The Gissing Trust was established in the late 1970s by members of Wakefield Historical Society and Wakefield Civic Society with the support of international scholars.

Its purpose was to save the childhood home of the late Victorian novelist, George Gissing, from partial demolition. Working with help from their landlords, the NatWest Bank, the Trust gradually established a very small museum housed in rooms on the first floor of 2-4 Thompson’s Yard. Leading Gissing scholars from home and abroad attended the opening of the museum in the 1990s. Since then it has been open to the public on regular dates in the summer when it has been staffed by volunteers. Financed by donations, recent difficulties have led to a possible closure.

Much of the knowledge of Gissing’s Wakefield has slowly emerged through the research of trustees and local volunteers, so that the histories of the house, the family and their friends are now well-documented. The trust celebrates the stories, interests and achievements of all members of the family. The trust can offer guided walks around places with connections to the activities of the family. Thompson’s Yard and the surviving adjacent yards have their origins in the town’s medieval burgages, providing evidence of the development of the town over many centuries.

Although Gissing’s many novels and short stories continue to be the main literary focus, the Trust encourages knowledge and appreciation of our many other local writers of all genres past and present, and has created an exhibition of Wakefield writers displayed in Wakefield Libraries.

The continuing appeal of Gissing Studies in universities around the world has inspired champions of his work from many cultures. The Trust receives the quarterly Gissing Journal, an international publication by and for enthusiasts and academics.