Cranford - A Community of Women

Until the BBC showed Cranford recently, no-one had ever heard of it beyond students of English Literature. Indeed, I read it many years ago, while doing A Level English and thought it rather turgid and dull. How wrong I was.

Many years later, I was given the book as a pre-recorded mini-player, and how I enjoyed it this time around. It is the story of a village in North West England, which for some quirky reason seems to only contain women – the men have either died or moved away. There are men enough to do the day to day necessary tasks to keep society functioning, but not sufficient men of a certain class. So there lives in Cranford a group of women – mostly widows or spinsters, and mostly beyond the first flush of youth. They are very aware of their class and status and fiercely protect both.

The story is told by Miss Mary Smith, a regular houseguest of the two main characters, Miss Deborah and Miss Mattie Jenkyns (Eileen Atkins and Judi Dench respectively in the BBC adaptation). The Misses Jenkyns are the daughters of the former Rector and Miss Deborah in particular, is very punctilious in ensuring that the sisters maintain their particular place in society. They have a live-in servant girl to “do” for them and a pony and trap but otherwise seem to manage for themselves.

It would be vulgar to mention the word, but money is obviously in short supply and the economies they employ make one smile. When not entertaining company in the evening, they limit the number of candles they light, but use each for a short while only so that all the candles are burned to the same length. That way, should a visitor arrive, all the candles can be lit so it appears they have been burning all evening. It saves money, and face.

A new carpet is purchased for the Parlour but to protect it from being faded by sunlight, they put newspapers upon it which they move following the path of the sun during the day. They even place footstep shaped pieces across the room so the carpet is not soiled by shoes. When company comes, they of course remove the paper and have a pristine carpet.

Miss Matty, the younger sister, is by now an elderly spinster (though I think not yet 60) and it transpires that, unknown to our narrator, she once had a gentleman admirer. The story comes out that her admirer, Thomas Holbrook, was only a yeoman farmer who tilled his own land, so entirely unsuitable as a prospective husband. Her father, the Rector, had refused his permission, so poor Miss Jenkyns remained for ever a spinster since no-one else ever “asked” for her. At one point, we meet Mr Holbrook, still a farmer, but now quite prosperous, when Miss Matty, together with her cousin, and Mary Smith are invited to spend the day with him. Shortly after he departs on a visit to Paris from which he never returns. Cranford has lost another male inhabitant. Miss Matty is quite distraught and it shows the feeling she must still have held for him when she tells her dressmaker that in future she will wear widow’s caps, thus showing her altered status.

The Honourable Mrs Flynn, who is much respected and admired, since she is minor aristocracy, is to be visited by a relation, a titled lady. This causes a great flurry amongst the inhabitants. Should they visit her? What topics should they discuss? What foods should they offer her if she should deign to visit them? They are almost disappointed when it turns out that she is a very unaffected and down to earth woman, who has never been presented at Court.

Visiting and being visited is an important part of the social scene. One never just dropped in to see an acquaintance. It was known which day a particular household would be “at home” and visitors called between specified times and stayed no longer than 15 minutes. Entertained in the Parlour (without the newspaper, I hope), refreshments might be offered, but very much depended on the class of the visitor. Visits must have been very stilted, unsatisfactory meetings when constrained by such tight rules.

Card parties were a little more relaxed and a favourite with many of the Cranford residents. These provided an opportunity to meet friends, gossip, meet up with any visitors and, most importantly it would seem, eat food at someone else’s expense!

Money, of course, remained a forbidden subject. Never discussed in polite society, it was forced into the public domain when the Bank holding all of Miss Matty’s funds folded, and she lost all her money. Fortunately her friends in the village rallied to help her out and she set up a Tea Shop to make ends meet. She is helped out by her servant girl, now married, and she and her husband live with Miss Matty.

On this mini-player, the story is read, unabridged, by Claire Wille, who gives it just the right level of pathos with a hint of fun to bring out the essence of the novel. Mrs Gaskell isn’t exactly laughing at her heroines. They, indeed, are unable to laugh at themselves. They are caught in a time and a way of life which proved very constrictive and unsatisfactory. She is using them, I think, to mock the unfulfilling and restrictive lives lived by so many women in England in the mid 19th century.

This mini tape takes 6 hours to play but can be paused and bookmarked at will, so is an ideal way to “read” a long novel. The beauty of it is you’re not restricted while reading. You can do so much else as well, from training at the gym, jogging, travelling or even doing the household chores.

A good read from a much under-exposed writer.

Cranford - A Community of Women