MARY BARTON (1848) by the socially conscious Victorian author Elizabeth Gaskell is the heartfelt story of working class families in England, of poverty and human dignity. Mary Barton, beautiful daughter of a mill worker has caught the eye of Henry Carson, the rich mill owner's son, but she is also loved by Jem Wilson, a poor young man of lower class. When tragedy strikes in the form of a murder in the community, Mary must fight for justice and for her true love, in order to redeem those she cares about most.