Mrs Gaskell inspires yet another BBC blockbuster (From Warrington Guardian)

Mrs Gaskell inspires yet another BBC blockbuster

THE BBC is to televise another of Elizabeth Gaskell's novels.

North and South will be shown in a four-part series on BBC2 starting on Sunday night.

Historian Joan Leach, who founded The Gaskell Society, said the story was an attempt by the Knutsford author to address criticism of her first book.

"Her first novel looked at the working conditions in Manchester factories, but she was accused of not understanding the economies of the mills," she said.

"When she wrote North and South she tried to put the masters' view across as well as the workers.'"

The heroine of the story is Margaret Hale whose father is a vicar and leaves London to experience life in the North.

Liberties

BBC producers consulted The Gaskell Society's vice chairman, Jenny Uglow, about their production.

Despite her influence, society members said a few things had been changed after watching a special preview in London. "They have taken a few liberties with the story," said Mrs Leach, who lives in Tabley. Mrs Gaskell's Wives and Daughters attracted millions of viewers when it was televised and prompted more interest in her work.

Producers also want to film Cranford, but are waiting for the funds to do it.

North and South was first serialised in Charles Dickens' Household Words which was a monthly publication.

He continued to publish her work despite her first story for the publication being about a prostitute.

"It was supposed to be family reading," said Mrs Leach.

amoores@guardiangrp.co.uk