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Cranford is a novel written by Elizabeth Gaskell and first published in 1853. It was initially published in separate installments that were later collected as a book.

The fictional town of Cranford is based on the small English town where Elizabeth Gaskell grew up called Knutsford.

The novel begins by presenting the local female society, made up mostly of widows or single elderly women who, despite being close to poverty, live elegantly.

They all abide by a set of fine social norms and visit the homes of their relatives.

But suddenly a new inhabitant arrives in town: Captain Brown. He is retired from the army and has gotten a job as a railway employee.

He has no qualms about talking about topics that are normally forbidden in that community and he will gain respect and affection for his honesty and kindness, in addition to becoming the local hero by saving a girl from being hit by a train .

"In the first place, Cranford is in possession of the Amazons; all the holders of houses above a certain rent are women; If a married couple come to settle in the town, somehow the gentleman disappears; he is either fairly frightened to death by being the only man in the Cranford evening parties, or he is accounted for by being with his regiment, his ship, or closely engaged in business all the week in the great neighbouring commercial town of Drumble, distant only twenty miles on a railroad.; In short, whatever does become of the gentlemen, they are not at Cranford".