A new host of artefacts has gone on public display for the first time at the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth which has reopened following a Lottery-funded redevelopment.
Among the items on view are Emily Brontë's mahogany artist's box and her geometry set which were recently bought at auction in London. The box contains ceramic mixing dishes, remnants of paint, quill nibs, a paint tray, sealing wax with miniature envelopes and a glass bottle.
The museum has also purchased a special miniature poetry manuscript by Charlotte Brontë. The two microscopic poems written in 1829 are signed "U. T", meaning "us two", which suggests they were jointly produced with another Brontë sibling, possibly Branwell. Neither have been on public display before.
The former parsonage, which was home to the Brontë family for more than 40 years, is where Charlotte, Emily and Anne's novels were written. Its redevelopment, launched with £50,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, continues a major programme of works and began with a consultation with local people to ask for their ideas on how the building and its collections might be improved.
The result is a new interpretation of the literary family's story which emphasises their place in Haworth and the social-historical context in which they lived.
As part of the scheme, the museum also appealed to local people to get in touch if they believed they had items that may once have been owned by the family.
Several intriguing items came to light which also feature in the new displays, including a hymn sheet from Haworth church dating from the Brontë period.
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Treasures-throw-new-light-on.6033193.jp
donderdag 4 februari 2010
De hypochonders: Tormented Nine Lives, Brian Dillon
Charlotte Brontë ‘aanvallen die zij hypochondria noemde, kunnen we karakteriseren als depressieve storingen. Oorzaak was voor een groot gedeelte haar onderwijsloopbaan waar ze een hekel aan had, omdat het haar zo weinig tijd overliet om haar fantasie uit te leven of te schrijven.
Eenmaal thuis, kanaliseerde Brontë haar leed in haar schrijven. Dillon werpt nieuw licht op twee van haar mindere romans, 'De Professor' en 'Villette, " bestuderen ze in relatie tot de gezondheid van de auteur in kwestie.
http://www.latimes.com/features/books/la-et-book3-2010feb03,0,249473.story
Eenmaal thuis, kanaliseerde Brontë haar leed in haar schrijven. Dillon werpt nieuw licht op twee van haar mindere romans, 'De Professor' en 'Villette, " bestuderen ze in relatie tot de gezondheid van de auteur in kwestie.
http://www.latimes.com/features/books/la-et-book3-2010feb03,0,249473.story
woensdag 3 februari 2010
Mary Taylor
Mary Taylor came out from England to join her brother, Waring Taylor, in the forties, and remained until about 1860. Her sojourn in early Wellington gains much interest from the fact that she was the life-long friend and correspondent of the Bronte sisters, more especially of the eldest sister, Charlotte. She is the M- of Mrs. Gaskell's biography of Charlotte Bronte and the Rose Yorke of "Shirley," as her brother was the Martin Yorke of the same novel. Unfortunately, the letters of Charlotte Bronte to Mary Taylor in New Zealand were never kept, but the letters to Charlotte Bronte from her friend in Port Nicholson make interesting reading and are freely quoted in "Charlotte Bronte and her Circle" by Clement Shorter (1896).
Mary Taylor, joined later by her cousin Ellen Taylor, though well educated for her day, had no inclination to follow any academic calling in the New World and opened a shop, a small general store, on the site of what is now Selfridge's stores, Cuba Street. She appears to have had good business ability, enjoyed the companionship of her cousin, whose early death she deeply deplored, wrote articles occasionally to English papers, and was engaged in desultory fashion in writing a novel, "Miss Miles or a Tale of Yorkshire Life Sixty Years Ago." This was not published, however, until 1890, when it created but little interest. It is apparent from her letters that in New Zealand she missed the literary associations of her friends, and felt isolated, mentally and physically, especially when the mails brought from her beloved Charlotte such "incredible" achievements as "Jane Eyre" and "Shirley," with news of their repercussions. There is no doubt that each gained from the other's friendship. Had Mary Taylor not been staying at Brussels in her youth, the Bronte sisters might never have gone there, and the world would have been the poorer by the powerful novel "Villette" and its interesting Professor. About 1859 or 1860 she returned to England and spent the remainder of her days in seclusion in a home she had built for herself in Yorkshire. She died in 1893.
Mary Taylor's little shop has long since melted away into the dim forgotten past, but she has left a more permanent memorial in a busy little city thoroughfare whose entrance is almost hidden between lofty buildings in Ghuznee Street east. This is Leeds Street, constructed across sec. 181, a stone's throw from her shop in Cuba Street. In 1852 this section was granted to the Hon. Algernon Tollemache (1805-1897), a picturesque figure of early Wellington, who, with 'a deep purse, a lengthy family-tree (7) and good mixing capacity, enjoyed pioneering life for some years in a cottage at the corner of Abel Smith Street and Willis Street. He appeared to have done nothing with the section and in 1859 sold it to Mary Taylor, who cut it up and sold portions, leaving the street as a reminder of her Yorkshire memories. She herself was the daughter of a Yorkshire merchant.
Mary Taylor, joined later by her cousin Ellen Taylor, though well educated for her day, had no inclination to follow any academic calling in the New World and opened a shop, a small general store, on the site of what is now Selfridge's stores, Cuba Street. She appears to have had good business ability, enjoyed the companionship of her cousin, whose early death she deeply deplored, wrote articles occasionally to English papers, and was engaged in desultory fashion in writing a novel, "Miss Miles or a Tale of Yorkshire Life Sixty Years Ago." This was not published, however, until 1890, when it created but little interest. It is apparent from her letters that in New Zealand she missed the literary associations of her friends, and felt isolated, mentally and physically, especially when the mails brought from her beloved Charlotte such "incredible" achievements as "Jane Eyre" and "Shirley," with news of their repercussions. There is no doubt that each gained from the other's friendship. Had Mary Taylor not been staying at Brussels in her youth, the Bronte sisters might never have gone there, and the world would have been the poorer by the powerful novel "Villette" and its interesting Professor. About 1859 or 1860 she returned to England and spent the remainder of her days in seclusion in a home she had built for herself in Yorkshire. She died in 1893.
Mary Taylor's little shop has long since melted away into the dim forgotten past, but she has left a more permanent memorial in a busy little city thoroughfare whose entrance is almost hidden between lofty buildings in Ghuznee Street east. This is Leeds Street, constructed across sec. 181, a stone's throw from her shop in Cuba Street. In 1852 this section was granted to the Hon. Algernon Tollemache (1805-1897), a picturesque figure of early Wellington, who, with 'a deep purse, a lengthy family-tree (7) and good mixing capacity, enjoyed pioneering life for some years in a cottage at the corner of Abel Smith Street and Willis Street. He appeared to have done nothing with the section and in 1859 sold it to Mary Taylor, who cut it up and sold portions, leaving the street as a reminder of her Yorkshire memories. She herself was the daughter of a Yorkshire merchant.
Mary Taylor - An Independent Yorkshire Woman
Mary Taylor was Charlotte Brontë's schoolfriend, and an inspiration. Charlotte visited and stayed at Red House, the family home of the Taylors and depicted the family in her novel Shirley.There are various items in the exhibition relating to Charlotte.
Mary Taylor was a woman who lived a unusually independent and adventurous life for a woman of her time, and was a pioneering feminist in the nineteenth century. She taught boys English in Germany, emigrated to New Zealand and started a business, then, after making a good living, returned to Gomersal.
She was the leader on mountaineering expeditions for women in Europe, and wrote magazine articles and a novel Miss Miles : A Tale of Yorkshire Life Sixty Years Ago. The exhibition gives the visitor a real insight into Yorkshire history, and gave us some new facts we did not know about. Well done to the Curator and staff at Red House for an informative and interesting exhibition.
Well done to the Parsonage Museum for sucessfully acquiring items at the two recent auctions. We are looking forward to viewing them.
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