Beginning with the death of James Leigh on Christmas Morning, 'Lizzie Leigh' tells the story of his family, and in particular his estranged daughter Lizzie, who disappeared from their lives when she became pregnant out of wedlock. When James Leigh dies, the family go to Manchester to look for her. There Lizzie's brother Will falls in love with the respectable Susan Palmer but feels he cannot declare his love because of his sister's disgrace. Elizabeth Gaskell here deals with important issues that were often ignored during the Victorian era.