well as through the threatened lawsuits over her biography of
Charlotte Brontë Charlotte Nicholls (; 21 April 1816 – 31 March 1855), commonly known as Charlotte Brontë (, commonly ), was an English novelist and poet, the eldest of the three Brontë family, Brontë sisters who survived into adulthood and whose novel ...
. Elizabeth died suddenly in 1865. William Gaskell survived his wife by almost two decades, working full-time until six months before his death, aided by his two unmarried daughters. He died of bronchitis in Manchester in 1884, and is buried beside Elizabeth at Brook Street Chapel, Knutsford.


Legacy

Gaskell's portrait and bust are on display at the new Cross Street Chapel. Gaskell was portrayed by
Bill Nighy William Francis Nighy (; born 12 December 1949) is an English actor. Known for his work in numerous stage, television and film productions, he has received several awards including a British Academy Film Award and a Golden Globe Award, and ...
in the
Granada Television ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV (TV network), ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire on weekdays only, as ABC Weekend TV, ...
mini-series, ''God's Messengers'' (1994).BFI Film & TV Database: ''God's Messengers'' (1994) (accessed 24 July 2007)


Notes


Sources

* Brill B. ''William Gaskell, 1805–1884'' (Manchester Literary and Philosophical Publications; 1984) () * Chapple JAV, Pollard A, eds. ''The Letters of Mrs Gaskell'' (Mandolin; 1997) () * Uglow J. ''Elizabeth Gaskell: A Habit of Stories'' (Faber and Faber; 1993) ()


Further reading

* Webb RK. 'The Gaskells as Unitarians' in Shattock J (ed). ''Dickens and Other Victorians'' (Palgrave Macmillan; 1988) () * Head, Geoffrey 'The founders: John Relly Beard and William Gaskell' in ''Len Smith and others Unitarian to the Core: Unitarian College Manchester, 1854-2004'' (Carnegie Publishing, 2004) pp. 30–51 * A portrait of William Gaskell as Minister of Cross Street Chapel

in ''Unitarian History''


External links


A Brief History of Cross Street Chapel
Retrieved on 10 December 2016
A photograph of William Gaskell
Retrieved on 10 December 2016. {{DEFAULTSORT:Gaskell, William 1805 births 1884 deaths Alumni of Harris Manchester College, Oxford Alumni of the University of Glasgow English Unitarian ministers 19th-century English educators English sermon writers English pamphleteers English male poets British Christian hymnwriters English hymnwriters 19th-century Unitarian clergy Deaths from bronchitis English male non-fiction writers 19th-century English musicians Burials in Cheshire People from Warrington Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society