In the church every pew and available space was taken and several hundred people were forced to remain
outside in the churchyard. In accordance with Patrick's wishes, Arthur had arranged everything with simplicity. Yhere was no passing bell and no psalms were singing. The coffin was carried from the parsonage to the church and then tot the family vault by six of Patrick's closest friends
Joseph Grant from Oxenhope
J.H.Mitchell from Cullingworth
H. Taylor from Newsholme
William Fawcett from Morton
John Smith from Oakworth
John Mayne from Keighley
Arthur followed the coffin,
accompanied
by Martha and Eliza Brown,
their mother and Nancy Garrs.
From: Juliet Barker, the Brontes.
In 1861 Arthur Bell Nicholls lost Patrick, then his best friend, Sutcliffe Sowden who was like a brother to him , and then the living at Haworth.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenIf Arthur had not been though the harrowing grief of losing Charlotte and their child six years before, 1861 might have sunk him altogether. As it was, he was already a hardened veteran of grief
For what could be worse than losing Charlotte when and how he did? If he survived that, Arthur knew even these three great losses of 1861 would be endured
Even so, the first of these blows, the lost of Patrick , effected Arthur to the decree he had to be helped physically though out the funeral.
The last Bronte on the earth was being placed under the flagstones of St. Michale and the last office Charlotte charged Arthur with, the care of Patrick, was done...perhaps now much that had been in abeyance, finally came forward with a terrible force.
One can see a man like Patrick, who had witnessed so many funerals, would indeed want his own to be as simple as possible .