Bronte Parsonage

 

Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Northern England. I visited Haworth, York,Fountains Abbey, Lake District, Preston, Liverpool

 (of course went to the Beatles Museum), and Chatsworth (where parts of the latest Pride & Prejudice was filmed). One of my favorite places we went was the Bronte house. Being at their house and hearing their stories and how they lived was incredible. I didn’t know anything about the Bronte family before but I am so happy I do now. I thought I would share what I learned so you can learn a little more about them too. :)

 

 Around 1814 Mr. and Mrs. Bronte had their first two children Maria and Elizabeth in a little place called Hightown. Recently after they were born they moved to Thornton, which is near Bradford in Yorkshire where their four famous children were born: Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne. Mrs. Bronte died of Uterine Cancer in 1821, 18 months after Anne was born. Mr. and Mrs. Bronte thought it would be a good idea to send Maria, Elizabeth, Charlotte and Emily to the Clergy Daughters School at Cowan Bridge, this was a school designed for the daughters of impoverished clergymen. In 1825 Maria and Elizabeth died form ill health at just 10 and 11 years old. Mr. Bronte also known as Patrick Bronte had said it was the poor food, harsh conditions and cold at the school that contributed to their premature deaths. After they had died Mr. Bronte brought Charlotte and Emily back home to keep close to him and didn’t send any other children away, instead taught them from home.

 

Before Charlotte Bronte became a writer she wanted to be an artist. The first book she wrote was The Professor the publishers didn’t like it and wouldn’t publish it. However her next book Jane Eyre became famous overnight. Charlotte married Arthur Bell Nicholls in 1854. She became pregnant a year later, however, in the middle of her pregnancy in 1855 she passed away. After her death The Professor was published in 1857. Charlotte was really the only member of the Bronte Family to become famous in her lifetime from her story Jane Eyre. Charlotte’s brother Branwell loved art but before he got much work done he became addicted to alcohol and drugs and died in 1848. Emily died of tuberculosis the same year. The dining room in the house was cool because it is where all the sisters worked on their writing but it was also the room Emily Bronte had died, it was a little creepy. Emily was stubborn and wouldn’t admit she was ill until it was too late. The following year Anne died. 

 

I know this is kind of a sad story but I thought it was really interesting and it was cool reading Jane Eyre then being able to go visit the house where it was written. Overall, it was a great experience I loved going there and hope to go back again some day.