Charlotte Brontë and Elizabeth met in 1850; the year that the Gaskells moved to Plymouth Grove. Their friendship lasted for five years until Charlotte’s death in 1855, at the age of 38. Charlotte stayed here three times, in 1851, 1853 and 1854. After Charlotte died, Elizabeth wrote the biography of her friend and fellow novelist. The challenge of writing an accurate and fair account of Charlotte’s life is evident in Elizabeth’s manuscript, in the John Rylands Library, University of Manchester. Each page shows her many corrections and amendments. The life of Charlotte Brontë was published in 1857.